Background

Operating in the city of Chandigarh, India- the first hospital we are working with is the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, PGI. This hospital was set up in the 1960’s to assist in the technical training of medical students across India. Among its other endeavors, the hospital also tends to a fairly large number of patients coming from less fortunate backgrounds. Given the toll that poverty and homeless take on these patients, many religious groups around the area set up temples in close proximity to the hospital to provide the patients with, at least, a place to sleep. One of these such temples, a Sikh Gurdwara, hosts anywhere between 200 to 300 patients. The housing accommodations consist of a two-floor building with cots, at best, or patients sleeping right on the floor. There is no heat or air conditioners and conditions are dire.