Health, Nutrition and Well-being
Enabling positive behaviour change related to maternal, child and adolescent health and nutrition
Prevention of child malnutrition in Assam
The project is being implemented across ten districts of Assam — Baksa, Barpeta, Darrang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Hailakandi, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nalbari, and Udalguri — covering 18,569 Anganwadi Workers and 649 ICDS Supervisors, and reaching more than 1 million mothers and children under the age of five. The initiative is supported by ITC Limited, in collaboration with the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Assam.
Aim:
Prevention of child malnutrition and promotion of early childhood development among children (0-6 years) through capacity strengthening of ICDS functionaries.
Strategies:
Baseline and Training Need Assessment.
Cascade training of ICDS system functionaries from the district to the Anganwadi Centre level.
Support ICDS supervisors in hotspot sectors with high malnutrition for effective monitoring and mentoring of AWWs.
Swasthya Poshan Alaap: mobile application on maternal, child, adolescent health & nutrition
For frontline workers, parents, families, adolescents
- Includes key messages, myths & facts, videos, Q&A and quizzes.
- Pre-counselling checklist and counselling points for specific target groups.
- Works both online and offline.
- Available in English, Hindi, Bengali, Assamese (customisable in other languages).
Integrated programme on maternal, child and adolescent health & nutrition
YouthInvest implements this comprehensive programme in Darrang and Kamrup districts (Assam) and Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly districts (West Bengal). The programme is supported by ITC Limited, in collaboration with multiple government departments.
Key strategies:
1. Strengthening the capacity of frontline workers
- Training of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) in home-based counselling on feeding practices during the first 1000 days.
- Orientation of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) on couple counselling and the use of family planning methods.
- Community awareness in collaboration with frontline workers.
Anganwadi Worker counselling mother and mother-in-law using Swasthya Poshan Alaap, a mobile application at home, West Bengal
2. Nutrition education, menstrual hygiene management, anaemia prevention and life skills among adolescents.
- Orientation of Kanyashree Club in West Bengal and Child Cabinets in Assam in 110 schools.
- School and community awareness involving parents, School Management Committees and other key stakeholders.
Awareness programme in school on Menstrual Hygiene Day, Darrang district, Assam
3. Strengthening community groups in urban slums on RMNCH issues
- Strengthening women and adolescent groups on infant feeding practices, adolescent nutrition, anaemia prevention, family planning, etc.
- Advocacy on RMNCH+A issues in convergence with Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Ward officials and schools.
Community awareness programme on maternal and child nutrition in urban settlement, Hooghly,West Bengal
