In 2008, 15 health care organisations came together to form the first Arukah Network Cluster in Uttarakhand, India. Their goal? To work together, sharing their skills and resources, in an effort to improve the health and wellbeing of their communities.
This year, on the 27th of October, 145 people came together to celebrate their fifteenth anniversary.
You can watch a video of how the celebrations went or read the highlights below:
Highlights
Thanksgiving and rememberance
The celebration was marked by a moment of expressing gratitude for God’s presence and guidance over the years.
One of its leaders, Dr.Nathan Grills started by sharing the journey of the Cluster. Cluster Mobiliser, Raj Kumar said, “It was nostalgic to go down memory lane. We remembered all the partners whom we have lost during our journey and expressed gratitude for their valuable contribution.”
15 years of unity, growth and partnership
In their time together, they celebrated their growth over the years, moving from 15 member organisations at the start to 45 organisations today.
Two member organisations which focus on Tobacco Control and Mental Health in the Community reflected on their journey over the years. They highlighted the effectiveness of being in a Cluster acknowledging that partnering with a wider network allowed them to serve more areas.
They also shared that being members of the Cluster helped them to be better equipped through the various training sessions.
In a later conversation, Raj mentioned that he valued the unity among Cluster members and their willingness to stand with each other.
To acknowledge & appreciate the valuable contribution of each member, a certificate of appreciation and a souvenir was given to all the members.
Hope for the future
Moving forward, the Uttarakhand Cluster hopes to remain united for many more years achieving great things together.
Raj emphasised that there are lots of things that they can only achieve together, not alone.
He said, “We pray for a continuation of the network for the coming years and that we would be stretched beyond our districts and cater to more needy areas in North India.”
We celebrate you Uttarakhand Cluster! Thank you so much for the good work you have done over the years and pray that you would continue to impact communities in India.
Learn how one of the member organisations in the Uttarakhand Cluster is improving its community's mental health, here.