Rural Health, Education and Environment Centre

NISHTHA is a charitable trust situated in Sidhbari, a small village in the Himalayan foothills of the North Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The main objective for which the Trust has been established is to work for the benefit and development of society as a whole by improving the welfare of families with particular focus on women and children. This objective is served through activities in the fields of health, education and environment. One of their concerns is to involve the population living in the surrounding area in their work and meet the set objectives together. 

Daily approximately 50 patients receive individual care from their doctors. Their treatments are free-of-charge. Patients are diagnosed and treated utilising the disciplines of Allopathy, Homeopathy, Ayurveda and Acupuncture as appropriate for each individual patient. Medications are provided at subsidised rates and free of charge to the very poor. To avoid epidemics filtered drinking water is available from the clinic. 500 litres of clean water are provided every 24 hours. NISHTHA is also working with the local water authorities to try to improve the provision of water to the local villages.

Two Wings Award Winner 2004
NISHTHA's Manager is the general practitioner Dr. Barbara Nath Wiser (see picture). She is originally from Vienna and has been living in Sidhbari since 1984. She was presented with the Two Wings Award in 2004.

Data & Facts

Location: Sidhbari, Himachal Pradesh, India

Goal: Improvement of the social circumstances, allocation of medical treatment free of charge and clean drinking water. Education for women and youth groups as well as for school children.