Around 35 kilometer away from PVCHR Office,
enjoying with sunny day I went to Anei Musahar
ghetto of Badagaon Block level which is most
marginalized and deprived community. There are altogether 50 families in the
ghetto living below the poverty line. People from the community have just
started practicing maintaining their livelihood. As I got to know the
major problem of ghetto was the people did not have their ration card and some
have yellow cards with which they cannot get any ration for subsidized price.
The families were living in a hut since the Musahars were not allowed to own their land. In 2007 there was a case of one
child called jigar who is two years old and he was ill. He was taken to the
primary health centre (PHC) of badagaon block. Jigar was given some medicine at
the PHC, which resulted in swelling all over his body. Then they arrived to
Pandit Din Dayal hospital for further check up. He was diagnosed with
malnutrition and tuberculosis. Then PVCHR help him and his family to get
hospital and to get well treatment. Since then PVCHR begins their work on
Advocacy in Musahar ghetto. Jigar news was highlighted through TV, newspapers
also mayabati was the chief minister at that time and she concerned the
problems and the community. Chief Secretary, district chief, central district
officer and Magistrate officer visited jigar, his family and the ghetto.
After that, musahars had a big change that people got their
own land. Officers helped women to form a women group. Somehow they got relief
from the problem of no touch, as well as they started to got facility of ANM,
aasha and governmental scheme. Now as PVCHR is working for maternal health
care, child care and Adolescence with the support of CRY since 2 years. There
were 49 children from 0-5, 7 women were pregnant, 20 adolescence girl and 7
children were suffering from critical malnutrition. So we went to analyze the impact of
PVCHR work in ghetto.
First of all I found children roaming around and we asked them about their school (ICDS) it was off since 5 days. There is no any
fixed location of school ICDS runs under the tree. I saw some child who
were suffered from malnutrition (weight loss, abnormality, weakness) either
critical or partial and some child are suffering now also.
Anjita
is 2 years old girl she is 7th baby of her parents suffering from
malnutrition. It was on critical position counseling with doctors though her
parents could not take care she is having good care from elder sisters. Aasha
and ANM regularly visit her and train them to take care of child.
Mata Prasad was also infected by critical
malnutrition. PVCHR helps his parents by giving money as well as counseling with
doctors. He was admitted to BHU hospital for 14 days in NRC. He was taken care
by doctors and nurses. Now he looks fit and fine.
Sanjit is 2 years and eight month boy son
of guddi and Sabaji. He is abnormal. He doesn’t have birth certificate due to which
his deprived from governmental scheme. After getting health card he can get
500000 insurance so the work is in the process by PVCHR.
Chandrakala is 5 years old girl who was suffered
from critical malnutrition. She is recovering now. Having lots of children in
her family she always had a less attention in her family but awareness by
institution her sisters are caring her so that she seems recovered and happy
child.
Santoshi is 8 months old daughter of Resma
and ganga ram. She is 6th child in her family after 3 daughters and
2 sons. Reshma informed " I had institutional delivery but I was unknown about her weight and I feed her milk after 3 hours of my delivery. Aasha and health
centre staff didn’t informed me to feed thicken milk which is very important for my child and
should feed it fast as much as possible. Beside this my child is having
vaccination and immunization in time". But looking at her I felt she is having a
lack of nutrition. She cries every time and showed behavior of irritability. Also
ICDS provides reshma same kind of Dalia (the uncooked cereal) as she is should get
another one. According to governmental scheme, there
are three types of Dalia for mother and baby but she is getting same dalia for
herself and baby. As shown dalia, I thought every mother and baby got the same
one. Also they used to collect dalia and
just keep it for long time and got expire. Sanoshi have meal from her
parent’s plate due to which they can’t analysis how much she eat. She looks so
weak.
There were
some children like kajal, aakash and
sunny dev. Kajal is a daughter of Reema and aakash is a son of Susmita,
both are one year old. They both have only breast feeding for completely six months.
Reema had a full support of her husband but in-laws were against her, forced
her to work rather than taking care of child.
She leaves home for kajal. Kajal was looking energetic and happy. She
confront happily, PVCHR helps her to learn about breast feeding and child care.
Likewise sunny dev is 4 months old child son of sony. He is only having mother’s
milk. Sony had a home delivery because
in her first delivery she faced a problem of Untouchability in PHC. She
regarding her family was so conscious about her health so after having a baby
she cut umbilical cord by blade. Blade was boiled in hot water then it was used
to cut. Then she gave her baby kangaroo
therapy which is very necessary for baby’s health. She also feed thicken milk
with in an hour. After all, Breast
feeding is recommended, especially since Mothers milk is sterile and rich in
antibodies. Aasha came after three days of baby birth she gave vaccination,
check weight, ask sony to give baby sun bath because the child might suffer
from common cold. But also home delivery is not appropriate for mother and baby
health. They must be informed about the
importance of institutional delivery and also should take action against the
behavior of staffs on PHC.
There were
women who were pregnant, having support by the family. Families are so concern about their pregnancy that they took them
hospitals for several check up. Estrangement between in laws but also they are
taking care of their daughter in law have condition. Bimala is mother in law of
pooja who is 4 months of pregnant. Bimala shared "I dont like my daughhter behaviour that doesn’t have her meals. Due to which she doesn’t feel well. I never got such opportunities and facilities to
go the hospitals or food but I wants to fulfill my daughter in law all the
facilities that I can look after. So I found she is worried for her daughter
in law. Sunita was also eight months pregnant.
Her mother in law Durgadevi was so worried that sunita is living with her
husband in brick factory. They request her to stay at home but she refuse
and went with her husband. She is also taking care of herself and only cooks
food for her husband.
Kitchen
gardening was also great concept for people from musahar ghetto because those
people whose economic status is very poor and thinking that hopefully through
kitchen gardening they can have Nutrition vegetables and their money also will
be saved. However, they were encouraged to utilize the vacant place nearby
their house. When the vegetables produced some of the quantity of vegetables
they sold to the market and also shared to the neighbors. 
Finally, we had good reviews of PVCHR and its works like kitchen gardening, working for
mother children and adolescence as well the work is done by KAP (knowledge attitude and practice). There are
several cases of malnutrition where PVCHR is working for them. However, There are los of challenges to change and PVCHR is continuously working to raise their standards.
