Project Synergy Sansthan

Campaign Story

About the project

The Harda district of Madhya Pradesh is home to 50 indigenous tribes. Members of these communities face survival struggles as they are deprived of human rights and equal opportunities. High rates of malnutrition and anemia are compounding factors contributing to the deterioration of health among women and children. The community is exposed to food scarcity, poor sanitation, and inadequate healthcare access, which contributes to elevated rates of child and maternal mortality. Moreover, Anganwadi workers lack training in prenatal and postnatal healthcare.

Making a difference

CRY America Project Synergy Sansthan works to facilitate healthcare access and providing nutritional support to women and children in 10 villages of Harda district. The key activities under this project include identifying and registering pregnant and lactating women with the Anganwadi Centers, ensuring institutional deliveries, providing nutrition and immunization support for new-borns and mothers, and conducting awareness programs and sessions on hygiene and sanitation. Another focus area is the formation of mothers collectives, children collectives, and adolescent collectives to raise awareness about maternal and child mortality, child labor, child marriage, and school dropouts.

The way forward

● Track and identify 124 pregnant women to provide antenatal care, including tetanus doses and iron tablets.
● Conduct door-to-door awareness campaigns on postnatal care (PNC) for 124 pregnant women.
● Network with Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) and other government help centers to monitor age-specific immunization for 174 children.
● Organize awareness campaigns on sanitation, hygiene, and safe drinking water for 961 households.
● Strengthen 520 members of the adolescent girl collectives with life skills training sessions.
● Monitor the growth of 452 children aged 0-5 years who have stunted growth.
● Organize 10 sessions annually with children and adolescent groups on nutritional food values and feeding practices with pregnant and lactating mothers.

Project Impact

Pregnant and lactating women received antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC)

287

pregnant and lactating women received antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC)

Children immunized

97

children immunized

Patients attended health camps

605

patients attended health camps

Pregnant and lactating women attended nutrition workshops

159

pregnant and lactating women attended nutrition workshops

Families trained in kitchen gardening practices

234

families trained in kitchen gardening practices

Collectives formed with 300 pregnant women and adolescent girls

10

collectives formed with 300 pregnant women and adolescent girls

Adolescent girls trained in life skills sessions

121

adolescent girls trained in life skills sessions.

Last Year’s Grant Disbursed : $53,911

Current Year’s Approved Grant (Jan to Dec 2024): $17,366

From child laborer to children’s leader

Twelve-year-old Anjana resides in one of the villages in Budaun district. When she lost her mother to COVID-19, she was forced to drop out of school after completing her 5th standard and was pressured to work as a child laborer. She was made to sit and sell things on the streets during festive times to support her family and was often bullied by her peers.

CRY America Project SVS discovered Anjana, who was a keen learner and aspired to succeed in life. The project team linked her and her younger brother with a state program that financially aids children in need. The team counseled her father and convinced him to support Anjana in completing her education. Consequently, Anjana was re-enrolled in the 6th standard and started attending support classes at the CRY’s Child Activty Center (CAC).

Upon discovering that Anjana’s father was spending the educational aid on buying himself a motorbike and getting his second daughter married, she immediately warned him about the consequences. She counseled her father on the misuse of aid, which could result in the suspension of the funds from the government. She managed to convince her father and he instead bought her a bicycle to commute to school daily. Anjana, who was once a child laborer, is now the chairperson of her children’s community group. She takes leadership in organizing adolescent group meetings and other initiatives in the village. Anjana is also receiving educational support from the CAC and ensures to keep herself motivated to complete her education.

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