Samaara Bhardwaj & Veyom Bhardwaj
Mining Health & Safety Initiative
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of
miners and their families.
ABOUT US
Mining is a job known to have high risk of injury and
disease. Miners are exposed to various harmful materials leading to number of diseases as time passes.
OUR SERVICES
-
Medical exams: These exams can help to identify miners who are at risk for diseases or who may already have a disease related to mining risk.
-
Respiratory screenings: These screenings can help to detect respiratory diseases early, when they are most treatable.
-
Medical treatment: This treatment can include medications, oxygen therapy, and other therapies to help manage respiratory diseases.
-
Rehabilitation services: These services can help miners to regain their lung function and improve their quality of life.
-
Safety Trainings : A camp that teaches miners how to plan for emergencies. This camp would teach miners how to identify potential hazards in the mining environment and how to develop plans to respond to emergencies. It would also teach miners how to use emergency equipment, such as fire extinguishers and gas masks.
-
Mental Health and Well-being Services: These services aim to support miners’ mental health and emotional well-being by providing access to counselling, stress management programmes, and psychological support. They help miners cope with work-related stress, anxiety, and other emotional challenges, promoting better mental health and an improved quality of life.
CALL TO ACTION
There are many ways you can get involved, from volunteering your time to spreading awareness.
Together, we can make a significant impact on the lives of miners and their families. Thank you!
Mental Health Awareness
Introducing essential mental health concepts through interactive educational sessions designed specifically for mining communities.
OUR SERVICES
-
Stress Management: Helping workers recognize stress, understand its impact, and adopt healthy coping mechanisms.
-
Fatigue Awareness: Educating workers on fatigue-related risks and preventive strategies to improve workplace safety.
-
Sleep Health: Providing practical guidance on healthy sleep habits to enhance overall wellbeing and occupational performance.
-
Workplace Wellbeing: Creating a holistic model that integrates physical, emotional, and psychological health into occupational safety.
WORKSHOPS
Interactive awareness sessions on:
-
Mental wellbeing
-
Workplace stress
-
Burnout prevention
-
Emotional resilience
-
Healthy lifestyle habits
Samaara Bhardwaj is far from an ordinary teenager. As a standout student at the British School New Delhi, she has already distinguished herself in numerous ways. Ranked first in India for English Literature in 2023 and honored with the prestigious Director's Award, Samaara’s academic accolades are noteworthy. However, it is her passion for public health advocacy that truly sets her apart.
Witnessing the stark healthcare disparities in her community, Samaara felt compelled to take meaningful action. This drive led to the creation of the Samaara Bhardwaj Mining Health & Safety Initiative, a program dedicated to addressing the critical issues of healthcare accessibility and affordability for miners and their families in Belgaon, Maharashtra.
Central to the initiative is a strong focus on education and awareness. We hold workshops and medical camps to educate miners on critical topics like preventative healthcare, lung health protection, safety protocols, and the importance of insurance. This empowers miners to take charge of their well-being and work safely. Recognizing the holistic needs of the community, the initiative also offers mental health resources and support groups, fostering a supportive environment that promotes overall well-being.
One of her biggest achievements is helping miners secure comprehensive medical insurance. Fundraising has allowed hundreds of miners to access healthcare without worrying about financial burdens. This ensures their health and the well-being of their families.
The results of Samaara’s efforts are profound. Hundreds of miners have benefitted from the educational workshops, safety training sessions, and access to insurance coverage facilitated by her initiative. By creating informative pamphlets in both English and Hindi, Samaara ensures that her outreach is inclusive, catering to the diverse linguistic and socio-economic landscape of the mining community.
Samaara Bhardwaj
OUR FOUNDER
Recognizing that workplace health extends beyond physical safety, Veyom, Samaara’s brother and Swasth Suraksha Abhiyaan co-founder, has worked to integrate mental health awareness into the Mining Health & Safety Initiative. Understanding that miners often face significant psychological pressures arising from hazardous working conditions, demanding schedules, and prolonged fatigue, Veyom extended the work of Swasth Suraksha Abhiyaan to deal with these issues as well. Beginning with introducing key mental health concepts to the miners, he then developed resources and awareness programmes designed to encourage open conversations around mental wellbeing and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in industrial workplaces. The resources developed, and conversations of and around mental health being had were informed by a series of interviews and surveys with the miners to determine the modes of intervention that would be most impactful.
As part of this work, Veyom introduced educational workshops and multilingual informational materials focusing on stress management, emotional wellbeing, fatigue awareness, and healthy sleep practices. He also incorporated wellbeing surveys into health camps to better understand patterns of stress, fatigue, and sleep quality among the mining workforce.
These insights have helped inform subsequent educational sessions and ensure that outreach efforts comprehensively address the challenges most commonly experienced by miners – both physiological, and mental. By promoting a more holistic approach to occupational health, Veyom’s work aims to support both the psychological wellbeing of miners and the creation of safer, healthier workplaces.
Veyom Bhardwaj
CO-FOUNDER
