Project Trupti launched in Sanand, Gujarat is supported by Baxter Pharmaceutical India Pvt. Ltd. and implemented by Action Against Hunger India. The project adopts a comprehensive life cycle approach, seamlessly integrating health and integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to provide holistic support to the community.
This project aims to significantly enhance the health and well-being of mothers and children up to 5 years old by providing timely referrals and treatment, ensuring every child receives the essential care for a healthy start in life. Improve Infant and young child breastfeeding practices in the community, and improve awareness of safe drinking water, and personnel hygiene through various approaches of social and behavioral change communication strategies.
On October 30, 2023, a dedicated team from Project Vruddhi, an initiative by Action Against Hunger, alongwith Frontline Workers (FLWs) conducted joint home visits of identified families in Dedhrota village of Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha.
L to R: Rupangi, Atit, Divya, Harsha Chamar an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker, Kinjal Goswami, Field Coordinator and Amit Suthar, Block Coordinator of Project Vruddhi during joint home visit.
They visited the home of Rupangi (name changed) and her husband Atit (name changed), where they met their newborn daughter, Divya (name changed), who was just three days old. As they approached the house, they found Rupangi was bathing little Divya. The team observed that the baby was shivering, which prompted immediate concern from the team and FLWs. The Field Coordinator of Project Vruddhi realizing that the baby is going into hypothermia, quickly wrapped Divya in towels to warm her up. Then asked the mother gently the reason for bathing the baby in cold weather. Rupangi explained that they had just returned from the hospital, and wanted to clean the baby. Then the mother was taught Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) and explained the importance that skin-to-skin contact was vital to keep Divya warm and help her thrive. Demonstrating the technique, they placed Divya on Rupangi’s chest and ensured she was comfortable. They then guided the family on Kangaroo Family Care (KFC) practices to be followed at home.
Divya weighed just 2.4 kg at birth. When Block Coordinator Amit Suthar asked Atit about their feeding practices, he revealed they had been giving Divya packaged milk as she struggled to breastfeed. Recognizing the need for proper guidance, the team and FLWs demonstrated correct positioning and latching techniques to help with breastfeeding. They emphasized the importance of Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF), explaining that a mother’s milk contains all the nutrients essential for a child’s growth and development.
Over the next few months, the team continued to visit and support Rupangi. They provided further demonstrations on breastfeeding, ensuring that Rupangi was confident and comfortable. By the time Divya was six months old, they assisted in introducing complementary foods, ensuring her nutritional needs were met.
At eight months, Divya gained a healthy weight of 7 kg. The combined efforts of Project Vruddhi and the dedicated FLWs saved her from malnutrition and set her on a path to thriving health.
The success story of Divya in Dedhrota village stands as a testament to the power of joint and consistent efforts in community health initiatives. It brought immense relief and joy to Rupangi, Atit, and their family, showcasing the profound impact of targeted interventions and compassionate care.
A Social and Behavior Change (SBC) package produced by Action Against Hunger is scaled up at State-level by the Women and Child Development Department (WCD), Gujarat for breastfeeding awareness during World Breastfeeding Week 2024 (WBW2024). Another initiative of Action Against Hunger, which is scaled up by WCD, Gujarat is a digital training on Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), with a particular emphasis on breastfeeding.
Project Vruddhi, an initiative by Action Against Hunger, produced 1-minute jingles and videos using an infotainment approach. These media pieces aim to educate about various aspects of the first 1,000 days model, specifically focusing on breastfeeding awareness, as part of the Social and Behavior Change (SBC) package. The package is titled “Jaagta Rehjo,” with a tagline, “ane bija ne pan jagadjo” translating which means: “stay aware and spread awareness among others.” The tagline is used several times hinting a call-to-action, to spread awareness. The videos, feature dialogues in regional language – Gujarati and incorporates singing, dancing, illustrations, and text to reinforce key messages, for better recall. The lead characters, dressed as ‘Ranglo’ and ‘Rangli’ are conceptualized from the popular Gujarati folk art form ‘Bhavai’. By blending traditional folk messaging with modern filmmaking techniques, including regional dance forms like ‘sanedo’ and ‘timli’, the approach ensures greater relatability and acceptance by government staff and local communities in Gujarat. These media pieces are catchy, concise, and entertaining.
The MIYCN training includes an introductory session and five pre-recorded sessions covering seven different breastfeeding topics which will be disseminated to all Frontline Workers (FLWs) across Gujarat via Satellite Communication (SATCOM) and the YouTube channels of the Women and Child Development Department, Gujarat. These pre-recorded sessions highlight key learnings from the 5-day MIYCN workshop conducted in Sabarkantha in May 2024, where 50 champions from the ICDS-WCD and Health Departments were trained. The workshop was led by Dr. Rupal Dalal, Director of Maternal and Child Health (SMDT), and her team. As a technical partner, Action Against Hunger is pleased that these training sessions will enhance awareness about effective breastfeeding positioning and latching techniques, contributing to optimal weight gain in newborn infant.
