From educating girls through music to creating abuse free environment for children–our social stories of the week

“Ek rani thi Andanu rui ke ghar me rehti thi" (rani is an ovum who stays in the ovary) “Ek roz door tak jaungi ye sabse Kehti thi" (It will go far away, it says daily).

With this song, Reshma Arya was able to impart lessons about menstruation without any awkwardness. 

Arya is the Co-founder and Programme Director of Manzil Mystics, a Delhi-based NGO. Through various programmes run by the NGO, WeBhor (We Rise Together), which started in 2018, she aims to create awareness and educate adolescent girls from marginalised and low-income communities about menstruation, sexual health, rights, and other taboo topics.

The programme follows four modules, which includes body anatomy, gender, well-being and mental health, and financial literacy, etc. It covers songs on important issues like body image, menstrual cycle, breaking stereotypes, etc., under the different modules.

The NGO runs this programme with girls above 12 years of age. So far, they have worked with around 20,000 girls.

Read more about it here

Offering freedom

Former journalist Bishwadeep Moitra and his wife Iris Strill, a French native, have been changing the fate of Afghan women refugees. They are the founders of Silaiwali, a social enterprise that creates rag dolls and decorations from upcycled waste fabric from apparel scraps that are generated in excess from garment manufacturing units in and around the national capital. 

The enterprise employs Zahara women—who come from a rich indigenous embroidery, crochet, and handwork tradition—and upskills them to create handcrafted decorations that hold high commercial value in Indian and international markets. Silaiwali was recently registered on the Government of India’s e-Marketplace (GeM)—an online platform for public procurement launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Preventing malnutrition

Shruthi Ranganath Iyer joined the Foundation for Mother and Child Health (FCMH) as its CEO in 2019 and transitioned to the role of co-founder in the following year.

FMCH believes about 50 to 70% malnutrition is preventable, and interventions during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life can help sustainably manage the burden through preventive nutrition. The frontline workers identify families who are in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, gather data on malnourishment, high-risk cases, and domestic violence, and counsel accordingly. Consistent follow-up is maintained until the child is two years old. FMCH has trained 100 frontline workers and partners with governments to equip them with the necessary technology and tools to provide effective services to mothers. So far it has impacted 3 lakh families across the locations it works in.

Creating abuse free environments for children

Circles of Safety is a sexuality education enterprise launched in 2020 by Anju Amin. A sexuality educator, Amin had a personal history of abuse, which ignited her commitment to start the enterprise. She believes that conversations about the body, boundaries, and sexuality need to start early on and become a normal part of daily life. She advocates the use of correct anatomical terms by parents with their children from a young age, thus removing any associated shame. Her workshops provide a space for the adults in a child’s life to confront and begin healing from their past experiences, making them more receptive and capable of having vital conversations with their children. She also has a ‘Safer, Smarter Me’ programme created for adolescents, who learn about everything from changing bodies, reproductive health, and body safety to consent, sexual decision-making, and healthy relationships.

In other news

Report reveals state of healthcare in rural India

The fourth edition of the Indian Rural Soliloquy 2024, organised by Transform Rural India (TRI) in New Delhi, unveiled the State of Health in Rural India Report - 2024, titled "Neighbourhoods of Care." 

The report highlights that 73% of rural households with elderly members require constant care, with 95.7% preferring family caregivers, mostly women (72.1%). It also notes that anxiety is increasingly affecting rural communities, with 45% of respondents reporting frequent anxiety. The report also introduces the

"Neighbourhoods of Care" model, advocating for a collaborative health approach tailored to individual and community needs. It also found that over 60% of respondents lack life insurance, and many face limited access to diagnostic facilities and affordable medicines.

Saving animals from landslides

The Kerala government has set up a 24-hour control room at Chooralmala for domestic animals after the disastrous landslides in Wayanad. 

After the injured animals, including livestock are treated, the department will hand them over to the dairy farmers in nearby areas. A report by The India Today said that an accurate  record of the dairy farmers will also be kept. It also mentions that the domestic animals and birds found alive and dead in disaster-affected places, including Chooralmala and Mundakai will be brought to the control room and further action will be taken.