Akumalam.org

At the Akumalam Village School, basic hygiene is not an important issue. However, the hygiene of the pupils should not be neglected despite the other problems faced by the Akumalam village school.

The Dental Care Initiative is to awaken the kids and parents of the pupil about dental care/prevention by donating a toothbrush to all the pupils in the village. More than 95 % of all the akumalam village pupil (318 pupil enrolled for the school year 2007/2008) do not brush their teeth before coming to school. Some use a „chewing stick“, charcoal or their fingers to clean their teeth. It might sound absurd to many people that have never lived or visited a „real third world village“.

Two facts:

This is not much for you and I to invest it for a kid’s dental care!!

Not having good oral health posses’ a number of oral diseases in children such as dental caries, cavities, and gingivitis, which if not treated can lead to other severe problems like inflammation and infection. These problems are further provoked by poverty, poor living conditions, lack of dental awareness, and the absence of appropriate state policies and funding to provide basic oral health care. However, oral problems are avoidable and preventable. You can help a child by also donating a toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.

Numbers
350 Toothbrushes were distributed in 2008

Thanks
This Project was sponsored by MPIP, coordinated by Dr. Hatice Duran.