In the first of event of the campaign, the students want to conduct the health check up and consultation campaign in one place and invite transpeople to come and have free consultation and medicine. I know, it won't work this way. I had another plan.

As a community person and as someone who has been living, interactng and growing up(still!) with transgender people, I know the difficulties of transpeople in accessing this kind of service. Though it was free, they will not show interest and take effort to go and get the service. The best way is to approach them and provide them the service in PLACES WHERE THEY LIVE. I asked the students to arrange for a mobile-clinic kind of set up. They agreed.

Now just a health check up won't be the right thing. Many transgender women use tobacco and alcohol for temporary relief from depression. Many people have been using these for years. Image the condition of the body after years of alcohol and tobacco abuse. This health campaign I want it to be a detoxification campaign. Next, I contacted doctor Meenakshi sundaram, an accupuncturist (through orkut we became friends)and asked him if he can provide free check up and consultation service for the community. He agreed. Only the medicines (ayurveda) need to be bought and the MSSW students arranged for the fund for medicines. Meenakshi bought the medicines with the money.

On the 11th October, we conducted this campaign. Who were there in the mobile campaign? I, Doctor Meenakshi, the five students from MMSW and the driver of the van ofcourse. First, the mobile clinic came to Saidapet and almost 15 transpeople accessed the service. Next, we went to Numgambakkam area and another 30 people accessed the service. Motivating them to take advantage of this service is a challenge. We succeeded as a group. Later that afternoon, I was interviewed by students of M.O.P Vaishnav college, Chennai on transgender women's problems and solutions. The next day, four girls from Sahodari's advocacy team - Thenmozhi, Sowmiya, Gomathi and Makkali participated and spoke in a panchayat-like discussion event organized by the students at MSSW. They not only spoke well and changed people's attitude towards transpeople, but also they had made many friends there. The same afternoon the MSSW students organized a bike rally which was flaged by film director Vishnuvardhan. It was a success.

The campaign was a success, only we didn't have enough time to provide this service to more people as it is a one day campaign. The doctor was genuinely caring and spending much time with each of the patients. He also gave them ayurvedic medicines and gave instructions to detoxify their bodies for better living. Next month, there is a follow up of the program. Let us see how many of the women have been benifiting from this free service. Thanks to the students of MSSW and Doctor Meenakshi Sundaram. We need more people like you:)