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💉 Area 06 of 08

Medicinal Plants, Health
& Hygiene

Bridging ancient healing wisdom with modern health awareness — conserving medicinal plants, promoting herbal gardens, and strengthening community health and hygiene.

1 Herbal Garden at Taluk Hospital, Kumta (2025)
4,000+ Traditional healers (Vaidyas) represented by PVPK
3 Districts for Ethno-Veterinary Medicine training
1 Water & Sanitation awareness program with Water Aid (BBMP)
Overview

About This Area of Work

Vanalok Foundation bridges the worlds of traditional ecological knowledge and modern public health. Through medicinal plant conservation, herbal garden establishment, and community health programs, the Foundation supports a holistic approach to well-being rooted in nature.

Program Director Dr. Roopa D serves as Chairperson of the State Election Committee for Paramparika Vaidya Parishat, Karnataka (PVPK) — an association representing over 4,000 traditional healers (Vaidyas) across Karnataka.

The Foundation actively promotes Home Herbal Gardens and supports communities in growing medicinal plants for health, sustainability, and local livelihoods.

Medicinal plant conservation and community herbal garden work
Medicinal plant conservation and community herbal garden work
Key Interventions

What We Do in This
Area

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Herbal Garden at Hospital, Kumta

Established a Herbal Garden at Taluk General Hospital, Kumta (2025) to promote traditional healing, medicinal plant conservation, and community health awareness.

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Ethno-Veterinary Medicine Trainings

Conducted farmer trainings in Ethno-Veterinary Medicine at Kottur, Chamarajanagar, and Nanjangud in collaboration with ICRA (Indian Council of Rural Action).

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Water & Sanitation Awareness (BBMP)

Organized workshops and awareness sessions on Water & Sanitation for BBMP staff in collaboration with Water Aid (2021) — strengthening hygiene practices in urban Bengaluru.

Selected Projects

Landmark Projects on the Ground

01

Herbal Garden — Taluk General Hospital, Kumta (2025)

Established a medicinal and herbal plant garden at Taluk General Hospital, Kumta — promoting traditional healing knowledge, patient wellness, and community health awareness.

Health · Plants
02

Police Training Grounds Plantation — Channapatna (2024)

Planted medicinal, endemic, and endangered species at Police Training Grounds, Channapatna — supporting both conservation education and the establishment of a medicinal plant learning space.

Conservation
03

Ethno-Veterinary Medicine — Kottur, Chamarajanagar, Nanjangud

Farmer training programs on traditional veterinary medicine in three Karnataka districts, in collaboration with ICRA — reviving ancient knowledge while reducing chemical dependency in animal husbandry.

Training
04

PVPK — Paramparika Vaidya Parishat, Karnataka

Vanalok's Program Director actively supports PVPK — representing and advocating for 4,000+ traditional healers across Karnataka, preserving India's ethno-medical heritage.

Traditional Medicine
05

Home Herbal Garden Programme

Promoting Home Herbal Gardens in collaboration with Outreach — encouraging households across Karnataka to grow medicinal plants for health, sustainability, and traditional food systems.

Community
Gallery

Work in Action

Herbal garden — medicinal plant cultivation
Herbal garden — medicinal plant cultivation
Ayurvedic medicinal plants conservation
Ayurvedic medicinal plants conservation

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