Around 1995-96, the news of malnutrition and child mortality from Melghat stirred society. Anil Shidore, a senior social worker in Pune, appealed to some spirited young people to overcome that crisis. Responding to that call, many educated youths rushed to Melghat to share the suffering of malnourished tribals, Rambhau Phad being one of them. Dr. Rambhau to Aurangabad. He studied up to an MA at Babasaheb Ambedkar University. He also intended to become a professor after doing a BEd or MD, but after hearing the dire reality of malnutrition, his steps turned towards Melghat. Some of those who went with him at that time returned after eight days, some after months, some after a few years. Rambhau, however, has been searching for the meaning of living in Melghat for the last 20 years.
When Rambhau, a native of the village Kodri in Gangakhed taluk of Parbhani district, came to Melghat, Melghat had a malnutrition death rate of 120 per thousand. Today, after twenty years, this number has dropped to forty. But Rambhau Phad is not satisfied…” Until this ratio comes to zero, I cannot leave this settlement. But looking at the indifference of the present government, I don't think this ratio will come to zero till I die' Rambhau also expresses his regret at the same time.
Melghat Mitra, who gives life to nearly 86 children every year, was not as easy as it sounds. Rambhau's childhood was spent in extreme poverty. There was no agriculture at home. My father used to take grain and sew clothes. It was not enough to feed five brothers and his parents. On such occasions, Rambhau used to wash the clothes of his friends in the room when it was time to study in the hostel. To study at their own expense. He felt very ashamed of his poverty. But when he came to Melghat and saw the adivasis dying of hunger, he himself began to feel a trifle. After that, his foot never left the Melghat…
The work built by Rambhau in Melghat after overcoming many difficulties is amazing.
But even while living here, they had to face many problems. In fact, floods in the rivers of Melghat during monsoons are life-threatening. Fifteen years ago, he was going to another village across the river in heavy rain for work. There were two-three men and an anganwadi servant. While these four or five people were crossing the river holding each other's hands, the Anganwadi worker suddenly lost her hand and was swept away in the flood. Two days later, the body of the Anganwadi worker was found at a distance of a hundred kilometers.
After that, while the motorcycle was traveling on the same road, there was a heavy downpour. There is water everywhere on the road. Rivers and streams are overflowing, even if the flow of water is strong, the water fills the road and makes big pits. One such pit was formed on the Chelati Hatru road, but they could not guess the water. So Rambhau, along with his two friends, fell onto that rock along with the motorcycle. The story of how they came out of the pit that night is heartbreaking.
The work built by Rambhau in Melghat after overcoming such difficulties is amazing. In the very beginning, the volunteers of the organization used to go to the tribal padas, fields, mountains in the 35 villages of the area to find malnourished children. The children were admitted to the hospital after explaining to their parents. Due to this, the children received proper treatment on time and saved the lives of many children. But while doing this work, Rambhau noticed one thing: that when all these children are born malnourished, it is necessary to treat the malnourished children as well as the pregnant mothers. In that regard, the work started immediately.
They started taking the hospital to the doorsteps of pregnant women in this area who never go to the hospital. They started to check the weight, hemoglobin level and condition of the baby strictly. The situation that emerged from it was appalling. 90 percent of the women in this area did not eat nutritious food during pregnancy, so the hemoglobin in the body was extremely low. Volunteers of Melghat Mitra started giving hemoglobin tablets to pregnant women at home every day. This also showed good results in this area.
"Melghat Mitra" took his work further and appointed 1) Boko Mitra (Boko means short root in Korku language) 2) Health Mitra 3) Agriculture Mitra 4) Education Fund 5) Health Education 6) Teacher Mitra by paying salaries in this area. Through this, different people were appointed for the work of women, children, agriculture, education. The result was that the tribals found friends under the ghats when they were seen alive.
They began to gain knowledge of the world and the tribals became intelligent. Another far-reaching experiment carried out by Melghat Mitra in this area was to encourage some educated young people to contest elections. As a result of that, today the boy who got the guidance of the organization has become Sarpanch of Hatari Chelati Gram Panchayat. The name of this sarpanch is Kalu Vetekar. The Melghat Mitra Sanstha is also paying a monthly salary of ten thousand rupees to ensure that the Sarpanch's house and livelihood are running properly.
Until today, Melghat Mitra has been accompanied by all the kind-hearted people who have visited the organization, and the organization works to shoot garbage in big cities. When there is time and if possible, nearly four thousand volunteers from the organization collect garbage. The unprecedented tribal service continues with the money collected by selling this garbage. . Rambhau's work, which started for the last 20 years, has now started to be acknowledged. When they start walking in the villages in this area, small children, people, old men, young boys start surrounding them, asking thousands of questions. It is as if an angel greeted them...
If Rambhau Phad had not come to this area and spent his life here, many of the countless children who surround him today would have become victims of malnutrition. Many are not even lucky enough to be born. Because Rambhau covered the Melghat by pouring water on his own dreams, he was able to prevent the young leaves from happening in the Melghat. That's why, even today, the simple tribal people here are hiding Rambhau in a bottle of worry. Saluting their achievements…
