Supervasi

History

In 2003, a team of 10 volunteers assembled in Mumbai for the development of integrated social systems, from disciplines such as software, electronics, medical, bio-technology, sustainable development & management. They conducted research & development into software, education, healthcare, agriculture and construction.

After nearly a decade of research, Supervasi was founded in June 2012 by Glenn Fernandes, a visionary technologist who worked in Siemens India for 20 years before he quit his job to dedicate his life to social work. The organization was registered as a non-profit private company, "Creative Responsible Integrated Systems Foundation" (then known as "CriSys Foundation").

Between 2009-2012, they toured the "Tribal Belt of India", to study and understand the problems of the impoverished tribals living in remote regions. They decided to start with the development of the Yeoor-based tribal population.

In 2012, they launched the Entrust ERP cloud platform with the "Artificial Intelligence for Business" engine (5th Generation Language), in order to fund the rehabilitation and non-profit activities of the organization. They also began the Jungle BPO program, which provides a complete range of Business Process Outsourcing services wherein work is completed by tribal apprentices. Jungle BPO centers create computer job opportunities in remote regions.

In 2015, Glenn Fernandes and Dr. Sarita Parikh designed an ultra low-cost ventilator (G1 Ventilator), which is an essential component of modern healthcare and many first-aid situations. The device is low-power that imitates natural breathing, and causes no harm or further illness to patients.

On March 8, 2015 (International Woman's Day), Ms. Apoorva Agwan, VP of Sustainable Development at Supervasi was awarded the Samarth Ti Puraskar Award 2015 from the Samarth Bharat Vyaspeeth institution, for her "outstanding contribution to the field of women empowerment, women education and snakebite management".

In April 2015, Supervasi conducted a free Vaccination and Health Camp for over 350 tribal residents of Yeoor, in collaboration with Rotary Club of Thane Premium and Mumbai Lakers. They also conducted a free Health Checkup Camp with Salvage Nation NGO, in the same month.

In August 2015, Supervasi conducted a Free Documents Registration Camp in Yeoor for over 500 tribal residents of Yeoor, to help them obtain vital legal identification such as PAN Card, Voter’s ID, Income Certificate, etc.

In September 2015, Supervasi and Rotary Club of Thane North jointly conducted a Lung Health Checkup Camp to identify and help treat Tuberculosis (TB) patients in Yeoor. Over 200 people attended. Further lung camps were conducted the same year.

In October 2016, Supervasi conducted an Eye and Blood Test Camp for over 350 tribal residents of Yeoor. The event was sponsored by Rotary Club of Thane North and Rotary Club of Thane Premium.

In 2016, they conducted child education and adult literacy courses for the tribal population of Yeoor as part of the Unmol Education program, using multimedia based education.

Social projects

The programs run by the organization target the tribal population of India, which suffer from poor living conditions and lack of livelihood, many of whom are literate and educated. Their PACT program trains tribal youth in computer and language skills free of charge. Common causes of early death among Adivasis include malnutrition, snakebite, lack of hygiene and sanitation. Supervasi has developed innovative solutions for Snakebite victims within the Snakeathon project.

PACT Program

Supervasi has been training tribal youth in advanced computer skills and foreign languages, in a residential program known as Pratigya Apprenticeship for Community Transformation (PACT). In 2014, it started a pilot PACT center in Yeoor, Maharashtra, in collaboration with Anantashram trust.

Apprentices are trained in computer software, graphic design, animation, and digitization of documents. Language experts also volunteer with the organization, to teach apprentices foreign languages like German and Arabic. The apprentices are also developing educational multimedia relevant for tribals, which will be used to provide free education for tribals across the India. The candidates also use their skills to train youth from their local villages, and help them earn a living.

The trained apprentices are required to help the NGO in carrying out their snakebite project by distributing safety kits developed by it.

Snakeathon Project

Venomous snakebites kill more than 50,000 people yearly in India, with more than 250,000 reported snakebite cases. According to the Million Death Study, 3 of 4 snakebite victims in India snakebite die due to inability in reaching a hospital. Deaths by snakebite increase during and following monsoon seasons, which are periods of peak agricultural activity for farmers. Over 40,000 people will die over the course of the monsoon season in India alone.

According to a petition filed in the Bombay High Court by the organization, 50% of snakebite cases in the world take place in India. In Thane district alone, snakebites claim up to 10 people a day, and in the monsoon season, the toll rises to 20. A close study of the deaths has shown that it was mostly the male members of the family who had died, bringing hardships to the family. Moreover, three of the four victims had died only because they were unable to reach a hospital in time due to lack of roads in rural areas.

In 2014, Dr. Sarita Parikh and other researchers at the organization developed innovative relief measures for victims of snakebite. The primary relief measure is a "mono-wheel ambulance" for areas that lack roads and vehicles, areas that are completely disconnected from the road network.

The mono-wheel ambulance is a stretcher that can be carried or pulled by a bicycle, with an integrated portable ventilator to provide respiratory support to the victim. Its single-wheel design enables transport on rough and jungle terrain. The relief measures also include a first aid kit. The ambulance kit is to be distributed free of cost to over 300 jungle settlements by June 2014.

The mono-wheel ambulance is suited for rough and rocky terrain, and the portable low/no power ventilator can be used in villages with no electricity.

Public Interest Litigation

In 2014, Dr. Sarita Parikh and Apoorva Agwan of Supervasi filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Bombay High Court, requesting removal of obstructions in distributing the free mono-wheel ambulance kit to tribal areas. The petition urged for direction to the government to set up an emergency team to organise logistics and funding to help deliver snake-bite kits to all affected persons. The petition also stated that the organization was helping the tribals save their lives, and if an individual or an organisation hindered their life-saving work, it amounted to an offence under section 304-A of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

In response, the High Court stated that it was "quite impressed by the research which has been done by Supervasi", and acknowledged that they had provided "statistical data about snakebites in Maharashtra and the other States in India" and that they gave "a definite proposal how this problem can be resolved". The High Court directed the police in Thane, Maharashtra to ensure that members and apprentices of Supervasi are not obstructed by anyone in carrying out their work. There has been resistance to their NGO work from Anantashram Trust and some adivasis, including an ex-sarpanch and a social worker.

Following the PIL filed by Dr. Sarita Parikh, on the increasing number of deaths due to snake bites in rural Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court ordered the state government to consider framing an Emergency Medical Services Act along the lines of the one in Gujarat, that will make emergency medical aid as good as a fundamental right.