Key Strengths

A unique vision of leading rural people to self-care without direct economic handouts

The program is designed to systematically raise the spirits of rural people i.e. improve physical health, strengthen mind, develop community involvement, reinforce use of affordable traditional means, bring awareness, and modernize traditional skills.

A cultural reinforcement not forcing a new culture
Most ARR activities focus on how rural people can make the best use of what they have or what they are familiar with, i.e., home medicine, self practiced yoga, community games, and crafts training.

Strong management skills
Isha Foundation volunteers have hands on experience dealing with rural people. Every detail of the ARR module has been carefully designed to suit the needs of rural people. Highly qualified volunteers oversee and manage the day-to-day operations of ARR.

Volunteer Force
Isha has centers in 90% of Taluks of Tamil Nadu. These centers are established and managed entirely by local volunteers. There are thousands of active volunteers who support ARR acitivities on a daily basis.

Self generating volunteer base
Overwhelmed by the benefits people receive from the program, at least one person joins ARR volunteer force every day. There are 5-10 active volunteers in every village where ARR is currently implemented. These volunteers offer food, accommodations, space, generate donations and help in organizing ARR activities to reach out to fellow villagers.

Innovative, flexible program design to deal with challenging situations
The scope and timing of each module can be adjusted according to people’s needs. All modules of ARR, though systematically interwoven and targeted to the program’s ultimate objectives, can also make tangible difference to people’s life if implemented independently. Modules include Mobile Clinics for primary health care, Yoga for body and mind balance, Games for involvement, Herbal Gardens for home remedy and food, and awareness programs for preventive health and nature preservation.

Phased program implementation aimed at creating long term sustainability
It is envisaged that in the next 15 years rural people will be able to carry most ARR activities out of their own resources, in terms of both people and funds. The key reasons for this hypothesis are:

- ARR is able to significantly reduce rural people’s dependence of allopathic medicines through integration of yoga and home remedies in their lives.

- The inter village tournaments will keep the community games alive. The project will set up local villager committees to manage rural development centers. These centers will include health clinic, pharmacy, yogashala, herbs shop, computer room and a library among other facilities, and will drive other community welfare activities. In addition to these RDCs, the project will also set up craft’s training and production units to make these centers financially self sustaining.

Replicability of the program
Most of the project’s activities are simple to implement i.e. do not require any particular expertise and can be improvised easily to suit local conditions. ARR yoga programs are non-religious, non-sectarian, and simple to grasp, they can work easily under different social and spiritual situations.

Cost competitiveness
ARR is managed mostly by volunteers and uses Isha’s existing local office spaces without overhead cost. Rural people and local volunteers offer food and accommodation to ARR field staff.