Lokbiradari Prakalp – Hemalkasa, Bhamragad, Gadchiroli

Lok Biradari Prakalp (LBP), a project of the Maharogi Sewa Samiti(MSS), Warora, was started by the legendary social worker Baba Amte in 1973 for integrated development of Madia-Gond, the primitive tribals of Bhamragad in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra, India. Baba’s younger son Dr. Prakash Amte and his wife Dr. Mandakini Amte are running the project since 1974, forfeiting the opportunity of lucrative medical practice. Many dedicated volunteers like Vilas & Renuka Manohar, Gopal & Prabha Phadnis, Dada & Baban Panchal, Jagan Machkale, Manohar & Sandhya Yempalwar etc. since then, have joined LBP. Dr. Digant and Aniket sons of Prakash and Mandakini and their wives have also joined LBP. The following are the current activities of LBP:

Hospital – Modern medicine and health care for tribals to treat deadly diseases like cerebral malaria, malaria, TB, ascites, cancer and sickle cell anaemia as well as to treat victims of bear bites, burns, snake bites, scabies and severe malnutrition.

School – The Madia Gond tribes were unaware of the concepts of clothing, farming, health and education. They were malnourished, faced high mortality rates and were completely ignorant of life beyond the jungles. LBP felt that education was the only way in which the tribal people can be made aware of their condition and therefore strive to improve it. The school has grown to serve nearly 650 Madia children from Nursery to Class 12. The children are provided with all essentials like food, accommodation, medical care, uniforms, stationery, comb, soap, oil etc.

Amte’s Animal Ark – A special bond between man and nature. The Ark is an orphanage for young wild animals, whose parents have been killed by the tribal people only for food and not for fun or entertainment. Till today thousands of animals have been hand reared, some successfully released, very few forgotten but many have made permanent imprints on the minds, lives and very being of the LBP volunteers.