Campaign Story
About the project
The health status of the Sahariya tribe in Madhya Pradesh remains deeply compromised, primarily due to severe undernutrition, prevailing social taboos, poor hygiene practices, and low literacy levels. Children, in particular, suffer the most, malnutrition making them vulnerable to diseases like Marasmus, Kwashiorkor, and Tuberculosis. As a result, the rates of neo-natal, infant, and child deaths in the region are alarmingly high. Many of the families here are migrants and lack proper identity documents, making it difficult for them to access government welfare programs or enroll their children in public schools.
Making a difference
CRY America’s Project VSS is working to improve healthcare access for women and children, while also ensuring quality education for children living in 15 villages and 5 slums of Bhopal district. Key interventions include strengthening Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), promoting institutional deliveries among women, identifying and referring children for treatment suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), and enrolling or re-enrolling first-time learners and children who have dropped out of school.
The Way Forward
● Ensure functioning of Village Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition Committees (VHSNC) in 17 AWCs.
● Engage 15 community volunteers to assess the quality of maternal health and nutrition services under welfare programs.
● Track 222 pregnant women and ensure 100% ANC checkups, immunization, and provision of iron tablets.
● Organize 4 health camps focused on maternal and child health, with a minimum engagement of 800 people.
● Facilitate 45 Frontline Workers (FLWs) and community group members to demonstrate healthy food choices to combat malnutrition.
● Conduct growth monitoring of 890 children to improve their nutritional status.
● Refer 38 identified SUW children to Nutritional Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs).
● Conduct Parent Module sessions with the participation of 250 parents.
● Support the education of 292 children through Child Activity Centres (CACs) to bridge their learning gaps.
● Ensure 778 children aged 6–18 years have access to education.
The Way Forward
● 100% targeted people from reference communities will get awareness training during the project period about COVID-19 & its protection systems
● Survival of newborn children ensured through strengthening preventive and protective mechanisms on maternal and child health
● Reduction in the cases of undernourished children
● Combat child malnutrition through strengthening the livelihood system of the community and also enhancing household food security
● Provide critical education support in this extended gap period, so that children can return to school with confidence
Project Impact
225
Members of Village Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition Committee (VHSNC) sensitized on health & nutrition services.
216
Pregnant women immunized.
165
Institutional deliveries ensured.
47
Women linked to government maternity welfare programs.
3,250
Households sensitized on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) practices.
439
Adolescents participated in Menstrual Hygiene Management sessions.
286
Severe and Moderate Underweight children(SUW/MUW) identified.
38
SUW children referred to Nutritional Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs).
292
Children received academic support through the Child Activity Centre (CACs)
18
Children financially supported for National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) admission
Last Year’s Grant Disbursed : $58,146
Current Year’s Approved Grant
From Fragile Beginnings to Nurtured Growth
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