Mercy Kom, 58, resides in Kharam Thadoi, a remote village in Manipur. She suffered from diabetes and hypertension, and due to the lack of healthcare infrastructure in her village, she had received no treatment for these issues. The Rural Health Organization Mobile Medical Clinic, funded by Share & Care, began helping Mercy in December 2019. She began attending regular clinic visits and taking medication, provided to her free of cost. She also benefited from nutritional, exercise, and stress management advice, helping her bring her blood glucose and blood pressure levels back into a healthy range. Her daughter-in-law, Jangneirose, has also received vital care from this project during her pregnancy. She benefited from free prenatal checkups and immunizations, helping her deliver a healthy baby. Mercy, Jagneirose, and the newest member of the family continue to receive preventative care to help them live whole, healthy lives.

Prior to completing the Rajkot Cancer Society’s Cancer Awareness Program, Nita Vipulbhai Kakasaniya had not been aware of the importance of pap smear tests for detecting cervical cancer. After receiving this preventative education, she underwent the test. Her results, followed by a colposcopy and biopsy, confirmed her cervical cancer. Because her condition was discovered early in its progression, she was able to start treatment immediately, and she is now living her life cancer-free.

When Jayshree Manojbhai Lalkiya went in for her regular mammogram at the Rajkot Cancer Society, supported by Share & Care, she had no symptoms or indications that anything was wrong and was unaware of any family history of cancer. However, her results showed that she had stage one breast cancer, so she sought immediate treatment. Her early cancer diagnosis made her treatment plan significantly easier and likely saved her life.

After Kiran Chavan’s younger brother was wrongly imprisoned, he began to feel himself slipping into a place of hopelessness, wondering why bad things happen to good people. He lost his confidence and eventually succumbed to depression. During this difficult time, he learned about Chetana’s virtual webinars about mental health, and he decided to attend one. There, he learned about cognitive behavioral skills to help him learn to accept his feelings and overcome his depression. He is now practicing these skills, working to live an intentionally stress-free life.

When Surabhi realized that she could no longer handle her depression alone, she found the Chetana Empower Foundation, supported by Share & Care. She attended a free webinar and took advantage of five counseling sessions. Program counselors offered a compassionate ear, listening to her struggles and teaching her skills to manage and overcome her negative thoughts. She is now feeling more fulfilled and present in her life.

Hemalatha is a young mother in Chennai in Tamil Nadu. When she became pregnant, she began receiving care from the Kalanjiyam Right Information Community Health (RICH) program, which is supported by Share & Care. Not only did she receive prenatal counseling and medical visits during her pregnancy, she also benefited from advice and support from program staff after she gave birth. They assisted her with her concerns regarding breastfeeding, proper infant nutrition, and preventative healthcare for her baby. Hemalatha is enjoying a healthy postpartum recovery, and her baby is strong and healthy due to the support she has been provided.

One mother gave birth in the SEWA Rural Hospital in the Aanjoli village of Gujarat, which receives support from Share & Care. The child was underweight, so she was admitted to the Sick Newborn Care Unit. Once she had begun growing more normally, the baby and mother were sent home. Hospital staff checked in regularly with them, but when the baby was 16 months old, they became unable to get in contact with the mother. Worrying for their safety, hospital staff tried for three months to locate the mother and child. When they found them, the child’s condition was severe. The child was suffering from severe anemia and malnutrition, pneumonia, and convulsions, and the mother was suffering from depression due to her husband’s alcoholism, abuse, and neglect. Hospital staffers were able to transfer the mother and child to a healthcare facility, provide treatment, and monitor them both until they were stable. The mother and child are both safe and healthy now, and through their compassion and dedication, the hospital staff members were able to save their lives.

The SEWA Adolescent Health and Empowerment program, supported by Share & Care, monitors the health of children living in rural areas. One such child is Diveyesh Mahendra Vasava, a 10-year-old tribal boy from Nana Andhra. During one of his screenings, staff members diagnosed Diveyesh with sickle cell disease. After Diveyesh’s diagnosis, the organization encouraged his parents to be screened as well, and they were both found to carry the sickle cell trait. Staff members were able to connect the family with government resources to help them afford treatment, and because of the early intervention he received, Diveyesh is a healthy, bright child.