Iyesha Puri, USA - Summer 2016

Iyesha just completed her first year the University of California, Davis, where she is working towards a B.S. in Computer Science. During her first year at Davis, she took various programming classes in which she built many games and applications. Iyesha is also very involved in the Health Sciences and was a California State Officer for HOSA (a national health care organization). Iyesha is looking forward to working with Aarogya Seva, where she can combine her passions to make an impact on the quality of life of people around the world.

Maddy Bishop_VanHorn, Rwanda - Summer 2016

I recently graduated with a BSE in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University, New Orleans and I am now in Rwanda for two months working as a Coordinator for Engineering World Health, an NGO from the US which empowers engineering students to repair medical equipment in developing countries, including Rwanda. I have experience teaching people to use 3D printers, and I am helping FAWE Gisozi Girls' Secondary School install and learn to use a Replicator printer while I am here in Rwanda.

Aditi Sriram, Chennai, India - Summer 2016

"My name is Aditi. I have completed my engineering in Biotechnology and I'm all set to begin my Master's in Public Health at the University of Massachusetts- Amherst this Fall. That young minds are impressionable, is well-established and in my case the impressions of my childhood are a large part of the reason I put pen to paper today. In retrospect, growing up around my father's brother –a para medical officer at the Indian Council of Medical Research – has had a significant influence on my outlook to life. My uncle dedicated himself to the eradication of leprosy.  As part of his job, he would visit countless villages leading a crusade against leprosy and the stigmatization suffered by those who suffer from it, infallibly returning home with fruits to eat and endless stories that invariably involved changing people’s lives for the better. At that age, I could only grasp a fraction of what he did, and only got a sense of the number of lives he had touched at his funeral procession, where a huge number of his patients and colleagues turned up – mourning like they had lost one of their own. Through my uncle's example, I learnt that leaders have a bias for action. They invest themselves fully into their people and purpose, knowing that in the long run, all the time and energy will be worth it. This is exactly what I am looking to take back from my internship at Aarogya Seva.  Added to this, I will have the chance to interact with a group of extremely dedicated people from all backgrounds, majors and experiences. I’m sure the experience will be meaningful and humbling. "

Ramya Ramasubramanian, Chennai, India - Summer 2016

I am an Engineering graduate from SASTRA University focused on Biotechnology. I will be beginning my Master of Public Health course in the University of Minnesota, Twin cities in a couple of months. The ultimate goal for me to make healthcare accessible for every person and I strive to work towards it. I believe that this internship in Aarogya Seva would be an important step in achieving my goal. I will be a part of the 3-D printed prosthetic limbs project. I am hoping to work with everyone involved in this project and contribute significantly to it. During my work as a Research Assistant in Indian Institute of Public Health, I had witnessed the healthcare inequity in India during my field visits and I would like to work for this situation to change. In my free time, I love reading, and historical fiction and non-fiction is my favorite genre currently.

ShashiCiddharth, Chennai, India - Summer 2016

I graduated from SRM University in Chennai, India in 2015. I have been working with an NGO that educates underprivileged kids. Working there has taught me a lot about life and how certain things I take for granted can be huge life altering thing for another person. It has truly changed my perspective on life. I want to put my education to use and do more for the world around me, that is the inspiration behind everything I do, including taking up a project with AarogyaSeva.

Seva to me means, "A commitment to my community to change it for the better in anyway I can"

Ishil Puri, California, USA - Summer 2016

Ishil is a 10th grader attending high school in the Bay Area. He started programming in 7th grade and has loved it ever since. He has made a few games and apps and has programmed for his robotics team, but wanted to make a bigger impact on the people of the world. He has also had an interest in Health science and has been the officer the HOSA health club at his school since middle school. He is excited to work as an intern for Aarogya Seva so he can apply both of his passions towards a cause that will benefit millions of people.

Aakash Manapat, India

I am Aakash Manapat and I have just completed my 9 th Grade at GEAR Innovative International School, Bangalore. I am a person who loves to have new experiences and am defined by my curiosity to learn as much as I can. I enjoy spending time outdoors with my friends. Swimming, playing badminton and long distance running are some activities that I really enjoy with my friends. Outdoor camping trips and hiking are my favorites. I am most happy as I learn new things, be it by reading a book or the things I see on a hiking trail. My Strengths and weaknesses: My strength lies in my thirst for knowledge and my curiosity to know more. My ability to quickly grasp concepts and learn have also pushed me to take things too easy. Debating, gathering information, logical Intelligence, Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, natural intelligence are some of my other strengths. My Interests and Hobbies: Reading, Playing badminton, long-distance running. 

Charanya Kaushik, USA 23 May - 20 July 2016

Charanya is pursuing an MPH in Epidemiology at UTHealth in Houston, Texas. Her research interest focuses on improving healthcare access and quality for underprivileged populations. Prior to starting her MPH program, she taught high school chemistry and coached tennis with Teach for America in Harlingen, Texas. A Native of Pittsburgh, PA, Charanya graduated from Washington and Jefferson College with a double-major in Cell & Molecular Biology and Spanish. Charanya will work with Aarogya Seva for two months to investigate TB and HIV co-infection at Accept, a HIV care center on the outskirts of Bangalore.

Justin Kochanski, USA - 6 April - 18 May 2016

I graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa this past May. Originally from Chicago, IL, I attended university to study Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology with a concentration in Global and Comparative Public Health. I've worked many odd jobs to help pay for school– pathology technician, oncology laboratory assistant, and junior epidemiologist at the state department, just to name a few. 

My experience from these jobs, along with my compassion for social justice and philanthropy, has led me to pursue a career in medicine. I will start medical school this coming August, with the intent of working in some sort of global health setting after graduation. I strongly believe that health is a fundamental human right, and I want to work to help secure and promote that right throughout the world. 

Seva to me means "A commitment to humanity and dedication to justice, pursuing what is just."

When I am not studying, you can find me on the soccer pitch, rock climbing, or backpacking!

Wendy Chan, Australia - 11 January 2016 - 11 July 2016

 Wendy Chan has joined us as part of the January 2016 IDEX  fellowship. The IDEX Global Fellows program is a 6 month  curriculum filled with curated readings, professional  development assignments and workshops, one on one  mentoring and coaching as well as a placement in local  organisation. IDEX’s mission is to create the next wave of    individuals who will innovate, develop and promote solutions to  social challenges within an existing enterprise or organisation.

 Wendy is originally from Hong Kong though has spent most of  her time growing up in Brisbane Australia.  She has over 5 years  experience in banking looking after the requirements of both  family owned and multinational listed corporations. Prior to  this she was a registered pharmacist with close to 7 years experience in the community setting. She holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a Masters of Commerce Adv (Accounting) from the University of Queensland.

During her time with AarogyaSeva Wendy is seeking to increase our brand awareness and interactions with supporters particularly via use of social media.  She will regularly update the blog, look to engage and build AarogyaSeva student chapters whilst also helping out where she can.

Wendy can be reached at Wendy@aarogyaseva.org

Annelies Herikhuisen, The Netherlands - 6th November to 5th December 2015

My name is Annelies Herikhuisen from the Netherlands.

I am studying skin therapy at the Hague University of professional education. The passion for my profession wanted to make me do something good for the international health care. This is my dream. Doing an internship in Asia. Why just stay in The Netherlands? I feel blessed to do it here in Bangalore with AarogyaSeva. During a period of 4 weeks I will volunteer in the Dermatology wards, burns and plastic surgery wards. During my stay I want to experience the India healthcare system, the Indian skin types and the Indian skin diseases.

In addition to my experience in the hospital, I will go to the international conference in Mysore. I will give here a presentation about the profession of skin therapy and what it can bring to the international healthcare. I will also help with the project India Inclusion Summit in Bangalore. It is very special for me that my internship is so versatile. So I get to experience most of the Indian culture and the healthcare organization. I hope I can contribute as much as I can during my stay here. This internship is a perfect combination between the practical side of the profession, see the health care system and to let the world hear what the skin therapists are!My profession is still very unknown around the world, I hope that my profession will develop further in India and elsewhere, so that in the future I can offer the best in the international healthcare. Everyone deserves the best health, because health is the best thing you can have in life.

Soujanya B

Soujanya B is pursuing final year BE from BMS College of Engineering. As a student who  started her college career with no specific objective, she now feels a strong urge to indulge in social work, joining an organisation which works for others. She is happy to have found an opportunity to intern at ArogyaSeva and looks forward to undertake projects for a good cause.

Since early schooling days, she gravitated towards math and computers. She likes computing and frequents tech blogs. She is an avid reader and loves fiction. She fantasizes about studying at hogwarts and playing quidditch! Poetry and music are her other interests.

She is working on customization of OpenEMR for usage in India. She hopes to make the best of this internship, learning new things, interacting with different people and understanding the various arenas of social service.

Shabnam Taj

Shabnam Taj is a 4^th year Engineering student of BMS College of Engineering. She loves Biomedical Science and aspires to pursue a career in Healthcare. She feels AarogyaSeva is a perfect platform to strengthen her career credentials and to work in close association with the doctors. She is working on customization of OpenEMR for usage in India.

She is a peoples person and has hoards of friends. She loves adventure and enjoys traveling, meeting different people and doing new things, thus awakening the explorer in her. She is also fond of poetry. She is training in classical music and dance. She teaches freestyle to school children in her free time. New innovations in Medical technology excite her.

Mitchell Hooyer

My name is Mitchell Hooyer and I’m a 4^th year pre-medical student at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. I am currently undergoing a clinical-access internship at Kanti Children’s Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal that will last a total of two months. 

I have experience as an EMT in rural Iowa, a Free Health Clinic assistant, and an American Red Cross First Aid Volunteer and enjoy flying a Piper Warrior and trekking in what spare time I have. 

My current collaboration with AarogyaSeva in Nepal has me involved in a refresher training course for local ambulance stations, a pilot program with taxi drivers on First Aid and RTA, and various outreach activities in remote areas around Nepal.

Toby Lamp

Toby Lamp is a Registered Nurse from Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. Having worked as an ER Trauma Tech, Medical Support Assistant and LPN, Toby has over 4 years of hands on experience. Taking time off to explore the world and different cultures Toby found us on Workaway.com to intern for 4 weeks in Bangalore.

Sneha G Bapat

Sneha G Bapat is a standard 12 student from Pune, Maharashtra. She has decided to dedicate her summer holidays to do what her heart tells her and volunteer with AarogyaSeva in Bangalore for 4 weeks. At 16 she is our youngest intern and has already participated in the TCS Majja Run to support the cause of rape and abuse in India. She is going to spend her time learning, participating in seva activities and helping us with various tasks. Here is what she has to say:

"All our lives, we negotiate about what we want, what we like and what the world wants and likes… We keep on thinking whether to stick to our own choices or to go with the world (flow)(other people’s opinion). There is this conflict between our mind and out heart, where generally the mind wins and we end up putting our choices aside, end up giving up on our dreams. We just tend to go with the world. Follow the Trend! Follow, like Sheep…! We walk the same trodden path rather than making our own trail.

We keep on running round the clock , don’t even have time for our own thoughts forget the others.

We don’t LIVE, we just “E-X-I-S-T”, in a false world, go round in an illusion. Believe and conquer lies. We don’t even know when the day starts and when it ends. So busy with our so called “MODERNESS” , we don’t even breathe leisurely. We follow the same routine everyday, which has somehow become the part of our lives. Everything is so fast-paced that everything else around us is a blur…! We don’t have life in us, we are machines which have been set to do work. We breathe for working, for toiling, for spending our lives in boring and bare office rooms, tying and clicking our soul (life) away.

When we live life happy, sad happy- sad, little do we know what lies ahead or what life has in store for us. It is so true when it is said “ Time is money” people run around the clock doing so many things (chores), laboring themselves till they are all weak and grey and then sit and remember all the days behind and repent and regret and think/imagine how nice it would be if they could just go back and change things, so they could have a cup of tea now with a smile on their lips whenever they think of their past."

Nancy Niklis, USA - January 2014 onwards

Nancy holds a BS in Geology & Geophysics and a MS in Tropical 
Plant and Soil Sciences, both from The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Her MS thesis focused on the transport and deposition of arsenic used in Hawai'i on former sugarcane lands. She is the founder of "Sustainability Services" where she gives lectures to youth in Asia on site-specific environmental problems and works with them to empower and encourage them to care for their natural resources and be stewards of their land. She is documenting the activities of Aarogya Seva by writing, taking photos, and handling all parts of their 'digital world'.

Nina Chen, China - 22 November to 6 December 2013

Nina is a Graduate from the Toulouse Business School in France and works as a interior designer and HR manager in China. She is a very talented photographer and a globe trotter. She volunteered as a photographer and communications consultant. She also volunteered in the Rural health interventions in rainforests of Agumbe in Karnataka. 

Dr Shruti Mony, Dubai - September 25 to October 12 2013

Position : Social volunteer

Profile :

I recently graduated from medical school and obtained my MBBS degree from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. I am currently looking to pursue my residency in Internal Medicine in the US. Having been through medical school, community service has always been my passion. Setting up camps and spreading disease awareness among the local population is a different experience all together. I am a avid learner and keen to share my knowledge with everyone around me. I like travelling to new places, learning the local language so patients are more at ease. I am looking forward to this opportunity of working with the Seva team and consider it an honor of being part of such a noble organization.

Winnie Chang, Taiwan - August 2012 onwards

Chang Yashu alias Winnie is an extremely dedicated and hard working intern working with us from August 2012 onwards. She is a Major in Psychological Counselling. She has worked in the Taiwan Institute of Psychology and is currently pursuing a course in Drama Therapy from Bangalore.

She started volunteering with us in the beginning of August 2012. Winnie was an important member of the team which went to Uttarkashi during the disaster relief operations. She continues to volunteer now with partner organisations in the areas of Yoga for children with special needs and children affected by HIV.