Our Comprehensive Nutrition Program spreads across three domains – divided on the basis of age, beneficiaries, and areas of intervention. It can be presented as the following:
I. Maternal & Child Care Nutrition Program – focusing on the 1000 day period of life:
Aimed at supporting Poshan Abhiyan (NNM) and Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), our Maternal & Child Care Nutrition Program is running in 17 villages in Nabha Block, District Patiala in the state of Punjab. By means of enhancing the capacity of front line workers, community awareness, nutrition counseling, and health checkups, our program focuses on the special nutritional needs of mother and child during the 1000 days period. We have reached over 425 pregnant mothers, 1441 lactating women, 1528 children below 2 years and 2344 adolescents. The project addresses the immediate and underlying causes of undernutrition in women, adolescent girls and children; increases access to health, nutrition and WASH resources; reduces anemia in targeted age groups; and reduces acute undernutrition in under-five children. Intervention activities include the adoption of Anganwadi Centers under ICDS, Involving men as Village Nutrition Champions, Generating community awareness and enhancing the capacity of field workers, Celebration of Poshan Maah (Nutrition Month) and International Breastfeeding Week, monthly VHSND celebrated with VHSND committees.
II. Child Nutrition & Healthcare Program - Children of 5 years and above
The aim was to assess & improve the nutritional status of the primary school children (5-15 years) using anthropometric tools and food frequency questionnaire, thereby increasing awareness in 4 districts Sagar (M.P), Samastipur (Bihar), Gorakhpur (U.P) & Hubli (Karnataka). 1511 rural primary schools were covered with 2942 teachers trained and 1.5 lakh school children screened for age-specific BMI & micro-nutrient deficiencies. Various interactive school-based nutrition interventions were designed for children highlighting healthy and unhealthy nutrition, health & hygiene practices.
III. Adolescent Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Program – Children between 10-19 years of age :
Adolescent Nutrition, health & Sanitation Program is a multi-state, multi-sector adolescent nutrition improvement project which invests in improving nutrition and WASH status of adolescent girls and boys (10-19 years) in four “Aspirational as identified by Niti Ayog (Bahraich in UP, Gaya in Bihar, Barpeta in Assam and Vidisha in MP) in line with the Poshan Abhiyaan and RKSK program of Govt. of India. With the objective to understand the nutritional status and trend among the adolescent in program area, the project substantially increase adolescent knowledge on nutritional needs, food diversity and WASH; and improve their access to weekly IFA supplementation in order to bring about a reduction in thinness (as per age-specific BMI) and anemia by using behavior change platforms.