Danny Kaye and Silvia Fine Foundation

In 1997, 10 years after the foundation of the organisation, Jan Jagaran Samiti, Mukti Datta happened to meet Dena Kaye, the daughter of Danny Kaye and president of the Danny Kaye and Silvia Fine Foundation. Dena Kaye had been travelling in India looking for projects to support (initially as an UNICEF initiative).

This meeting would change the lives of hundreds of people in the villages around Amora and Binsar.

Dena´s generosity and her personal commitment played a major role in each phase of the projects; weaving centres were built, looms and raw materials were bought. Two machines for the processing of pashmina wool were imported from Scotland.

Dena hospital

There was almost no medical care provision in the area around Almora. Women, in particular, had to cope with their health problems alone and in the isolation of their villages.

In October 2000, various discussions between Dena Kaye and the local village inhabitants of Matena led to 25 acres of land being donated to the organisation, Jan Jagaran Samiti for the building of a hospital. Thanks to the kind financial support of the Danny Kaye and Silvia Fine Kay Foundation, the construction of the clinic began in October 2000.

In November 2002, the clinic was officially opened. Its staff was made up of an Ayurveda doctor, a gynaecologist, and 10 promising women from the area to be trained as nurses and nurse´s aides.

The project has been a great success: every day more than 100 patients are cared for; several health camps for eye treatment, vaccinations and family planning are also available for the patients. The most modern diagnostic equipment (Siemens x-ray machine, sonography) is available in the main building. There is an operating room for women and dental and optical treatment are also available here.

Three doctors work full-time in the clinic: an Ayurveda doctor, a gynaecologist and a surgeon.