India

About India

While the official languages of the Indian government are Hindi and English, each state also designates its own official language, making a total of 22 official languages.

India is undergoing an epidemiological transition, as both non-communicable and chronic diseases are now the leading causes of death. There is no national health insurance, so private companies are the only option. Most families pay their healthcare expenses out of pocket, often leading to catastrophic health expenditures and medical payments that damage a family’s ability to maintain a basic standard of living.

Join ISL in serving alongside local relief organizations and learn about global health in a unique cultural context.

A Brief Overview of Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam, often called “Vizag”, is a coastal city and is one of India’s hidden gems. With a rich blend of history, modern infrastructure, and scenic beauty, Visakhapatnam is home to ancient Buddhist sites, bustling fishing harbors, tribal villages, and cutting-edge health institutions. Known for its welcoming communities, this city offers a unique mix of tradition and innovation. The population of Visakhapatnam is around 2,385,000. This city is also known as the “City of Destiny” due to it’s historical significance and potential for future growth in to major port and industrial hub. The city is part of Andhra Pradesh, where Telugu is the main spoken language, but English is widely understood in urban and healthcare settings.

Where We Serve in India

With healthcare being mostly privatized, many in underserved areas struggle to access quality and affordable medical care. ISL India partners with Harvest Misson to bridge that gap through compassionate service. We will also be serving in Araku valley which is also know for its coffee plantations, pepper plantations and rich tribal culture. It has the famous Borra Caves, waterfalls, hills, and lush greenery. We have a special train from Visakhapatnam to Araku known as the Vistadome and it offers a panoramic view of landscape through large glass windows as we pass through around 50 tunnels before we reach Araku. Araku has many villages which have different languages, with each village speaking different dialects. ISL volunteers work in a mix of rural villages, urban slums, and coastal tribal communities around Visakhapatnam. We also work with the semi orphan boys and girls, and old aged widows.

The Need in Visakhapatnam, India

Though Visakhapatnam has several modern hospitals, a significant portion of its population lacks access to preventive care, especially in rural and tribal regions. High out-of-pocket expenses force families to delay or avoid necessary treatments. The tribal people especially need health education and awareness of the diseases and its precautions to take. Volunteers from ISL will help provide health education, screenings, basic treatment, and referrals in the urban community hospital. As we will also be serving at Araku, the volunteers will be learning about the local diseases and how to manage these diseases. This area has very poor medical facilities.

Our Partnerships

We collaborate with Harvest Mission a local NGO. This allows us the opportunity to reach the unreached and unprivileged communities through providing medical health care. We also help the communities with their needs like planting fresh water wells, providing free medical and dental camps, providing them with free medication and treatment plans, helping the HIV patients with nutrition supplies, and helping the outcasted leprosy patient’s with medical and provisions that they need.

What to Expect as a Volunteer

You will arrive via Visakhapatnam International Airport (VTZ), located approximately 30 minutes from downtown. Upon arrival, an ISL staff member will welcome you and arrange transportation to your accommodation.
Daily travel to work sites: 20–45 minutes
Recreation travel: 1–2 hours depending on location

Cultural Exploration

Visakhapatnam is a cultural mosaic of South Indian traditions and tribal heritage.

Explore:

Simhachalam Temple
A centuries-old temple with striking architecture

Borra Caves
Limestone caves known for their stalactites and tribal legends

Tribal villages
Experience the customs, and local dances

Cooking classes
Learn to prepare Andhra delicacies like biryani, dosa, and payasam

Local markets
Visit bustling bazaars selling handmade textiles, spices, and jewellery

Recreational Activities

After days of service, unwind in breathtaking locations:

RK Beach
Relax on Vizag’s pristine urban beach

Araku Valley
A hill station known for its cool climate and coffee plantations

Kailasagiri Hill Park
Take a ropeway up to a scenic viewpoint

Submarine Museum
Step inside India’s first submarine-turned-museum

Dolphin’s Nose
Hike up to panoramic coastal views

Aircraft & Helicopter Museum

Visakhapatnam Museum

Lodging

ISL accommodations in Visakhapatnam are a house stay in an apartment. You will be provided with a comfortable bed, access to bathrooms, meals prepared with dietary care, and group spaces for debriefings and cultural learning. The accommodation has Wi-Fi , air-conditioned rooms, beds, laundry service, TV, gas burner for cooking (if needed), Refrigerator, elevator for the apartment, and 24hours security guard for the building.

When we travel to Araku , we will be staying in a hotel that we pre book and all the food will be cooked separately for the team by the hotel.

When we visit the Taj Mahal in Agra we will be staying in a hotel.

Country Coordinator / Jessy Mindi

Meet the Country Coordinator:
Jessy Mindi has been serving with ISL from 2025. Originally from Visakhapatnam, he brings deep local knowledge, fluency in regional languages, and a heart for holistic transformation.

Where is he from? Where has he lived?
Visakhpatnam, living here since his childhood.

What does he love most about his country?
Vast cultural heritage

What is his family like?
Jessy, a government employee, took voluntary retirement, to help the poor and needy. He has four Masters Degrees, in Education, Business and Theology.
His wife is Sunitha, is a retired government school teacher.
Daughter – Dr. Lydia is a dentist
Son in law – Dr. Sandeep is a doctor
Son – Enoch works in London
Grandson – Allen (Frank )

Where did he grow up? 
Visakhapatnam

What has he worked in besides being the Country Coordinator?
Helping the poor and needy

At what point did he realise what his calling was?
While working for the government, he realised he was not satisfied doing two jobs, so he resigned his jobs to help the poor and needy

A brief summary of what he does as the Country Coordinator?
Help the volunteers to acquire knowledge as well as serve the poor and needy in India

What inspires his most about what he does?
Helping the remote tribal area people with medicine and some food