5) Description of health product/service offering: We focus on developing a harmonious physical, psychological and moral health for all. We offer our services equally to the material rich as well as the poor. Yoga is a highly evolved therapy that has global benefits and which can be accessed and practiced by all. It is the most cost-effective therapy, especially in our country, INDIA. Our organization has developed a standard package for general health (physical and mental) benefit and specialized packages for specific problems. More over yoga therapy need minimal equipment and can be provided in any place. A very small area is enough to implement it--like a mini hut of a tribal!

6) Description of innovation: Our approach unlike most health systems is prevention as well as cure. We approach the health issues from a physical, psychological and spiritual framework. This helps us to render our services from a holistic perspective allowing us to reach vast populations with minimal financial input.

7) Operational model: We focus on preventive as well as curative programs for all sections of the population viz., children, adolescents and adults; high income and low income persons. Mostly our programs for the average and high income group are focused at our clinic while for the low income group, we GO TO THEM! We had several projects with both Public (Navy, Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority etc) and Private (Syngenta, Navayuga Engineering Co., Soma Enterprises, Worker's Education Board etc) sector organizations that involved therapy and training.

8) Human resources: We have a highly trained team headed by an internationally renowned yoga therapist who had both traditional and professional training in Yoga therapy. We are a team of seven members with minimum graduation and qualified yoga trainees.

9) Key operational partnerships: Several of our programs are supported by both Governmental and Non-governmental organizations. This helps us to reach wider populations across the country. Most importantly, support from these organizations ( Eastern Naval Command, Materials Organization, Worker's Education Board, Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority, Navayuga Engineering Company, Soma Enterprises, Syngenta, Unipower, Vijay Nirman Company) enable us to provide our services free of charge to the participants. In 2004-2005 we had trained nearly 600 youth (girls) who belong to tribal and poor villages of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa in yoga. This program was in association with Durgabai Mahila Sishu Vikas Kendra, a government undertaking where 1 or 2 leaders from the Anganvadi program of a backward village were selected and trained in yoga and other health related concepts. They are then recruited as trainers for their village, training children and young women.

10) Financial Sustainability

          • Fees charged to clients?: No

          • How do you assure affordability?: The organization pays for the program.

          • Earned incomes as a percentage of operating costs: 80

          • Other funding sources: It is financially self-sustainable. People who opt for this treatment and come to the clinic pay for it. Usually such clientele belong to high income groups.

          • Strategy for long-term sustainability: We believe in the immense service potential of our work that helps in gaining complete health for all. We have succeeded in obtaining support in the past and present from both Governmental and non-governmental organization. We are confident of the future! We already have some projects in the pipeline. Our goal is to reach the tribal poor of India and train them in Yoga and recruit them as yoga therapists/trainers so that they can inturn train their fellow economically disadvantaged people.

11) Current and Future Impact

          • Total number of clients: 6000

          • Clients in the past year: 2500

          • Percentage of low-income clients: 60

          • Impact: The economically challenged resort to the yoga therapy since it is very cheap. They feel that they can easily adopt the techniques since it is very much in the cultural ethos of our country. Most people see the dual advantage of this therapy since it is helpful in treatment as well as prevention.

          • Overall "market": We have a very good demand for our services. We see huge potential especially in the vast not yet civilized tribal poor of India--who shy away from medical technologies but are receptive to Yoga therapy since it is a part of the culture.

12) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Scaling Up stage.

          • Expansion plan: We aim to have more projects with the state and central governments and enter the tribal regions. We are trying to bring in big business enterprises as sponsoring agencies.

13) Policy change: Recognition of the immense potential of yoga therapy! (Although a change has been made in this direction more needs be done).

14) Origin of the initiative: The force behind this initiative is the personal transformation of the key person of our team Dr. Chandaka SriKrishna MD (AM), PhD., who gained physical and mental benefits of yoga therapy. He has decided to completely dedicate himself to yoga in 2002 when the program is born. Dr. Chandaka Srikrishna is a trained in yoga in a traditional manner as well as has a doctorate in Kundalini Yoga. He is a National champion in Yoga and the winner of several awards. He has developed several yoga packages for specific health problems. He is a researcher too and published several papers and participated in National and International Conferences. In 2005 he toured nearly 15 States in the US spreading our work. He has authored a book and a chart on yoga. He is the Secretary of Society for Yoga Education & Research, Director of Yoga Health Clinic.

Contact Information:
SUNEETHA  KANDI
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
YOGA HEALTH CLINIC
(NGO)
50-55-7/5, Society for Yoga Education & Research, Rajendranagar, Visakhapatnam
India
Tel: 95-891-2799212
Email: suni_kandi@sify.com