Currently, this chapter is working with the village of Viyyampeta, located in Andhra Pradesh.
Located in Vizianagaram District of Andhra Pradesh, Viyyampeta is situated within Kothavalasa Mandal and is well connected to nearby communities. The village lies approximately 1 km from the town of Kothavalasa and about 41 km from the district headquarters, with access to regional centers including Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Bheemunipatnam, and Vizianagaram.
Viyyampeta is home to approximately 1,272 residents across 350 households. Agriculture is a central component of village life, with primary crops including mango, paddy (rice), and cashew, which are distributed to surrounding areas. The village plays an important role in supporting the surrounding rural economy through agricultural production and local trade.
The village is served by a Zilla Parishad High School (ZPHS) enrolling over 200 students from grades 3 through 10. Local leadership and community institutions play a central role in advancing education, health, and community development efforts. These priorities continue to guide Project RISHI’s collaborative efforts to strengthen local capacity and support long-term community goals.
From 2021 to 2025, our chapter served in the Vemavaram, Andhra Pradesh. The projects that have been implemented here include curriculums revolving around computer literacy, financial literacy, vocational skills, reproductive health, and more. During the summers of 2022, 2023, and 2024, several members of our chapter were able to implement these projects in Vemavaram.
Before 2021, UCSD’s Project RISHI chapter had served in the village Anandwan, Maharashtra. The projects we have implemented here include urinalysis, curriculum catered to kids in elementary school about various topics, leprosy stigma evaluations/surveys, and CPR training.
Through these projects, we aimed to promote the health and well being of the individuals in the village.
During the time we served Anandwan, we were also very involved within our community in America. In June 2020, during the nationwide protests for racial equality, we raised over 30,000 dollars which we then donated equally to the NAACP, ACLU, Equal Justice Initiative & Public Allies Inc.