Nourishing Sheetal back to health and strength
A 14-year-old girl, Sheetal*, was suffering from severe malnutrition and eventually dropped out of school as her health worsened. She had a condition called geophagia, which led her to consume soil and ash, further worsening her condition.
When CRY America’s project members in Uttar Pradesh intervened, she weighed only 36 kg and had a haemoglobin level of 6 g/dL. The Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) provided her with iron and calcium tablets, and she was admitted to a hospital with support from the project team members. After 15 days of care, her iron levels improved, and she was discharged. The project staff and members of the Counselling and Monitoring Center (CMC) counseled her family on kitchen gardening practices, encouraging them to consume homegrown vegetables. They also ensured her regular anaemia checkups during each Village Health, Sanitation & Nutrition Day (VHSND) for the next seven months and facilitated her access to Take Home Ration (THR) from the Anganwadi Centers (AWC).
With improved eating habits and iron supplements, her haemoglobin increased to 10 g/dL, and her weight rose to 45 kg. With renewed confidence and support from the project members, she was re-enrolled in the 7th standard and joined the adolescent collective supported by the project, advocating for women’s health in her community.
*Name changed and AI image used for representation purpose only.
The Problem
Project DVEUS is working in 60 villages of Kaushambi district. The organization is working with 11,800 households with majority reference communities from Dalit and minorities groups. The status of antenatal care and postnatal care remains very poor in the community. Lack of awareness in the community results in home deliveries, lack of immunization of pregnant women and infants as well as rising number of malnourished children in the community.
The Solution
CRY America Project DVEUS ensures that the community and the household are aware of appropriate child rearing practices. The project works towards reduction in infant deaths including neonatal deaths through strengthening home-based new-born care as well as improving facility-based care and treatment in government institutions. Another major focus is on. combating malnutrition through strengthening responsive strategy at community level.
The key activities under the project are engaging with adolescent girls and children’s groups on nutrition, menstrual hygiene and immunization, tracking of low-birth-weight babies as well as support of take-home ration to the pregnant and lactating mothers and children of age 7 months to 6 years from Anganwadi.
Impact Of The Project
1,280
adolescents received health and life skill sessions
857
Village Health Nutrition Days (VHNDs) conducted
2,890
children received vaccination and booster doses.
639
adolescents received iron tablets
1,215
women completed antenatal care check-ups.
1,282
children availed complete immunization.
1,180
institutional deliveries ensured.
267
children enrolled in the Child Activity Centre (CAC).
2025 Plans
- Ensure regular sensitization of the community on newborn care during and maternal healthcare in 60 villages.
- Conduct awareness drives for the families of 2,498 pregnant women on 4 antenatal care visits and vaccination centers.
- 400 community awareness meetings to be conducted to sensitize families on women’s health, nutritious food habits, and family planning.
- 380 malnourished children to be linked kitchen gardening practices for improved heath.
- Ensuring the vaccination & take home rations for 8,027 children aged 0-5 years
- Monitoring doctor visits for children in 14 AWCs and adolescents in 45 schools.
- Improve age-appropriate learning levels for 264 children in Child Activity Center
- Basic computer skills and certification for 60 children enrolled in Child Activity Center
- 47 children to be mainstreamed in school in the age of 6-14 years
- Life Skill sessions for 50 adolescents from adolescent collectives
- Ensuring the enrollment, learning assessment, and transition mapping of 264 children at CACs.
