thegoodsight – Page 2 – The Good Sight

October 18, 2023October 18, 2023

Empowering Healthier Generations

Empowering Healthier Rise Against Hunger India’s pilot phase of the 1000 Days Nutrition Flagship Program is concentrated in eight districts spread across the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, known for their remote and challenging terrain and inhabited by PVTGs

In an unwavering commitment to combat ill health, malnutrition, and food insecurity, Rise Against Hunger India has embarked on a transformative journey. The organization’s recently launched “1000 Days Nutrition Flagship Program” is pioneering a community-based approach to address these issues, particularly among the most marginalized and vulnerable communities, including PVTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups).

Rise Against Hunger India’s 1000 Days Nutrition Flagship Program is in its pilot phase, targeting selected pockets in eight districts across four states: Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. These regions, characterized by their isolation and challenging terrains, are home to PVTGs. At the heart of this initiative is a profound emphasis on community engagement and ownership. Pregnant women in these communities are coming together to strategize their nutritional well-being during the critical 1000 days period – from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday.

The program introduces an innovative concept: the establishment of community kitchens in resource-scarce settings. These kitchens cater to the dietary needs of pregnant and lactating mothers, offering them a safe space to share experiences, express challenges, and collectively discuss coping strategies. The core implementation revolves around the formation of dedicated groups of pregnant and lactating mothers who collaboratively determine optimal cooking and feeding processes to meet nutritional requirements

*Hot cooked meals provided by Rise Against Hunger India in Chipkal village, Katekalyan Block, Dantewada, Chhattisgarh.*

Collaboration for Seamless Integration

In cases requiring additional support, the program augments local systems and infrastructures. This collaboration ensures seamless integration with Front Line Workers (FLWs) and institutions like Anganwadi Centers (AWCs).

The close relationship with FLWs aligns efforts toward common goals: ensuring the consistent and regular provision of nutritional food, tracking the progress of mothers and children, and collectively identifying warning signals in critical cases to provide the necessary care. This collaboration also serves as a mechanism for people-centric participation in making local systems active and responsive.

Rise Against Hunger India’s field team plays a pivotal role by providing nutrient-rich food packets, including khichdi mix. They also facilitate local management of the entire process, from finding suitable locations to taking responsibility for cooking and ensuring safe storage of supplies. FLWs are key partners in this program, aiding in the identification of pregnant women at nutritional risk and effectively tracking and monitoring danger signs, as well as early identification of complicated pregnancies for targeted interventions.

*Rise Against Hunger India’s field team emphasizing the significance of nutrition during the crucial first 1000 days in Odisha.*

Impact

The program envisions benefiting 800 pregnant and lactating women in the intervention areas. The immediate impact is evident, as extra nutrition, in the form of hot cooked meals, is consumed on the spot. A robust tracking system monitors weight gain and improvement in BMI, with a focus on reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight and pre-term births, particularly among project beneficiaries. The program’s constant engagement with participants equips workers to identify critical cases and high-risk pregnancies, ultimately reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.

Beyond its tangible impact, this initiative holds the potential to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. It fosters a cultural shift wherein maternal nutrition gains importance within families and communities, creating a lasting change that will continue to be observed in the coming generations. The formation of mothers’ groups within the community is instrumental in improving relationships with the community and front-line health workers, leading to better nutrition services and community participation in healthcare governance.

This project represents just one facet of Rise Against Hunger India’s holistic approach. While addressing immediate nutritional needs within the crucial 1000-day window, the organization is also actively working to improve food and livelihood systems in these communities. Additionally, education and counselling sessions for caregivers are being carried out, focusing on behavioural and practice changes. Collectively, these efforts aim to achieve nutrition security in these communities within the next 5 to 7 years

“Ensuring nutrition during the critical 1000-day period, especially during pregnancy, is one of the most effective ways to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition in communities. Rise Against Hunger India’s 1000 Days Nutrition Flagship Program exemplifies empowerment, community engagement, and a steadfast commitment to nurturing healthier generations. It embodies the organization’s unwavering dedication to building a world free from hunger and malnutrition.

Dola Mohapatra

Executive Director, Rise Against Hunger India

October 16, 2023October 18, 2023

Fostering Healthy Futures

Bal Raksha Bharat has consistently aligned with Government of India’s endeavors to foster enduring improvements in child health and nutrition, aligning with the nation’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

Malnutrition in low and middle-income countries is not solely about the inaccessibility of resources or income or lack of access to food, it is also about many other significant factors like- cultural influence, contextual elements, gender dimension, and promotion of positive health behavior.

One of the ways to enhance nutritional outcomes is through transforming the caregiving behaviors of mothers and families. This transformation is achieved through behavior change communication to enhance caregiver’s knowledge, attitude, and practices on various aspects of child nutrition, including early and exclusive breastfeeding, care during pregnancy, proper dietary diversity, timely and age-appropriate complementary feeding, immunization, hygiene, and other services crucial to combat malnutrition.

Declining rates of malnutrition in India can be attributed to the strategy of integrating nutrition with other programs and priorities and bringing the nutrition agenda to the public, which signifies a localized and community-focused approach to address malnutrition. It helped in increasing awareness and generates a sense of ownership among the community. In the recent past multiple initiatives have been taken up by the government of India to address malnutrition and raise awareness among common mass and families, like POSHAN Abhiyan, Jan Aandolan, Mission POSHAN 2.0, Saksham Aaganwadi, Poshan Bhi Padahi Bhi, Paalan 1000 campaign, PMMVY, Anemia Mukt Bharat, Poshan Panchayats, livelihood promotion through MGNREGS, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan etc.

As a significant step towards promoting local and traditional nutritious and healthy food, the United Nations at the behest of the Government of India, declared 2023 the Year of Millets and India has a vision to make this a People’s movement for Millets. India’s 2023 G20 presidency marks a significant milestone, particularly in the area of health and nutrition. It has secured remarkable commitments from all member nations, focusing on promoting local, affordable, and nutritious grains like Millet, supporting food security in developing countries, and ensuring access to safe, nutritious diets. This presidency also highlights nutrition-sensitive issues in agriculture, all in pursuit of the right to adequate food.

Malnutrition is also a multi-dimensional issue that requires a cross-sectoral approach that encourages convergence at all levels, including Panchayat and Households. The goal of achieving multi-sectoral convergence is to ensure that interventions from diverse sectors align effectively to benefit households. Gram Panchayat is the perfect platform for strategic community-level convergence. Poshan Panchayat, one of the initiatives of the Government of India, and other village gatherings provide a better platform for increasing demand side interventions for nutrition and improving public participation. Poshan Panchayat is a breakthrough in improving convergence at the grassroots level. Civil Society organizations have a significant role to play in facilitating convergence activities at the community level and in the success of Poshan Panchayats. These organizations can become the partners of choice for identifying the community’s nutritional needs, sharing ideas, and implementing projects in collaboration with the government. It will also help strategically identify tasks and implement them with agreed plans at the local level.

Given the intricate nature of human behavior, achieving behavioral changes in dietary and nutritional practices is not always easy. Therefore, despite all concerted efforts, the rate of malnutrition reduction reflected in the last two rounds of NFHS (4 & 5) is sub-optimal. However, civil society organizations and NGOs play a critical role in bringing positive behavior change among families and caregivers. Having a community presence and acceptance within communities, such organizations have a significant advantage in shaping and improving nutritional and healthcare practices.

Bal Raksha Bharat (Also known as Save the Children) working closely with communities and families in 15 states and 3 union territories of India, catalyzes immediate and lasting change for children and brings positive behavior change in caregivers. Over the years, Bal Raksha Bharat has worked to support the Government of India’s credible efforts to bring about lasting change in health and nutrition for children and to achieve Sustainable Development Goals adopted and committed by the Government of India.

Bal Raksha Bharat’s ambition for children is that all children survive, learn, and are protected. For the survival and nutritional well-being of our children and mothers, the organization works with its partners at national, regional, community, and household levels through a life-cycle approach to prevent and treat malnutrition by bringing multi-sectoral nutrition interventions to families. Bal Raksha Bharat is committed to delivering holistic development and care for children and, thus, its nutrition strategy is highly adaptive and contributes significantly to the overall nutritional well-being.

For malnutrition reduction in under five children, Bal Raksha Bharat tested and piloted innovative nutrition models, the use of technology which are replicable within the existing structure of Anganwadi and ICDS system. Such nutrition interventions are highly effective and cost-efficient. Technical assistance to district and state departments/POSHAN Abhiyan and system strengthening is another approach to strengthen and support the nutritional service delivery and strengthening the existing mechanism to address malnutrition. As a part of its strategy, Bal Raksha Bharat’s programming is based on establishing linkages between existing nutrition and sanitation programs, and income support efforts at the community level, along with a robust behavior change communication strategy.

Bal Raksha Bharat has made a significant and direct impact on the lives of an impressive 3.2 million children through its essential health and nutrition interventions, while also connecting them with government schemes and programs.

Bal Raksha Bharat works in three modes – providing technical assistance to national and sub-national (state, district, block) governments, supporting quality improvements in service delivery in state and sub-state systems, and acting as a convener at the national and state levels to ensure that information, knowledge, learning, and resources are shared.

Bal Raksha Bharat’s approach to nutrition programming and implementation is based on:

System Strengthening: Engage and support department and ICDS at national, state and district in strategic planning, implementation, capacity enhancement of FLWs, and handholding support to POSHAN Abhiyan and Jan Aandolan initiatives
Targeted Interventions & evidence building: Testing and piloting targeted and focused interventions, studies & research for malnutrition reduction with a focus on a local, affordable nutritious diet and counseling
Innovative cost-effective replicable models: Presenting technology-enabled, cost-effective innovative models to be incorporated into the existing system for improved and sustained nutritional outcomes in children & mothers
Community Participation & Mobilization: For effective behavior change within the community, it is imperative to have community ownership and awareness. We mobilize the community and spread nutrition literacy using local influencers and existing platforms like VHSND and other village-level platforms.Top of Form

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023

Nagada: A Transition from Backwardness to Mainstreaming

Trickle Up complemented government initiatives, aiming to address the diverse adaptability levels to modern influences within the PVTGs, with a primary focus on combating malnutrition

In India, there are over 700 officially recognized ethnic tribes classified as Scheduled Tribes. Among them, 75 belong to the category of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), identified based on criteria such as their pre-agricultural technology, low literacy rates, economic backwardness, and declining or stagnant populations. Previously referred to as Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs), these communities have witnessed positive changes in their status due to dedicated development efforts, leading to the adoption of the term PVTG.

The state of Odisha boasts the highest diversity of PVTGs in the country, featuring 13 distinct groups. Among these, the Juanga community has garnered significant attention, primarily due to a tragic incident in 2016 when 22 Juanga children in the Nagada region of Sukinda Block, Jajpur district, succumbed to malnutrition. Although the Juanga tribe traditionally resides in Juanga Pidha, located in the neighboring Keonjhar district, some families had migrated to nearby hill regions, resulting in their presence in Jajpur district. Interestingly, the hill-dwelling Juangas perceive themselves as socially superior to their counterparts residing on the plains, despite facing greater disadvantages. Like other tribal communities, the PVTGs exhibit unique psycho-social characteristics that shape their readiness to embrace mainstream society or adapt to changes in their lifestyle and behavior, even if such changes may be detrimental.

The PVTGs, including the Juanga community, have shown varying degrees of receptiveness to external influences. While some have become familiar with modern elements like currency and processed beverages or have transitioned to materials like asbestos for roofing, they continue to grapple with deeply ingrained practices such as child marriage, reluctance to seek medical treatment, and avoidance of animal milk consumption.

In response to these challenges, Trickle Up undertook the task of complementing government initiatives aimed at addressing the Juanga community’s backwardness, particularly in terms of malnutrition. This endeavor began in Nagada and six neighboring villages in 2017 and was followed by the Mpowered program in 2018. Targeting 200 Juanga households, the intervention focused on promoting sustainable development through capacity building and financial empowerment of women. NIRMAN, Trickle Up’s partner organization, joined the effort in June 2022 to enhance the project’s effectiveness and speed. NIRMAN established a field office in the area and deployed four competent field workers, one of whom was a Juanga native, to facilitate targeted behavioral changes.

To empower the community further, 12 capable women from the locality were selected to become change-makers, known as Smart Sakhis. They received comprehensive training and were provided with cell phones to facilitate the adoption and promotion of ‘smart’ practices relevant to their development. The targeted households received support, including planting materials, to create kitchen gardens or nutrition gardens, ensuring a diverse supply of vegetables to improve nutrition. They were also encouraged to replace their traditional rice-salt diet with more nutritious options like rice-dal-curry or rice & dalma.

To address health and nutrition concerns specific to PVTGs, a dedicated training module was developed, covering topics such as health, nutrition, financial literacy, government entitlements, and climate resilience. The Nutrition Festival held in Nagada under this intervention witnessed enthusiastic participation from local women, who showcased traditional recipes with diverse nutritional significance. As a result of these efforts, all 200 project participants established nutrition gardens in their backyards and adopted climate-resilient agricultural practices, including seed treatment and the use of bio-fertilizers and pest repellents.

Nourishing Communities: Health camp at Nagada.

In addition to maintaining individual kitchen gardens, four Self-Help Groups actively engaged in collective vegetable cultivation. These groups leased or acquired land through goodwill arrangements and collectively cultivated a diverse range of vegetables for sale. This collective effort not only contributed to their nutritional well-being but also boosted their confidence and negotiation skills.

Growing Together: Group vegetable Cultivation at Kankadagudi.

The functional literacy initiative proved transformative for Smart Sakhis and project participants, enabling them to sign their names and read, showcasing their newfound skills. The increased participation of project participants in Self-Help Group meetings and gram sabhas reflects the empowerment of women in the community.

The Nagada group of villages serves as a microcosm of development disparities. While some Juanga villages, like Deogan & Kankadagodi, exhibit relatively fewer challenges, others, such as Guhiasal & Tumuni, face more acute development disparities due to their lack of connectivity to all-weather roads. Addressing these disparities requires a comprehensive and long-term development intervention that recognizes the anthropological realities of the Juanga community, among other issues. Despite the inherent limitations of short-term and specific project interventions, the partnership between Trickle Up and NIRMAN has yielded both qualitative and quantitative improvements in the area. These positive changes are evident in the growing number of kitchen and nutrition gardens and the transformation of dietary habits.

Furthermore, the construction of an all-weather road up to Nagada has expanded opportunities for the community. In light of these achievements, it is our hope that this successful partnership intervention will continue in the long term, with expanded provisions and a more comprehensive approach. The people, having become intimately familiar with this intervention, are now expecting even greater positive impacts.

All images by Trickle Up

October 4, 2023October 4, 2023

Nourishing the Future – Beyond Food

empowHER India’s core focus lies in arming girls with the knowledge and skills required to make informed nutrition choices

By Anamara Baig

It is imperative to highlight the close relationship between adolescent empowerment and nutrition. empowHER India, a non-profit organization, has been working to bridge this gap by educating and empowering adolescent girls, recognizing that without proper nutrition, true empowerment is just not possible.

The proverb, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day; if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime,” aptly encapsulates empowHER India’s philosophy. While providing food and supplements certainly has a place as part of the solution, empowHER India focuses on equipping girls with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about their nutrition.

Malnutrition remains a persistent challenge in various parts of India, even as food availability and income levels are on the rise. With the knowledge that malnutrition isn’t solely a result of food scarcity; it also stems from a lack of awareness and education regarding proper nutrition. Adolescent girls, in particular, are vulnerable to this issue, exacerbated by their exposure to unhealthy junk foods and sugary beverages, leading to a decline in the consumption of essential nutrients like leafy greens and vegetables.

As part of our intervention adolescents are taught the following:

1. Dietary Food Groups: Understanding the basics of nutrition is essential. EmpowHER India teaches girls about the various food groups, helping them make informed choices about what they eat. This knowledge lays the foundation for a healthier diet.

2. Balanced Diet: Ensuring a balanced diet is a key aspect of good nutrition. Girls are educated about how to incorporate foods from different groups into their daily meals, providing them with the nutrients their bodies need to thrive.

3. Nutrition for Adolescent Girls: Adolescent girls face unique nutritional challenges, such as iron deficiency. empowHER India equips them with the knowledge to recognize and combat these challenges. Iron-deficiency anemia is a common issue among young girls, and addressing it is crucial for their overall well-being.

By imparting knowledge in these areas, empowHER India empowers adolescent girls to take control of their health and nutrition. In doing so, they break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition and set the stage for healthier, more empowered lives.

empowHER India under the SETU program has impacted over 5,000 adolescents. Nutrition is a key component of this program. Here is a link to a video where a mother discusses the changes she observes in her daughter’s food choices: https://youtu.be/S0jO0winKYE?si=mGSLtcimcf-Bdsq_

We consistently get this feedback from girls and mothers that after attending the SETU classes, there has been a marked improvement in their eating habits.

Anamara Baig is the CEO of empowHER India. Under Anamara’s leadership, empowHER India has implemented several programs aimed at promoting gender equality.

October 3, 2023October 4, 2023

Realising the Vision of a Nutrition Secure State

Solidaridad’s Good Farming – Good Food (GFGF) initiative in Madhya Pradesh is putting food and nutritional security at the heart of farming

Madhya Pradesh is known for its rich agricultural landscape dotted with lush green farms. However, malnutrition is a pressing concern, leading to alarmingly high infant and maternal mortality rates in the state. In addition, estimates suggest that over 50% of the rural population in the state, particularly women and children, is anaemic.

It is, therefore, quite ironic that a solution to these ills stares one right in the face if only one knows where to look for it. The state is the largest producer of soybean, one of the most affordable sources of protein. Yet, communities growing this crop are among the most impoverished, and traditional models of nutritional improvement have had limited impact so far. More institutionalised mechanisms with community ownership need to be encouraged and implemented.

Towards Improving Health and Nutrition Levels of Rural Households

Committed to sustainable development, Solidaridad is working to address nutrition and health issues in rural Madhya Pradesh with its Good Farming – Good Food (GFGF) initiative. Implemented in five districts covering around 420 villages, the programme aims to revolutionise farming practices, ensuring bountiful harvests and food and nutritional security.

The GFGF programme actively contributes to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) — in particular, SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), aimed at eradicating hunger, improving nutrition levels and promoting sustainable agriculture.

A trained nutrition team leads awareness initiatives to disseminate crucial information about balanced diets, the significance of key nutrients, and the impact of nutrition on overall health in project areas. For this purpose, the team has been running a platform that delivers knowledge on beneficial practices to the communities. Acting as a significant service-provider, the team also reaches out to and interacts closely with community members.

Training of women farmers on Soy processing.

Integral Components of the Programme

Bestowing Health: Hema’s Journey to Wellness

Like many others in the village of Karadiya Pari in Dewas district, Hema had limited knowledge of the importance of proper nutrition during pregnancy. Malnutrition was widely prevalent — and Hema, in her role as an anganwadi worker, had witnessed its adverse effects on pregnant women and their infants.

The GFGF campaign in Hema’s village transformed things for the better by providing educational materials, conducting workshops and spreading awareness on the need for balanced diets, especially during pregnancy. Since early 2022, Hema has eagerly participated in these sessions, learning and making use of everything the programme has to offer. Now, she finds herself at the forefront of a health revolution.

In Hema’s village, the programme focused on one key aspect: the inclusion of soy-based food and homegrown vegetables in daily meals. Hema was drawn to this aspect as it seemed practical and accessible. To further help matters, the nutrition team distributed soy seeds and provided instructions on setting up home gardens. Guided by this knowledge, Hema decided to implement these changes in her own life.

She started adding soy products such as soy chunks and soy milk into her diet, to ensure an optimum protein intake. She also cultivated a small vegetable garden around her home, growing a mix of beans, tomatoes and leafy greens, relying on the gardening techniques she has learnt in the GFGF programme. The GFGF has also been providing nutritional counselling during the time of her pregnancy.

Her commitment to a nutritious lifestyle has not gone unnoticed; it has inspired other women in her village to do the same. More and more women have started participating in the GFGF initiative, leading to a positive ripple effect. Hema’s personal success story itself has become a useful tool in subsequent GFGF awareness campaigns. She has shared the story of her journey numerous times in community meetings, highlighting the health benefits of soy and homegrown vegetables. The dietary changes have been wholeheartedly embraced by the villagers, leading to a visible reduction in the number of cases of malnutrition, especially among pregnant women.

The Bigger Picture

The GFGF initiative aligns itself with several goals and missions at the national and state levels. The significant ones include:

The soybean revolution

In the quest for sustainable and nutritious food sources, the GFGF programme has embraced a transformative approach by promoting soybean-based foods. Soybeans are a nutritional powerhouse, packed with high-quality protein, essential amino acids, and a range of vitamins and minerals. Recognising the potential to address protein deficiencies, the programme encourages farmers to integrate soybeans into their agricultural practices. The promotion of soy-based food is a nutritional cornerstone, contributing to well-balanced diets, particularly in communities where access to diverse and nutrient-rich foods is limited. This proactive approach goes beyond immediate relief, and aims for sustained improvement in public health.

The success of the GFGF programme is also underscored by the decision to include soy chunks in mid-day meals. This strategic move by the government of Madhya Pradesh represents a synergy between agricultural practices and public health, yielding positive outcomes on multiple fronts.

National forum for soy-food promotion

Solidaridad is working together with The Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) for the formation of a forum to promote soy food in India. The forum will bring together research institutes, businesses and farmers’ organisations, beyond the project consortium and support partners. It will serve as a central hub for the exchange of information on the progress of projects and lessons learnt on best practices. It will also facilitate collaborations and synergy with relevant government schemes. Ultimately, it will also ensure the continuation of projects beyond their prescribed periods.

To this end, an MoU was signed with the Indian Institute of Soybean Research (the premier institute for studies in soybean) to promote collaborative efforts on sustainable soybean production technologies, multiplication of improved food-grade soy varieties, training and capacity-building of farmers, and encouraging the consumption of soy-based food in the interest of farmers and farming communities, youths, entrepreneurs, processors and consumers.

Alignment with POSHAN Abhiyaan (formerly National Nutrition Mission)

The project’s interventions are well aligned with POSHAN Abhiyaan, the Government of India’s flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Under the programme, poshan maah (nutrition month) is observed in September every year. This time too, Solidaridad took part in the celebrations by collaborating with the local administration in their efforts. The month saw activities such as slogan writing, visits to the poshan vatika (nutrition garden) and sessions on explaining the importance of nutritious food to pregnant women and adolescent girls. Other vital interventions undertaken during the month include training of stakeholders (for example, mid-day meal cooks, Anganwadi workers and household members), establishing and monitoring the nutrition garden to ensure healthy intake of vegetables, awareness meetings on various health issues, with a special focus on parents of malnourished children (along with discussions on nutrition with rural households and stakeholders), and culinary activities, especially food prepared with ingredients available locally (plus a live demonstration of soy-food preparation).

A woman displays Soy Pulao at Soy food competition.

Closing the Gap

Madhya Pradesh’s journey towards better nutrition is a remarkable story of knowledge gathering, community engagement, collaboration, and transforming the state’s future. In this quest, the knowledge of the potential of soy is unlocking new culinary horizons, while community mobilisation is building bridges of trust and awareness.

“Through sustainable agriculture techniques, we empower our farmers to grow nutritious, pesticide-free produce that not only enriches their livelihoods but also enhances the health of their families. The GFGF programme strives to create a ‘cycle of health’, where healthy farming practices lead to nourishing food, which, in turn, results in the holistic health and happiness of our farmers and their families. We are not only growing crops; we are growing a healthier future,” says Suresh Motwani, Programme Coordinator, GFGF. As the sun sets on a month of learning and sharing, the hope for healthier lives in Madhya Pradesh shines brighter than ever.

September 4, 2023September 4, 2023

Lighting up Assam’s volleyball aspirations

Signify partners with Brahmaputra Volleyball League to illuminate Assam’s rural volleyball dreams, fostering a brighter future for young athletes and communities

Lighting solutions provider Signify has partnered with Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) to light up 20 community volleyball courts in the rural districts of Assam in India. This project aims to support the growth and adoption of volleyball amongst rural communities in the state. The Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) is a prominent grassroots volleyball league founded by Abhijit Bhattacharya, former captain of the Indian Volleyball team.

Founded in 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, BVL has successfully nurtured and inspired youth in the state to discover and play volleyball as a professional sport. It has since become one of the biggest community grassroots volleyball leagues in the world, with over 5,000 children from across Assam, having the opportunity to play volleyball. Through its emphasis on community and youth development, the league has become an agent of positive change in the region.

In 2022, BVL witnessed an unprecedented surge in participation, with more than 350 rural village teams embracing the sport. However, beyond the daytime matches, the absence of proper lighting in the grounds cast a shadow over the aspirations of these young athletes. Recognizing the immense potential amongst the youth in these communities, Signify took the initiative to enhance the sporting infrastructure by providing proper lighting to 20 grassroots centers in the state, under its Khel Jyoti CSR program.

With the advanced lighting solutions installed by the company, the young players can now practice under professional illumination levels mandated for national-level volleyball, reflecting Signify’s dedication towards nurturing future sportsmen in the country. By illuminating these grounds, the project seeks to empower more than 5,000 players athletes with the resources they need to grow and excel in their sport, fostering a passion for volleyball, and promote a healthier, more active lifestyle within these communities.

Commenting on the project, Natasha Wadhwa, Head – CSR, Signify Innovations India Limited said, ” Sports has the potential to unite, inspire, and create lasting change. Our collaboration with the Brahmaputra Volleyball League reflects our commitment towards promoting grassroots sports and offering better opportunities to the talented youth of Assam. We believe that by illuminating the community volleyball fields, we are not just lighting up the grounds, but also igniting the dreams and aspirations of thousands of young athletes, fostering a brighter future for them.”

Abhijit Bhattacharya, the visionary behind BVL, expressed his gratitude for Signify’s unwavering commitment to promoting sports in rural areas. He stated, “This partnership with Signify has been a game-changer for the communities and the youth we are working with. The installation of proper lighting at the grassroots centers not only enhances safety and extends playing hours but also inspires young talent to pursue volleyball passionately. By improving the infrastructure for volleyball in rural areas, we hope to witness the rise of future volleyball champions and the growth of this beloved sport across Assam.”

By supporting the growth of grassroots volleyball through this lighting project, Signify reinforces its vision to unlock the extraordinary potential of light to create brighter lives and a better world. The company firmly believes that access to superior sporting infrastructure can be transformative, empowering individuals to reach their full potential and contributing to the overall social and economic development of the region. The company has reinforced its commitment to the league by lighting up 10 additional courts this year as well.

September 4, 2023

Transforming lives and lands for Gujarat farmers

Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development transforms Gujarat agriculture with drainage channel, farm ponds, benefiting 350 farmers, and expanding irrigation across 880 acres

In a bid to address water logging issues plaguing the farmers of Nageshwar and Goriyali villages in Gujarat, Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD) provided support to construct a 3.3-km long drainage channel under the state-wide water conservation initiative–Sujalam Sufalam Yojana.

The project has benefitted around 350 farmers with farmlands across 300 acres. Along with this, TCSRD has also excavated 35 farm ponds in 20 villages within a month, increasing water storage capacity by 9 million cubic feet to support irrigation across 880 acres of agricultural land.

Before the drainage project was undertaken, farmers from these villages struggled to grow crops during monsoon months owing to water logging in their farms. The annual crop yield was significantly less, resulting in low annual income. With the completion of this drainage project, the farmers will now be able to make the most of their land, boost their incomes and improve their lives.

Talking about this initiative, N. Kamath, Chief Manufacturing Office, Tata Chemicals, said, “Water logging in farms has been an impediment for farmers in Nageshwar and Goriyali villages. Changing rain schedules and weather unpredictability have only worsened the situation. Our TCSRD team initiated the draining project to help resolve this long-standing issue and we are grateful for the support of the state irrigation department.” It took us 6 months to complete the project. The once waterlogged lands are now primed for year-round cultivation, thus empowering the farmers. This game-changing initiative is set to significantly boost farmers’ income, paving the way for a prosperous future, he added.

Established in 1980, the primary aim of TCSRD is to initiate and support community development programmes in and around regions where Tata Chemicals Limited facilities are located. And while each region is different in terms of geographic spread, subcultures and socio-economic requirements, TCSRD strives to protect, nurture and uplift the communities by adopting an integrated approach to development and designing region-specific need-based programmes.

August 31, 2023September 4, 2023

A Healing Touch for Farmers and Soil

Medicinal plants not only heal but also offer sustainable income, as exemplified by Lakhan Pathak and Dinesh Patidar in Solidaridad’s Medicinal and Aromatic Plants program

For years, Lakhan Pathak, a farmer from Pali village in Shamshabad block of Vidisha district, Madhya Pradesh, cultivated soy and wheat in the 12.5 acres of land he owned. His meagre yearly income of ₹5 lakh took a hefty blow with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. He therefore desperately sought an alternative to supplement and increase his earning.

Lakhan took to growing ashwagandha in 2020-2021 on the advice of a Solidaridad expert, Dr Gurpal Singh Jarial. A plant whose root is valued for its varied medical properties, ashwagandha produces a yield of 2 to 2.5 quintal/bigha (roughly 0.25 hectares). After a thorough training in production techniques and practices, he harvested the first batch of ashwagandha crop on a 4-hectare (12.3 acres) land in 2021–2022. And, to his great surprise, against an investment of ₹2.5 lakh, he was able to earn a profit of ₹10 lakh (double of what he had been earning pre-pandemic) — the huge market demand ballooning the plant’s value to ₹40,000 per quintal from the average market price of ₹20,000 per quintal. Lakhan was also able to cut down on transport costs to the mandi because the traders themselves came to take the produce from his field.

Lakhan has not looked back since — he is now a lead farmer and an entrepreneur dealing in medicinal plants in the region. He has also trained around 100 villagers in Pali and surrounding villages in ashwagandha cultivation. Lakhan and the farmers have also come together under the banner of Bhardwaj Herbs and Ayurveda Private Limited (a company they have registered) to provide a better market for their produce and leverage the economy of scale. The success of his endeavours has motivated Lakhan to also take up turmeric cultivation on 1 hectare of land against an investment of ₹1 lakh.

The suitable climate, the beneficial and immunity-boosting nature of the plants, an assured market sale and a robust market infrastructure have all played a role in Lakhan’s success story. He also credits Dr Jarial for the technical knowledge he has gained in production technology, harvesting and post-harvesting processes — all requisites for earning a profitable market price — and their implementation.

“Shifting to medicinal farming from conventional farming has been a transformative journey for me. It’s not just about financial returns, it also entails contributing to the well-being of the society. I want to thank Solidaridad — their intensive technical support and expert guidance have empowered me to embrace a new path. With their help, we now have a processing unit and have even registered a society ‘Kanan Krishak Utkarsh Kalyan Samiti’. We farmers are on our way to become entrepreneurs,” Lakhan remarks.

RECLAIMING SUSTAINABILITY IN MEDICINAL PLANTS

In Madhya Pradesh, Solidaridad has designed an integrated programme named Sustainable Medicinal and Aromatic Plants to address the multi-faceted sustainability issues faced by the medicinal and herbal medicine sector. The programme introduces medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) as additional crops to enhance the livelihood and income of smallholders – and encourages farmers to practice regenerative agriculture. The crops cultivated under the programme include ashwagandha, mint, lemongrass, kalmegh, tulsi, akarkara, black cumin, isabgol and turmeric.

Currently, the programme is being implemented in eight districts of Madhya Pradesh and among 1,000 medicinal and aromatic crop-growers. The programme also facilitates the implementation of the Voluntary Certification Scheme for Medicinal Plant Produce (VCSMPP) launched by the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) in collaboration with the Quality Council of India (QCI). Solidaridad is also collaborating with the state’s AYUSH department in the execution of the Devaranya Yojana (a social welfare scheme that aims to increase employment opportunities in the tribal areas) in these districts.

The programme promotes sustainability in the MAP sector by adopting an integrated, market-based, entrepreneurial approach. It provides interventions at four key levels:

“India is a leading producer and exporter of medicinal herbs. To increase the country’s potential in harnessing the benefits of medicinal herbs, the Sustainable MAPs programme is being executed in Madhya Pradesh. Through this programme, not only have we improved the livelihoods of farmers by providing them with opportunities to earn a sustainable income, we have also witnessed the restoration of degraded lands and the preservation of biodiversity in the regions where we operate. Solidaridad is promoting MAPs as a part of regenerative farming systems,” explains Dr Suresh Motwani, General Manager, Solidaridad.

Overall, the activities of Solidaridad are guided by the following principles:

INCLUSIVITY	IN BALANCE WITH NATURE	PROSPERITY
Affordable healthcare and nutrition	Eco-friendly and climate-smart farming	A sound business case for farmers and diversification of their income
Equal opportunity to participate and benefit	Address deforestation, climate change adaptation and mitigation	Job creation and added value through value chain approach
Youth entrepreneurship and green jobs creation	Regenerative, resource-efficient, and circular agricultural practices	Boost social and economic impact
Enhance women’s leadership	Judicious/no use of chemicals	Rural-urban linkages and shift towards green- and plant-based economies

(Source: Reclaiming Sustainability in Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicine Sector; Solidaridad Network Asia Limited)

A SUSTAINABLE WAY OF LIFE

The cultivation of medicinal plants supports the principles of regenerative agriculture by embracing practices that enhance biodiversity, soil health, and overall ecological resilience. The practice contributes to soil health which is a prime component of regenerative agriculture as there is reduced need of tillage and fertilisers. Also, the roots of medicinal plants left after harvesting boost the nutrient content of soil. The cultivation of MAPs is, therefore socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable.

Learning about these benefits, Dinesh Patidar, a farmer from Rola village in Madhya Pradesh’s Sehore district, successfully made the shift from wheat and chickpea cultivation to ashwagandha cultivation. For the past four years, Patidar has been an active participant in Solidaridad’s field training and meetings. In 2022, with Solidaridad’s help and the information acquired on good and sustainable practices, he harvested ashwagandha on one acre of land, earning a profit of ₹1 lakh by selling his produce to the agri-produce market in Neemuch district — an amount much higher than what he would have gained by growing and selling conventional crops. It’s not surprising that today, Dinesh is also growing medicinal plants other than ashwagandha on his farm — namely akshara (ixora) on one acre and kalonji (black cumin) on 0.6 acres of land.

Similar to Lakhan, the beneficial effects of Dinesh’s persistence have been infectious. More than 50 villagers in Rola, inspired by Dinesh’s example, have taken up ashwagandha collection to eke out a sustainable living and way of life. “The programme has ignited a spark of curiosity among the fellow farmers of my village. They now come to me to learn the techniques of cultivating medicinal plants,” says Dinesh. The Solidaridad field experts who are providing technical support and training to the villagers couldn’t be any prouder of the way things have turned out.

August 18, 2023August 18, 2023

Signify brightens Majuli Island, benefiting 32,000+ lives with solar lights

Signify worked closely with ESAF to install 100 solar-powered streetlights to make the streets safer for the citizens after dark

Lighting solutions provider Signify has illuminated 43 villages in Majuli Island, Assam, with solar street lighting to enhance the safety of local citizens. The project executed in partnership with Evangelical Social Action Forum (ESAF) is part of the company’s Har Gaon Roshan CSR program, that focuses on sustainable rural development.

Majuli is one of the world’s largest river islands and is often dubbed the cultural capital of Assam as it is home to many ethnic groups that have lived here for centuries. It is also a natural habitat for rich flora and fauna, harboring many rare and endangered species, especially migratory birds, that make Majuli their home during the cold winters.

But every year, during the monsoons, the swirling waters of the Bramhaputra river bring life on the island to a standstill, making it inaccessible and cut off from the mainland. After sunset, the island is engulfed in a thick veil of darkness, making it unsafe to venture out or conduct any economic activity.

Keeping in mind these unique challenges faced by the locals, Signify worked closely with ESAF to install 100 solar-powered streetlights to make the streets safer for the citizens after dark. The company also donated 2,000 solar portable lamps to households for indoor lighting, replacing the kerosene lamps that left harmful fumes. According to the project estimates, more than 32,000 people living on the island will benefit from this initiative.

Bhuban Gam, MLA of Majuli constituency, said, “The welfare of our people is of utmost importance to us, and this project will significantly impact the lives of people living on the island, providing them with access to clean and affordable energy. We appreciate Signify’s efforts towards enhancing the safety of the local people.”

Commenting on the project, Natasha Wadhwa, Head – CSR, Signify Innovations India Limitedsaid,“By lighting up the lives of more than 32,000 inhabitants of the beautiful Majuli Island with sustainable solar lighting solutions, Signify is not just illuminating the present, but paving the way for a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come. We are proud to play a part in illuminating the path towards a greener and equitable world. “

The ‘Har Gaon Roshan’ project focuses on promoting rural development by providing solar energy-based lighting facilities in rural villages to enhance the safety of women and children after sunset and extend the working hours of the village, thereby also enabling economic activities after dark.

August 7, 2023August 18, 2023

DIGIQUITY – Let’s talk access and quality

AIF’s flagship education programs design and execute innovative, tech-driven solutions, to assist school children at risk of dropping out, being left behind or ending up in child labor

By Shreya Ralli & Tina Kapoor

India is home to almost 19% of the world’s children, while over one-third of the country’s population is below the age of 18. With the world’s largest adolescent and youth population, India is poised to harness the demographic dividend and achieve real economic growth over the next few decades. Sadly, most of India’s children live in rural, low-income, and vulnerable communities. and their everyday lives are marked by a lack of access to basic rights, and resources, with educational poverty as one of the key impediments.

As the world works to “build back better” from COVID-19, we stand at the cusp of an inimitable opportunity to build back differently! AIF’s post-COVID-19 vision aims to radically transform the underlying economic systems of inequity and social structures of inequality that are at the root of our present suite of socio-ecological crises, further exacerbated by the pandemic. And, access to quality education is the biggest driver of this change.

UN’s SDG4 aims to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’. But, despite India’s phenomenal growth story, issues of access, equity, quality, relevance, and infrastructure, continue to impede progress, especially for those living in hard-to-reach communities.

Designing participatory goals, American India Foundation (AIF) is building resilient school systems through teacher capacity development and executing an action-oriented pedagogy to address accrued learning losses. In concert with the government’s efforts to reverse the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy regression, AIF’s flagship education Programs —Digital Equalizer and the Learning and Migration Program —design and execute innovative, tech-driven solutions, to assist school children at risk of dropping out, being left behind or ending up in child labor. These high-impact interventions are committed to meeting the educational needs of children in some of the remotest geographies of India.

Children’s access to educationis limited by diverse factors and is often unique to their communities. 9-year-old Anjali from Nuapada, Odisha, never stepped inside a classroom for the first seven years of her life. The lack of livelihood opportunities in her native village led to distressed seasonal migration for her community. Every year Anjali migrated with her parents, displacing her from the safety of her house and keeping her away from school during her foundational years. According to UNICEF, one out of every five migrants is a child, resulting in an estimated 92.95 million migrant children who often drop out of school or are never enrolled, robbing them of their Right to Education and a secure future.

Mitigating such learning losses, AIF works intensively with migrant communities, and the government, to run Government Seasonal Hostels through its Learning and Migration Program (LAMP). Increasing access to seasonal hostels for children like Anjali, not only provides them a safe haven to learn and grow among their peers, keeps them away from child labor, but also gives them an opportunity to access education, clean water, and nutritious food, improving their health, enrollment, and retention in rural schools, equipping them with tools to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in their family.

Access, without equity, is only half the job done. LAMP works with government schools and 1,300 Anganwadis to address fundamental learning deficits, acute learning regression, and remove impediments to attain age and grade-appropriate education for all. LAMP does so by leveraging a multi-pronged approach, focusing on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), remedial classes, and multilingual teaching to reach tribal children at the last mile.

Its Learning Resource Center supports teachers and students with a dedicated education facilitator, and learning tools such as STEM kits, smart classes, reading corners, etc to further equity in students’ access to educational resources. In its 18 years, LAMP has impacted over 1.3 million children across 3,269 villages in 17 states and union territories of the country.

Over the last few years, the pandemic reinforced the dire need to integrate technology into the education system and brought forth India’s deep digital divide. More importantly, the growth of digitalization, automation, AI, and other emerging technologies, now warrants a new cadre of trained workforce to step up. India, at the forefront of designing a technology-driven knowledge-based economy and with around 280 lakh youth population added every year, can deliver the workforce the world needs.

AIF’s Digital Equalizer (DE) program is addressing this emerging need, by ensuring the quality and relevance of learning transacted. It has been instrumental in changing the landscape of education in over 32,000 under-resourced government schools, by equipping them with technology-enabled classrooms that offer a wealth of new opportunities for teaching and learning by integrating technology such as interactive whiteboards, projectors, audio-visual capabilities, ICT, and STEM labs, etc, and empowering 7.2 million children through digital technology and STEM experiences. Strengthening the ecosystem, DE has also trained over 2,00,000 teachers, to integrate STEM and technology-based pedagogy in the teaching-learning methods.

Leapfrogging ahead of its peers, DE has designed the STEM Innovation and Learning Center (SILC) – the first of its kind in the country, focusing on the four core disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and 21st-century skills to prepare educators and global citizens. The Center provides teachers and students with a comprehensive solution and hands-on tools for experiential learning and discovery-based education to improve learning outcomes, which is one of the focus areas of NEP 2020 and SDG4.

SILC, with its Innovation Corner for students, introduces them to a transdisciplinary learning approach through Robotics, AI, Space technology, and the STEM Incubation workstation. It aims to nurture their curiosity in advanced STEM courses, while also assisting them in developing their innovative ideas into prototypes and providing a platform to take part in State/ National/ International level competitions.

The Center also consists of a Technology Corner for Teachers. Fitted with a smart lab, the Tech Corner facilitates teachers to conduct techno-pedagogy-enabled classes for their students, as well as, receive training on the Digital Equalizer Way of Teaching (DEWoT). The center also contains a Studio Setup to assist teachers in creating high-quality DE Edu Reels, increasing their reach in the state.

Digital Equalizer works with children from grade 6th onwards, propelling them to the world of coding, innovations, and rocketry, and familiarizing them with Information Technology skills, with the goal of encouraging students to embrace technology from an early age. Working with state governments, AIF is creating opportunities for young innovators, especially girls, to learn more about satellites, drones, AI, and space technology to build a futuristic workforce.

While the STEM field is one of the most rapidly growing and in-demand industries globally, one of the fundamental issues that plague this multidisciplinary ecosystem is the prevailing gender gap. For 14-year-old Pratibha, despite being in school, deep-rooted patriarchy, cultural norms, and gender biases keep her from accessing technology and confidently pursuing STEM education. This evident gender disparity reflects in India’s tech workforce with women occupying only 29% of tech roles. Rooted in achieving gender equality with lifelong learning opportunities, DE makes dedicated efforts to design STEM interventions for girls. Last year alone, DE reached over 100,000 girls giving them the agency they need, to choose a career in STEM and build pathways to become future-ready. At AIF this is just the beginning. Its well-entrenched and flexible frameworks ensure innovative solutions and impact at scale. In the years that lie ahead, AIF aims to strengthen the education ecosystem for 10 million children and continue to foster a culture of equity, inclusion, and positive discrimination while transforming the lives of underprivileged communities at large.

(Shreya Ralli serves as the Director of Communications at AIF, while Tina Kapoor is Senior Manager, Communications)

Author: thegoodsight