Channapatna Health Library

One of Aruvu’s milestone projects under this WP is the Channapatna Health Library (CHL). Beginning with the recruitment and training of 15 HNs, the initiative focused on building a local mesh network that connects people within the same area directly, without relying on global internet infrastructure; to facilitate the sharing of health knowledge and co-creating a Data Collection Book, which provided structured guidelines for effective data gathering and interviewing. Developed in partnership with MAYA, Design Beku, and Janastu, CHL emerged as a platform for women Health Navigators (HNs) to address crucial health issues within their communities. CHL is focused on collecting diverse community health knowledge, including traditional remedies using local herbs, practices around pregnancy and maternal health, nutrition, chronic illness management such as high-blood pressure and diabetes, and personal health journeys. HNs and their families contributed to expanding the library’s knowledge base, creating a sustainable content generation system. Since April 2024, CHL has been incubated by the Aruvu Collaboratory in partnership with Manesiri, a women-led producer organization.