2024 Expedition

It was a great privilege to return to Siliguri, India in February 2024 to lead the Hands on India  (HOI) team for the 16th annual ‘hands-on’ service trip. The wonderful team of 16 volunteers met in Delhi for the team meeting before flying to Bagdogra, West Bengal where they spent two weeks working to support some of the most marginalised people in India: the rock breakers, tea plantation workers and their families.

The HOI goal is to help break the poverty cycle by funding six schools (providing 900 children with education), supporting 32 health village clinics and providing micro-business loans for 3000 women. In 2024 HOI support was extended to include funding for the first Men’s Empowerment Group. Whilst these projects continue all year round, the annual mission trip to Siliguri is an integral part of the HOI charity.

The 2024 team included an amazing group of twelve chiropractors and four assistants who donated their time and self funded their trip to provide quality chiropractic and basic medical care to people in these remote communities. The team brought great enthusiasm, empathy and professionalism and built long-lasting memories and friendships.

The warm welcome from our host Seva Kendra set the wonderful tone of the trip. The smooth hand-over and guidance from Fr Felix to Fr Naresh ensured another successful, rewarding and productive HOI trip.  Fr Naresh (in his first year hosting the HOI team) and the Seva Kendra staff were invaluable in providing pre-trip logistics and organisation. This collaboration allowed efficient and effective team work resulting in the provision of care for 2309 people.

Throughout the trip, the HOI team members were all touched by the amazing resilience of the local people and the happiness experienced with the children in the schools. The HOI team visited all HOI funded primary schools and performed spinal screens and care for 890 children. It was fantastic to see the new HOI funded school toilets in use and to identify areas requiring further funding (additional desks and benches, classroom lighting, floor and roof repairs). The games of cricket at the end of each school visit were certainly a highlight for everyone involved. Cricket is definitely a universal language!

The HOI team found it both humbling and rewarding when the local people, despite living with such hardships, expressed their great thanks for the HOI ‘hands-on’ services and care provided. HOI is a not-for-profit Australian charity run solely by volunteers ensuring that 98% of donated funds reach the people and projects in Siliguri. It is wonderful to see how this long standing support continues to provide such a positive impact on the local people on a daily basis.

A highlight of the trip was the meeting with the Women’s Empowerment Groups where approximately 350 women, representing the 3000 women supported by HOI micro-loans, were in attendance to discuss how they had used their HOI funding.

One group of women, who were previously raising piglets, detailed their new venture following the loss of their piglets from disease and the local leopard! Converting a piglet pen into a dark house, they had transitioned to harvesting mushrooms. It was inspiring to visit this remote local village and to meet these resourceful women and see their produce. The success of this group of women has encouraged other groups to learn fungiculture.

The beautiful colours of the collection of saris and the joy experienced with so many women coming together was contagious. The meeting came to a close with everyone dancing (and a few cartwheels from some of the HOI team who perhaps lacked coordinated feet!).

It was also inspiring to hear from the first men’s group representative, a pig farmer with a plan and a dream. The men’s groups have grown since the 2024 group returned and HOI looks forward to providing support for their projects in 2025.

One of the most inspiring developments from the 2024 trip involved the request from multiple women’s groups for HOI to provide adult literacy programs in the local villages. Whilst HOI provide education for the children through funding the schools, there has not been an adult program. The HOI board responded to this request swiftly and within six weeks there were literacy programs funded, organised and running in multiple villages.

Treating in the tea plantation villages and the rock breaker areas made it clear to the HOI team that the local village health clinics are essential in providing basic first aid. The 32 health clinics founded and funded by HOI during the covid period continue to grow in their importance and support for local people. These clinics and their volunteer health leaders now connect locals with community health programs as well as other NGOs.

It was extremely rewarding to meet the four children (two sets of siblings) who are 100% supported by HOI. With their family history involving such adversity, these amazingly resilient children were healthy and happy. The HOI Board intends to continue to provide board, education and daily needs for these remarkable children.

Throughout the 2024 trip, the experienced chiropractors presented seminars on various areas of chiropractic specialty - from pregnancy care, applied kinesiology, visceral release techniques to communication skills and case studies. The new graduate chiropractors gained so much knowledge and experience in such a short period with the intense clinic schedules, daily case reviews and educational seminars. Regardless of age and experience, every HOI team member returned to their home clinic with further developed skills and great confidence.

The HOI experience was a lot of hard work but it’s also filled with a lot of laughter, learning  and rewarding moments. The mid-trip weekend to Darjeeling to ‘re-charge’ and the final night Bollywood dress up were certainly memories the HOI 2024 team will cherish forever.

It was a privilege to lead the HOI 2024 team of enthusiastic, positive and engaging people. Having volunteered with HOI in 2017, it was rewarding to return seven years later and see the progress and development that has taken place in the villages of Siliguri. Recognising many of the children and women (and having them remember me!) was a personally touching experience and a reminder of how important it is to provide continual support for these marginalised people. A life changing experience expressed beautifully with the words of poet Maya Angelou, “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed”.

Stacey Saunders

Hands on India Team Leader 2024

HOI 2024 team volunteers

Chiropractors:

Stacey Saunders
Michael Bird
Anne Lyell
Jodie Davis
Wayne Jakeman (Canadian Chiropractor)
Lara Baxter (New Zealander Chiropractor)
Janice Quinn
Muhammed Koksal
Caitlyn Borrowes
Evelyn Wong Pei Jin
Lucy Lex
Taiban Delasi Imani

Administration:

Lisa Wellings
Nicole Reber
Edwin Nixon
Nina Lindley (3rd year chiropractic student)