What is CRHP?

The Comprehensive Rural Health Project, Jamkhed (CRHP), has been working among the rural poor and marginalized for the past 45 years. Founded in 1970 by Drs. Raj and Mabelle Arole to bring healthcare to the poorest of the poor, CRHP has become an organization that empowers people and communities to eliminate injustices through integrated efforts in health and development. CRHP works by mobilizing and building the capacity of communities to achieve access to comprehensive development and freedom from stigma, poverty, and disease. Pioneering a comprehensive approach to community-based primary healthcare (also known as the Jamkhed Model), CRHP has been a leader in public health and development in rural communities in India and around the world.

Annually, CRHP provides services that directly impact 500,000 people in the state of Maharashtra. Since the opening of the Training Center in 1994, over 30,000 local and 3,000 international representatives from NGOs, governments and healthcare professionals have been trained in the CRHP approach. At the core of this comprehensive community-based approach is its embrace of equity for all, utilizing healthcare as a means to break the cycle of poverty.The work of CRHP has been recognized by the WHO and UNICEF, and has been introduced to communities around the world.

Saradwadi: The Story of a CRHP Project Village

Village Profiles

Interview with Rhambabai, Village Health Worker of Saradwadi Interview and written by Meredith Burns Saradwadi, a rural village about 7km from Jamkhed, has been one of CRHP’s Project Villages for the past twenty years. The partnership started when Raj and Mabelle Arole began training a local 20-something year old woman named Rhambabai to be the community’s […]

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Meet Yamunabai: a Village Health Worker’s Story

Latest News, Uncategorized, Unheard Voices

CRHP’s Village Health Workers (VHWs) are the key change agent for CRHP’s comprehensive approach to health improvement. Selected by the communities themselves and trained by CRHP, VHWs not only act as health workers and midwives but they also mobilize their communities to achieve better sanitation, hygiene, family planning, and maternal and infant health. When a […]

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Unheard Voices: Akila Sayyed

Latest News, Unheard Voices

As told by Akila Sayyed, translated by Surekha After I got married at the age of 16, I worked on farms in the villages as well as factories in cities; however, my life never improved. I never found satisfaction in my work; no one respected me. I wasn’t contributing to the wellbeing of my family […]

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The Impact of Nutrition in the Adolescent Girls Program

Latest News, Projects

Written by Alexis Barab In the past year, 45 adolescent girls from 2 rural villages around Jamkhed have been trained in topics of health, sanitation, environment, nutrition, and kitchen garden construction and maintenance. These girls are between the ages of 10 and 18 and have been trained by CRHP’s social workers, CRHP nurses, CRHP Farmers’ […]

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Burned Alive: the Story of Reshma

Unheard Voices

By: Lindsey Cawood Be sure to check out the “Did You Know…?” column at the end for more information on bolded words! Reshma Ganesh Pawar was 26 years old when she was burned alive (1). Now four years later, she cries as she retells the horrific story of the day that changed her life. Reshma […]

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