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I. Complementary holistic therapy & rehabilitation
We want our help to be adapted to medical need and the cultural tradition. We do not want to create need nor disturb the given, underlying system. Rather, we want to support the intact system, the existing social and cultural balance.
Departing from this thought, a new concept of health and illness, of care and prevention, of means and strategies has emerged. Dogmas of one principle alone are excluded.
Rather, we welcome everything that helps us on our way. For therapy, we combine alternative and complementary treatments - including Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Homeopathy and healing plants - with conventional medicine and local healing methods |
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II. Minimising to optimise
Scarcity is a consistent and ever present condition for the Adivasi. It has forced us to constantly select and reduce - and therefore to optimise. Scarcity, which requires limitation, has helped us to concentrate on the essential and to find new approaches to traditional values.
Our task is to preserve the multiple and yet balanced "chaotic order" of that what is. Not to hurriedly replace it through one-dimensional and short-sighted measures.
We are not looking for modern, complex and yet standard solutions (which are often expensive and invasive) but for integrated and adapted means. Our credo is considerate, careful and minimal action.
As a result, we have, for instance, changed common surgical invasion and reduced it to the minimal essentials – and we have become more successful by that. We import as little as possible be it materials, technology, devices, ideas or experts. |
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III. Tradition not invasion
We do not want to destroy and rebuilt but to assist by preserving harmony and well-being. In the centre of our interest are the Adivasi, the indigenous people of India.
We want to preserve and further their culture. This is not a one-way relationship. On our search for better solutions, they have taught us a lot: about their originality, their clear-sighted wisdom and their respect for all natural beings.
This has guided us in our work: We provide birth assistance in close co-operation with the traditional midwives; we have combined cement with the local mud techniques in our construction works; for our public health campaign work, we have used street theatre, the common mean here to communicate ideas.
We do not want to be in competition but to pick up and complement. |
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