Nisha, age 25, (Name changed) believed that if the community comes to know about a woman's pregnancy, the child and the mother may be affected by the "evil eye." As a result, her family also decided to keep her pregnancy a secret. Working as a Gandhi Fellow in Batch 16, I encountered stories like these daily during my time in the Navapur block of Nandurbar district, Maharashtra.
In my mission of Building Bharat, I have spent months on understanding and accessing the Anamay Roga Mukta program. I found that prevailing superstitions and traditional beliefs played a crucial role in preventing women from registering early for maternity schemes. Despite repeated efforts by ASHA workers, only 35% of women register their pregnancies within the first trimester.
During my community visits, I faced various challenges, including being told that my work was a waste of time and that I was only being paid to roam around the village. However, despite these challenges, I continued to work tirelessly, and with the support of ASHA workers, we were able to bring about some positive changes.
However, there are still many families that migrate out of the village, and as a result, they miss out on essential health services and government schemes.
Together, we have developed a plan to create awareness about the importance of early registration. We recognized that we cannot completely eliminate traditional beliefs, but through small efforts and social behavior change communication programs, we can bring about positive changes that will help in building a healthier Bharat.
We have formed a committee, comprising of VHSNC members, bachat gat members, and PRI members, which meets every month to discuss issues related to early registration. We also organize awareness programs and discussions on this topic, which has helped to increase awareness and encourage early registration.
The journey of addressing deeply rooted superstitions and traditional beliefs has been challenging, but it has also been a testament to the power of perseverance and collaboration. Through consistent efforts, community engagement, and behavior change initiatives, we have taken small yet significant steps toward fostering awareness and promoting early registration for maternity schemes. While there is still a long way to go, these collective efforts are paving the way for a healthier and more inclusive Bharat, one community at a time.
TAGS
SHARE
