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Operation Thrive
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Operation Thrive
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Operation Thrive – An innovative community-based initiative in tribal areas of India to improve maternal and neonatal health
This project was implemented to increase the knowledge base and promote changes in social norms and behaviours pertaining to vaccination during pregnancy and the neonatal period among tribal communities in Purulia District, West Bengal, India, by proactively engaging the tribal women and girls. It focused on building their capacity in using community radio, podcasts, narrowcasts and videos produced by communities to bring about the desired changes. A series of training programmes were organised to capacitate propagators.
Educating tribal couple on Maternal and Neonatal Health
This also led to the strong engagement of the tribal community in the form of discussion of the issues, problems, and solutions thereto in the village assemblies, demand for services by informing local health authorities and by persuading them to ensure the same and giving necessary space/room for health workers to provide care and propagate the health services availability. While these videos were shown in the traditional village assemblies, the community radio listening centres, installed in the 51 tribal villages, were the hubs of lively discussions and spaces for feedback from the community members.
Furthermore, audios (specially prepared for WhatsApp) and videos on ANC, institutional delivery, post-natal care, and immunization were produced for social media campaigns and regular live phone-in programmes were broadcast on maternal and child health including the importance of immunization.
In total, approximately 250,000 people were reached with the project.
The project has come up with audio and video content on maternal and child health in Santali, tribal language. This is especially relevant as there is hardly any production of similar material to generate awareness on maternal and child health including immunization among tribal people in their own language by governmental or state authorities.
Drama On Awareness During Pregnancy
Short Film On Maternal and Neonatal Health
Short Film On Maternal and Neonatal Health
Above are a few of the audio-visual materials we produced during the project period. You can check the complete playlist on MANT’s YouTube channel.
The project was successful in raising the issues of maternal and child health and vaccination in tribal village assemblies to resolve challenges and barriers related to antenatal and postnatal care, institutional delivery, neonatal health, and early immunisation. And for that, a strong partnership has been built with the ‘Council of the Five Elders’ Aatu-Marehar, a tribal decision-making body on the village level consisting of 5 individuals whose decisions are binding to the village population. It is hoped that the fruits of this partnership will be felt for years to come as the manifold issues relating to maternal and child health have been discussed with due importance and stress at various fora.
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250,000 People Were Reached
Educating people on maternal and child health and vaccination in tribal village assemblies to resolve challenges and barriers related to antenatal and postnatal care, institutional delivery, neonatal health, and early immunization.
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