 Of distinguished Indian origins and with enduring emotional ties to India, Ismail Eboo Pirbhai, our Founder President has always lived, as well as practiced law, in the most progressive nations of the world. His foremost and most heartfelt commitment has been towards the eradication of the misery and ensuing misfortune that are the direct result of the deeply rooted trials and tribulations of rural India.Rural India is representative of the most grinding evidence of poverty -- barren land, starving families, dying children, farmer-suicides are all a grim reminder of the stark unpalatable truth. Ismail has made several trips back to the country of his birth over the years, accompanied by his Italian wife Dr. Ilaria Maria Merlo, always to visit and interact with the poorest and most marginalized people of disenfranchised rural India. Trained in neurophysiology and a doctor by profession, Dr. Ilaria is unfailingly compassionate and emotional in her response to the grim poverty and shocking hopelessness that represents the larger portion of disadvantaged rural communities. She is equally and passionately devoted to her husband’s dream of going the extra mile to support the social development of marginalized rural populations. Dr. Merlo has also contributed hugely towards DIPIN’s medical intervention, not only forming an excellent unit of volunteer doctors but also guiding them on a continuous and pro-active basis. As a team, Ismail and Ilaria have single-handedly mobilized European funding and donations on a vast scale through the good auspices of family and friends, who are equally moved and saddened by the plight of the forgotten third world. Over the years, the conceptualization of a development agency that would take this work forward on their behalf has slowly taken shape. The couple decided to adopt a cluster of villages in the mine-affected area of Dhauj in Haryana, outside the capital city of New Delhi. Together with Zafar Ali Ahmad - the captain and Managing Trustee of DIPIN Foundation and his trusted crew of committed staff, Ismail and Ilaria steer their adopted villages towards peace, good health and prosperity. In the early days, the task of implementing DIPIN’s holistically integrated programme depended solely on the selfless dedication of its skeleton staff and volunteers. The concept of a development organization volunteering to help initiate progressive changes was a totally unheard of concept in these rural communities. We were treated with extreme suspicion and hostility - a natural human response from poor families who were resigned to a life of extreme hardship and beset by all the hard knocks and ills of poverty: hunger, disease, violence and injustice. Neglected and malnourished children knew no life other than running amuck in the dusty, barren fields. The slightly older ones spent the entire day tending to their younger siblings or mindlessly repeating strenuous household chores. Parents had no intention of suddenly wanting to enrol them in the education programme. People were scornful and cynical -- would DIPIN’s health services be any different from mediocre government health schemes? What did DIPIN know about farming that hadn’t been tried before? Hadn’t the village environment always been overrun with stagnant water and garbage with no observable ill effects? In other words, how would DIPIN’s presence change anything for the better?Over time, these poor families have observed the significant benefits and positive changes brought about by our development programme and we have firmly established a mutually trusting and interactive relationship with them.Parents witness illuminating changes in their children’s outlook and capabilities. The women’s self help groups have made the dream of acquiring new skills and economic independence a reality. Birth control methods and safe birthing have significantly improved women's lives. Farmers thrive on multi-crop cultivation and holistic bio-farming technology. From initially affecting a few families, we have impacted thousands of people and the numbers keep growing. DIPIN is developing and learning every day. Starting up with a small group of core members, we now have an experienced, trained and devoted body of staff and volunteers who work ceaselessly to make the dream of strong and self sustaining village communities an absolute. We are actively looking to expand operations and welcome volunteers as well as professionals to contact us |
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