The Experience

Site where the hospital will be built


Operation Vannakam
Through overseas expeditions like Operation Vannakam, Raleigh aims to provide volunteers with the opportunity to develop leadership qualities, initiative, adaptability and an appreciation on the importance of learning in a service-based expedition and in the process better the lives of the less-privileged.

Operation Vannakam is a youth development and adventure learning project undertaken by Raleigh Society (Singapore) in 2009, in partnership with Centre for Tribal and Rural Development (CTRD) Trust (India) and supported by Raleigh India. The expedition sets out to complete the construction a hospital for the local community, especially the tribal community, within five weeks.

Raleigh Venturers will work alongside community members and skilled masons in Nilgiri Mountains. This expedition might also include youth participants with intellectual disability. Some Venturers would have the opportunity to interact with these interesting and highly independent individuals.

The Nilgiri Tribal Community
Currently there are no readily available medical facilities in the area. The community has to go for quality health check-ups in Sulthan Bathery, which is 50km away, Mysore, which is 120km away or Coimbatore, which is 200km away. These people are very poor and cannot afford to get treatment from these places. Their social and cultural background also inhibits them from readily seeking medical help from these hospitals.

Details

Phase 1: 16 May – 5 June 09
Phase 2: 31 May - 20 June 09
Strength: 120 (60 per phase)