Project Gram Mitra Samaj Sevi Sansthan (GMSSS)

Campaign Story

About the project

The Korba district of Chhattisgarh lacks access to quality education due to limited infrastructure and low awareness about its importance among the community. The remoteness of the region further hampers access to schools, often resulting in children dropping out. Additionally, the community has limited knowledge of healthy food habits, leading to a high prevalence of malnutrition and anemia among children, adolescents, and women.

Making a difference

CRY America’s project GMSSS works towards facilitating quality education and healthcare for children in the community by improving infrastructure at Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) and schools, sensitizing School Management Committees (SMCs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), ensuring immunization of newborns, and addressing malnutrition and anemia. Key activities under the project include the enrolling, and re-enrolling first time learners and dropout children in schools, identification of Severely Underweight (SUW) and Moderately Underweight (MUW) children, monitoring their treatment, promoting kitchen gardening practices to encourage nutritious food habits, and forming Children’s Collectives, Adolescent Collectives, and Mother’s Groups to sensitize the community on issues related to education, pregnancy care, and malnutrition.

The way forward

● Activate 20 SMCs to address child rights issues and improve school infrastructure in 5 schools.
● Encourage 12 SMCs to prepare School Development Plans addressing children’s issues.
● Enroll 1,231 children aged 6–18 years and re-enroll 45 children aged 6–18 years in schools.
● Run 2 Child Activity Centers, supporting at least 250 children with academics and co-curricular activities.
● Ensure enrollment of 5 girls in nursing courses; 5 girls in courses such as law, medicine, engineering, police services, and teaching; 5 adolescents in BSc IT; and 10 adolescents in diploma courses.
● Ensure transition of 129 children from Grade 5 to 6, 116 children from Grade 8 to 9, 75 children from Grade 10 to 12, 59 children from Grade 11 to 12, and 30 children from Grade 12 to higher studies.
● Facilitate scholarship access for 850 children from Grade 3 to Grade 8.
● Ensure complete immunization of 203 children aged 0–1 years.
● Ensure 70 pregnant women receive timely vaccinations.
● Promote exclusive breastfeeding (up to 6 months) among 131 lactating mothers.
● Support the transition of 30 SUW children to MUW category and 100 MUW children towards full recovery.
● Develop 60 kitchen gardens in households, 12 in Anganwadi Centres (benefiting 250 children), 4 in schools, and 1 at the community level.
● Organize two health camps benefiting 300 people.

Project Impact

320

Children aged 3-6 years enrolled in Anganwadi Centers for preschool education

1,174

Children aged 6-18 years enrolled in schools

38

Dropped out children aged 6-18 years re-enrolled in schools

150

Children benefitted from career guiding sessions for higher education

208

Children received education support at Child Activity Centers

480

Community-Based Organizations) sensitized on higher education for girls

185

Children aged 0-1 years received 100% vaccination

80

Institutional deliveries ensured

28

Severely Underweight children (SUW) transitioned to Moderately Underweight category (MUW)

71

MUW children transitioned to complete recovery

990

Children aged 0-18 years availed health check up

650

Children trained in Year 1 Life Skill Modules

350

Children participated in sports

Last year’s grant disbursed for Jan 25’ to Dec ‘25: $23,669

This year’s grant approved for Jan ‘26 to Dec ‘26:

Health$1,466

Education$16,658

Administration$4,457

Total Budget$22,581

A healthier start for Prem

Prem*, a three-year-old child, was Severely Underweight, weighing just 8 kg, and often fell ill. His condition came to light through CRY’s Adolescent Collective, following which the project team stepped in. They visited Prem’s home and spoke with his family, helping them understand the seriousness of his condition and the need for timely care. With their support, the family agreed to take Prem to a Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) for treatment. Over the next 15 days, he received focused care and regular monitoring from frontline health workers at the primary health center. Gradually, his health began to improve, and he moved to the Moderately Underweight category, reaching 10 kg.

Alongside treatment, the health workers guided his family on nutritious food options and encouraged simple practices like kitchen gardening to improve access to fresh, healthy food at home. To support the family further, the project team also linked them to a government program for financial assistance, helping ensure that Prem’s nutritional needs could be met consistently.

Today, Prem continues on a nutritious home-based diet, with the project team closely monitoring his growth. With the right care and support in place, he is steadily moving toward a healthier future.

*Name changed and AI image used to protect child’s identity