Watch the videos below for a small glimpse into some of the projects your support makes possible. 

Women Empowerment: Giving Women the Skills and Tools to Become Entrepreneurs

The Samridhi Saksham project empowers over 500 women from 30 rural villages by providing the training, support, and materials needed to launch their own sewing and embroidery businesses. Watch the video below to meet a few of the entrepreneurs and to see how the project trains them to create beautiful, handmade embroidery. 

Educate 2 Success: Building Digital Literacy in Rural Schools

Share & Care has sponsored the creation of digital labs throughout several states in rural India through partnership with the Y4D Foundation, giving under-resourced students access to new technologies and helping them become digitally literate. In the video below, learn how these labs equip students to thrive in our increasingly digital world. 

Educate 2 Graduate: Helping Young Women Achieve Their Dreams

Share & Care partners with the Lila Poonawalla Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting brilliant but financially challenged young women who aspire to succeed in their post-graduate studies and beyond. Watch the video below to meet some of the program’s beneficiaries and learn more about how this foundation helps these young women develop educationally, professionally, and personally. 

Village Upliftment: Improving Quality of Life For Entire Villages

Lokmitras, or “friends of the people,” work to uplift entire villages by organizing community projects and offering support to individual villagers. In this video, hear from Anil, a Lokmitra in the Waghjipur village, and Pravinsingh Bhalu Singh, a local farmer, about how they have worked together to facilitate a water storage project with the potential to benefit everyone in the area. 

English Translation

• Hello, my name is Anil, and I work as a LokMitra in the village of Waghjipur, located in Kapdwanj district. I would like to discuss how to store rainwater into the ground to increase the water level. I have a farmer friend named Pravinsingh Bhalu Singh, who has conducted experiments at his house. I would like to know his response.
• Hello, Anilbhai, our village friend. He approached me and mentioned that Pravinbhai has a water store project. I asked him what the benefits would be. He explained that we should collect and utilize the rainwater that falls by storing it in the ground. He suggested digging or boring a hole for this purpose. I inquired if we could use the existing borehole, He said yes we can but he informed me that the costs of using pipes and other materials have increased. I replied saying that it’s not a problem, and if it’s beneficial, we should proceed. We took some measurements, and since my house is closer, we decided to use 4-5 pipes. We connected them to use the existing borehole, which was already dug up to a certain depth. Anilbhai accompanied me, and said i will assist you in the process. We dug a trench and laid the pipes, ensuring that the roof water flows directly into the borehole. Additionally, I installed a water tank on the roof. If the water level becomes too high, it will now flow directly into the drain. Initially, I had stopped using this borehole, but now I have started using it again, and the water supply is much higher than that of the previous borehole. After about 15 minutes, the water flow decreases briefly but then starts again. The previous borehole used to provide less water, but this new one delivers a sufficient amount in approximately 10 to 11 minutes. After it reaches full capacity, I turn it off, and if I need water again, I can simply restart it. Therefore, I have benefited from this improvement. If you share this with others, please let them know about the advantages. Within 10 to 15 minutes, I have access to an abundant water supply. If all the villagers follow the same approach, everyone will benefit.

Healthcare 2 Unreached: Providing Medical Care in Rural Villages

Share & Care helps provide healthcare to underserved rural areas of the state of Manipur in India through mobile medical clinics, healthcare for mothers and children, and medical education within the community.

The post Reports From India: See Our Partner NGOs in Action appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention in Gujarat

Partnering with Rajkot Cancer Society in Gujarat, H2U has embarked upon a three-year project to provide early breast and cervical cancer diagnoses, provide HPV vaccinations, and offer educational resources for women about their health. HPV vaccinations have been shown to protect against HPV-associated diseases, including some cervical cancers.

In 2021, the project was responsible for:

• Providing 1,400 mammograms,
• Performing 1,200 PAP screenings,
• Administering 1,000 HPV vaccines, and
• Hosting online education sessions for 120,000 young women.

In the first three months of 2022, the project has already:

• Provide more than 100 mammograms,
• Performed 100 PAP screenings,
• Administered 290 HPV vaccines, and
• Hosted 22 online education sessions.

Additionally, in 2021, H2U worked with KCPF to provide 1,462 young women with HPV vaccinations through their schools, as well as provide funding for women to receive mammograms and PAP screenings to detect and provide intervention for breast and cervical cancer.

Improving Health and Welfare in the Desert of Rajasthan

H2U has engaged in a project that has improved maternal and neonatal outcomes for 600 women through prenatal care camps, training for village health workers, and educating women on health, nutrition, and mental health issues. The project has also created better links to government health services for these villages. Additionally, camps were hosted for adolescents to address health, hygiene, and physical changes.

To improve the nutritional health of these villages, the project installed more than 50 arid horticultural units to grow fruits and vegetables. Funds were also provided through Covid disaster relief to supply masks, hygiene kits, meal kits, and other necessary items.

Anemia Screening, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Awareness in Gujarat

Anemia, caused by low iron in blood, affects more than 70% of women and children in India, causing weakness, lethargy, and fatigue with no ambition. H2U has been engaged in a project for the past two years to provide screening, diagnosis, treatment, and awareness education for anemia. The project provides services to more than 600 villages in tribal areas of Gujarat. Treatment includes screening, anti-worm medications, and iron, B-12, and folic acid supplements, for only $1 per person. In 2020, more than 30,000 people benefitted from this project, but in 2021, that number increased to 45,000 beneficiaries.

Special Neonatal Care Unit in Four Tribal Blocks of Bharuch and Narmada Districts in Gujarat

The three greatest causes of infant mortality are premature birth, premature complication during delivery, and infection during the first week following birth. The Special Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU) project aims to reduce infant mortality rates among those with premature, low birth weights. Following delivery, follow-up care is provided by trained supervisors, including nutrition, immunization, and awareness interventions and follow-ups until the child is at least two years old. This project benefited 25% of 5,500 deliveries per year, and in 2021, the project reduced premature infant mortality in the service areas by 80% — a remarkable accomplishment. For the two years Share & Care has funded the project, more than 3,000 have benefited from its services.

Mental Health and Life Skills Education Empowers Tribal Adolescents in Gujarat

This project helps adolescents in rural and tribal areas by providing education on mental health, life skills, menstrual hygiene, and empowerment, as well as need-based counseling. This ongoing project aims to reach 15,000 adolescents from 40 schools and 100 villages, and includes 100 peer educators, 200 trained health workers, 100 teachers and 200 Anganwadi workers. Additionally, by creating and strengthening the leadership skills of peer educators, a new team of adolescent frontline workers will be continually created, so they may continue on as teachers, ASHAs, and Anganwadi workers sustaining the project long-term.

Managing Post-Pandemic Mental Healthcare in Maharashtra

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a large detrimental effect on the mental health of many. Necessary public health actions, such as isolation and social distancing, can worsen loneliness and depression, and the social stigma of mental health issues adds to the scope of the problem. To combat these issues, the project has hosted awareness trainings and webinars to help attendees identify stressors, recognize emotional distress, develop healthy coping skills, and learn self-regulation skills. These workshops aim to create self-aware students, parents, and teachers to develop communities with the knowledge of and respect for mental health.

Thus far, 68 webinars have been hosted, reaching more than 3,200 people. An additional 232 webinars are planned, with approximately 100 geared toward students and an additional 100 geared toward teachers. These workshops are expected to reach more than 15,000 participants.

Saving Life at Birth in Maharashtra

This project offers comprehensive community health programs for mothers and children in 25 villages in Nanded. The project includes a traditional birth attendant (Dai) and community organizer in each village, as well as a health educator and supervisory technical staff that provide support to field staff. Its focus includes family planning, neonatal and maternal health, immunization, low-cost nutrition and food preparation, and hydration to consistently improve health outcomes, and aims to create a sustainable program to train a member of each household as a voluntary health worker.

Mobile Health Clinic in Tamil Nadu

This mobile healthcare project provides a well-equipped medical van and nurses who provide basic healthcare to remote areas in Tamil Nadu, covering 28 villages. Since November 2021, 1,792 beneficiaries received primary care and over-the-counter medications. Furthermore, the outreach program reached 21 villages and provided neonatal and maternal care for 120 women.

Pregnancy and Maternal Care for Landless Labor Community in Tamil Nadu

This project provides preventative and curative care, focused on maternal and newborn healthcare. The project takes on beneficiaries from the confirmation of pregnancy and for two years thereafter, working to ensure a stress-free pregnancy, health delivery, and proper milestone development in the babies. Support includes prenatal care and post-delivery support, with issues of maternal malnutrition, anemia, pediatric HIV infection, and low birth weight being the most common care interventions needed. The program followed 100 mothers and their children for two years and all participants are healthy and doing well! Through its continued work, the project aims to significantly reduce or eliminate infant and maternal mortality in the area.

Mobile Rural Healthcare in Manipur

This project provides essential healthcare in eight remote villages of Manipur, serving nearly 9,500 beneficiaries. A well-equipped medical van is used to conduct medical clinics each week, providing free preventative treatment and testing, and offering referrals for those who may need further treatment.

If you’ve been inspired by our efforts to provide healthcare access through effective projects like these, we humbly encourage you to make a donation. Your support is truly appreciated.

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The post H2U: Improving Healthcare Access in India appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

Every year we set goals to better serve those in need, and 2020 was no different. We started 2020 with a plan to help 94,920 people through our lifesaving signature programs. We knew it was a big challenge, but we were up for the task.

But then, the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, and we had to shift many of our plans to focus on addressing the most urgent needs facing our beneficiaries in the U.S. and India. Although 2020 was a difficult year for all of us, we are proud of what we accomplished.

In 2020 our grants of 1.5 million dollars in cash and kind helped approximately 110,000 people in our Disaster Relief, Women Empowerment, Education, Healthcare, and Village Upliftment programs.

38th Annual Gala: Over Half a Million in Funds Raised

The theme of our 38th Annual Gala — “Rising Together” — recognized the changes and challenges presented by the pandemic and honored the bonds of humanity and hope that connect communities around the world. Due to COVID-19 this was our first-ever virtual gala in which all could participate.

The evening included a short film outlining our COVID-19 disaster relief efforts and our ongoing Signature Programs. There was an outpouring of support including warm wishes from Padma Shri Ashaji Parekh and from Congressman Frank Pallone, who recalled a trip to India and thanked Share & Care for the organization’s extensive COVID-19 disaster relief efforts.

“COVID has been a big issue in India. Lots of people have died, especially poor people, because all of them cannot afford to be in the hospital. I think Share & Care has picked up this issue and I am very happy that they are doing such good work for India at this time.” — Padma Shri Ashaji Parekh

“I’ve been associated with Share & Care over the years and like the fact that it also encourages a strong partnership in its mission to bring together India and the United States. One of the unique and particularly admirable aspects of Share & Care Foundation is the grassroots effort it supports in promoting development in India.” — Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr.

Our first-ever virtual gala, curated by global performer Parthiv Gohil (left), also featured entertainment from Manasi Parekh-Gohil, Sudesh Bhosle, Bhoomi Trivedi, and Jahnvi Shrimankar.

Sari Collection Drive Benefits More than 12,000 Families Per Year

In early 2020, we began collecting saris and matching blouses to create 10 sari banks in Gujarat for underprivileged women. Operating like libraries, these banks allow women to borrow garments at no cost for special occasions, then return the items after dry cleaning. In total, we received more than 4,800 items valued at over $320,900.

As humans, the way we look and the clothes we wear deeply influence our self-confidence. We are honored to provide this dignity for our beneficiaries in marginalized communities. Our special thanks to all the donors for this project.

COVID-19 Disaster Relief: Turning Compassion Into Action

When the pandemic took hold, our Disaster Relief Committee jumped to action. By July 30, 2020, we had already allocated $300,000 in disaster relief funding and partnered with 16 NGOs to reach thousands of people in the U.S and India — including more than 7,500 struggling families. We distributed grocery kits to families in need, served hot meals to families and daily wage earners, distributed healthcare items such as soap and masks, and served thousands of meals to local healthcare heroes. In December 2020, we also worked with Livingston Lions Club to provide more than 5,000 food boxes for local New Jersey citizens affected by food insecurity and economic instability. In 2021, we are remaining committed to providing relief and rehabilitation to those affected by the pandemic.

Creating Opportunities Through Women Empowerment

We exceeded a pledge, made during our 37th Annual Gala in 2019, to empower 20,200 women in 2020. By November, even during difficult times, we had empowered 24,192 women through our programs which provide safety and self-defense training, gender equality education, livelihood skills, character building, and leadership workshops for marginalized women. A donation of $500 to our Women Empowerment program empowers five marginalized female students with safe lodging, education, and training for personal growth.

Village Upliftment Proves that Real Change Comes From Within

Our Village Upliftment program is empowering about 50,000 people by placing trained Lok Mitras (“friends of the people”) in 12 villages throughout India. Living alongside the people they serve, Lok Mitras provide moral support while also applying their training to create sustainable, positive change within their villages.

In response to COVID-19, they have helped to educate villagers about the virus, organized efforts to implement social distancing, set up sanitation stations, and handed out “Grocery Kits of Gratitude” to more than 1,000 families when food became scarce. A donation of $5,000 empowers one village and up to 5,000 individual villagers.

Healthcare 2 Unreached Expands Access for Remote and Underserved Communities

Share & Care continues the fight toward reversing the healthcare challenges facing today’s marginalized poor.

Key achievements in 2020 include: delivering life-saving nutrients and raising awareness to benefit 5,000 women and children in Rajasthan; addressing a shortage of health professionals and poor local governance in Gujarat; bringing a comprehensive community health program to 25 villages in Maharashtra; and helping 100 women in Tamil Nadu through a program addressing the socio-demographic factors affecting pregnancy. Lastly, in five Manipur villages, we provided ongoing essential health services to children and women. A donation of $100 to our H2U program empowers one mother and her child with pre- and post-natal care.

Women “adopted” through our H2U Pregnancy and Maternal Care project receive medical and nutritional support.

With Educate 2 Success, Learning Is Not on Lockdown

As part of our 2020 goals, we aimed to reach 4,050 students across nine village schools in Gujarat through a program designed to create an educational pathway to current and future job markets for secondary and high school students. As the coronavirus took hold, we adjusted our support, enabling our partners to identify and act on solutions to fit with the world’s challenges. To accommodate social distancing and other safety guidelines, teachers shifted to a virtual learning model, incorporating conference calls with students and home “visits” via telephone or video. A donation of $130 empowers one at-risk child under age 13 with a secondary education.

In some regions, E2S sessions were conducted effectively in their respective villages while practicing all safety norms like social distancing, wearing masks, and using sanitizer.

Young Professional Committee

The Young Professional Committee (YPC) is a group with a mission to volunteer and fundraise for the causes Share & Care supports while fostering a community of young professionals to connect.

Kids4Kids

Kids4Kids (K4K) is a committee hosted for students by students (ages 13-18), with a vision to help underprivileged children in India receive the education they deserve. Before the pandemic started, each member recruited three new members, which increased the total funds raised. These funds provided an additional 23 students in India with tuition and school supplies and raised the total number of children educated to 255. They also raised $2,900 to benefit COVID-19 relief, and pivoted their events to be social-distance friendly, hosting activities such as a virtual yoga class and a walking challenge to raise funds for those in need.

Educate 2 Graduate Continues Blazing New Beginnings for Impoverished Families

Our Educate to Graduate program fosters secure futures for brilliant students from low-income families. Seventy-three students were enrolled in the 2019-2020 school year. Although there were some delays in college opening due to COVID-19, the admission process began smoothly with several colleges now operating on a digital platform.

We are putting increased emphasis on supplementary skill development to improve job prospects upon graduation. Of the 1,614 E2G beneficiaries so far, more than 850 graduates are already employed in well-paying jobs. A donation of $1,000 empowers one bright, low-income student with a college scholarship.

Your donation makes a brighter future possible for families who come from generational cycles of poverty. They can do it, and we can help!

There Are Far, Far Better Things Ahead Than Any We Leave Behind

2020 was tough, but Share & Care made a way. We served:

• The widow with no means or education to provide for her family.
• The young girl living with sexual abuse as part of a traditional and still-tolerated patriarchal structure.
• The teen hungry for knowledge but forced into manual labor because his family knows no other path.
• The newborn at high risk of dying before her fifth birthday because of who she is and where she was born.
• Entire villages living with cultural norms that promote inequality.
• Entire families at risk of disability or death from treatable diseases due to poverty, malnutrition, and poor sanitation.
• Migrant laborers who need economic relief and rehabilitation due to COVID-19.

Our wide-ranging programs continue to thrive thanks to the support of our generous Share & Care community. If you have been inspired by our efforts and would like to create positive, lasting change for marginalized people in the U.S. and India, we encourage you to make a contribution today. Every gift is appreciated, and every dollar makes a difference.

SEND A GIFT

The post Changes Amid Challenges: ‘Share & Care 2020 Year in Review’ Featured in News India Times appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

Our focus is and has always been on prevention. We do this by supporting programs that are repeatable — that is, they have been created (and documented) with the intention of improving over time for use in other populations with similar needs. While funding is also needed for one-time disaster recovery efforts, our approach is about investing in people to create permanent change. We do this by addressing the absence of what we call the the five A’s: 

1. Affordable healthcare.
2. Accessible resources.
3. Awareness of good health practices.
4. Accountability of healthcare providers.
5. Available healthcare facilities.

Healthcare is a basic human right. Let’s take a look at how we’re bringing healthcare to marginalized populations across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Manipur.

Thar Desert, Rajasthan

Program: Nutrition & Health for Women & Girls

Our journey begins in Rajasthan, where we are focusing on nutrition and health for women and children living in five Thar Desert villages. 

Life in the Thar Desert is difficult. Food sources are limited, there is no continuous supply of water, and families live together in large groups, all of which contribute to the spread of diseases and ultimately, high mortality rates.

Thar Desert Challenges

Nutrition
Across India, the number of children and women (pregnant and non-pregnant) with anemia hovers just above 50%, and given the extremely poor health conditions of the Thar Desert, the rate is higher and has had a significant impact on its residents. This is in spite of the fact that routine screening — which doesn’t require complicated expertise — is the best prevention.

The other nutrition-related challenge they’re facing is diabetes. Rural rates of diabetes are at around 3%, with urban rates even higher (around 9%), which means India currently has the highest number of diabetics — 40 million — of any one country in the world.

Sexual and Reproductive Health
There are many cultural and religious taboos around menstruation for girls and women, particularly among largely tribal populations in rural, isolated areas like the Thar Desert. Because of this, girls aren’t able to learn about what’s going on with their bodies as they mature, as often their mothers don’t understand the biological reasons herself. Even in schools, teachers find it too embarrassing to talk about openly. So women and girls live in silence and shame, with little or no sources to learn proper sanitation practices.

Mental Health
As with sexual health, mental health is rarely discussed, much less understood. When a woman gives birth and finds herself depressed, as with postpartum depression, it goes undiagnosed and untreated. Dementia in older women, and men, is also misunderstood. Bringing mental health issues out into the open is needed to ensure no one has to endure something that may very well be treatable.

Our Vision

We’ve done a lot of work in this region historically, with a goal of creating a holistic path to better health and nutrition that can be replicated in additional Thar Desert villages. Village health workers are key to bringing change to this region, and play a vital role in our overall village upliftment programs.

Specifically, we are working to deliver life-saving nutrients and to educate and raise awareness to benefit 5,000 women and children across five villages:

• Provide necessary nutrition supplements, horticulture practices, and education on ongoing prevention of anemia and diabetes. 
• Help women and girls understand their menstrual health and the importance of hygiene, including providing the necessary supplies. Boys too need to understand their journey through puberty and overall reproductive health.
• Educate and reverse upward trends of noncommunicable disease inherent in poor populations, largely caused by tobacco use, physical inactivity, alcohol abuse, and unhealthy diets.
• Address mental health issues through education and treatment.

Saurashtra, Gujarat

Programs: Anemia Prevention, Diagnosis & Treatment; Maternal, Newborn & Child Health in Tribal Areas; Cancer Prevention

Heading 500 miles to the south, our on-the-ground work is focusing on the issues affecting women and children across 600 villages in the state of Gujarat that includes scarce government services, a shortage of doctors and other health professionals, and poor local governance.

Challenges

Social
Social issues include alcoholism and other drugs, education and access to family planning tools (e.g., contraceptives), and violence toward women.

General Health
Malnutrition and anemia affect around 70% of children in Saurashtra. Other health issues include gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., dysentery, parasitic infections), and a higher-than-average level of genetic disorders, such as sickle cell anemia. 

Tribal areas also have higher mortality rates overall.

Infant Mortality
While infant, maternal, and child mortality rates are of great concern, the rate of postneonatal mortality (neonatal is the first 28 days of life, postneonatal is between 28 days and one year) illustrates some of the disturbing underlying issues:

• 41% of infant deaths are post-neonatal (28 days–1 year)
• 55% of those are from sepsis and pneumonia
• 70% of those occurred at home
• 77% of those sought care
• 35% of those were admitted to a healthcare facility

In addition, miscarriages and abortions are higher among tribal women, with low birth weight topping sepsis and pneumonia as the leading causes of neonatal deaths. There’s also evidence that maternal morbidity and delayed breastfeeding are associated factors.

Cancer
Rates of cancer are rising among tribal communities, with more than two-thirds of cases in women. While most cases are associated with tobacco, low physical activity, and an unhealthy diet, it’s the lack of awareness and knowledge of these health factors that’s particularly lacking.

Our Vision

Malnutrition and Anemia
As with nearly all the locations we serve, malnutrition and anemia are rampant and are being addressed by providing the necessary nutrition supplements as well as education on ongoing prevention. 

Infant Mortality
Infant mortality — and maternal, newborn, and child health in general — are being addressed through community-based technology. This is a program we’ve supported in many locations, including ongoing improvements to coverage.

Originally created by the government in 2005, and used in tribal villages since 2013, accredited social health activists, known as Ashas, use mobile phones and a proprietary application to bring health services directly into homes.

Innovative Mobile Phone Technology for Community Health Operations — or ImTeCHO — gives trained Ashas the ability to:

• Stay on top of scheduling and tasks associated with home visits.
• Share educational videos and multimedia presentations to assist in educating patients on their condition and care.
• Present diagnosis and customized treatment plans based on observation and a predetermined set of questions.
• Support immediate care through real-time interaction with medical experts at remote locations.
• Help families manage infant care through a care model coordinated by a remote infant care center.

Infant — and child — mortality is also being addressed through a program referred to as SNCU, or special neonatal care unit, which is a follow-up program designed to lower out-of-hospital death rates among children and premature babies with low birth weight. The program includes ensuring the children are carefully monitored for nutritional health and other childhood illnesses, and that they receive all appropriate immunizations.

We currently have 584 children in the program, who receive regularly scheduled home visits and examinations (including collecting valuable health data) through to their second birthdays. So far, the percentage of discharged newborns and infants who were later visited at least once at their homes is 94.8% — a very promising number!

Cancer
The most effective first steps toward reducing cancer and cancer deaths is early diagnosis. To that end, we are supporting screening tests designed to identify malignancies at their earliest stages.

To combat cancer over the long term — particularly those related to smoking and obesity — education, awareness, and vaccinations are other key components of the project. To reach as many people as possible, educational events are being set up at schools, colleges, and other community centers. Doctors, other medical professionals, and volunteers will arrange interactive “camps,” complete with on-site checkups and educational materials such as videos, presentations, and other visual and hands-on teaching tools. 

Our goal for this project is to reach 100,000 people through awareness programs and checkups, including 5,000 women screened for breast and cervical cancer, and 2,000 girls vaccinated for HPV, or human papillomavirus, which can cause various cancers later in life.

And, in line with our core philosophy of supporting repeatable programs, all records are being carefully maintained to ensure ongoing program improvements and oversight.

Nanded, Maharashtra

Program: Mobile Unit: Save Life at Birth

Traveling another 700 miles southeast to Nanded in Maharashtra, we are bringing a comprehensive community health program to 25 villages to address local challenges in family planning, mother and child health, disease, malnutrition, and dehydration.

Our Vision

What sets this program apart is incorporating a community organizer and Dai — or “birth attendant” — into village life. The organizer and Dai report to a nutritionist-educator, who in turn reports to a field staff support team. 

To address the challenges inherent in village life, the program is based on education and works within a training-reporting-monitoring system with the goal of preparing mothers to take full responsibility for their and their child’s health and nutrition, including:

• Family planning
• Self-care during pregnancy
• Immunizations
• Food prep and low-cost nutrition

Thiruthuraipoondi, Tamil Nadu

Program: Pregnancy & Maternal Care for Landless Labor Communities

Next we travel nearly 800 miles farther southward to Thiruthuraipoondi block in Tamil Nadu. There, 100 women across 870 villages (within Thiruvarur district) are part of a program addressing the socio-demographic factors affecting a crucial period in their lives: pregnancy.

Challenges

Nearly 80% of the population of Thiruthuraipoondi block (and Thiruvarur district) is rural. Due to the challenges of poverty and a lack of accessible modern healthcare facilities and nutritional care (to name just a fraction of causes), this area suffers from many of the same problems as other rural populations, including malnutrition, anemia, and low birth rate, but also pediatric HIV infection.

Our Vision

For the sake of the mother and child’s health — as well as that of future generations — the program focuses on the challenges of poverty and access to facilities. 

Most importantly, each woman receives a full two years of support beginning when she first learns she’s pregnant. Comprehensive support begins with a stress-free pregnancy, and also includes delivery assistance, monitoring developmental milestones for the baby, and medical and nutritional support.

For women who would otherwise have little to no access to the real care they and their baby need, this program can change their lives, and those of their children.

Kangpokpi and Imphal West, Manipur

Program: Rural Health in Imphal, Manipur: Essential Healthcare for the Underserved

Now we head more than 2,000 miles northeast, the longest leg of our journey, to five villages in the Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts of Manipur. Here we’re providing ongoing essential health services to the most neglected population — children and women — within an also-neglected population consisting mostly of Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Classes.

Challenges

Just under half of the 5,532 villagers are considered marginalized (2,648), including children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers, and are in need of basic healthcare, education and awareness of proper hygiene practices, antenatal and postnatal care, and COVID-19 protocols, among other health concerns.

Our Vision

Free treatments and medicines are being distributed to 2,648 marginalized children and adults.

By providing care through clinic visits and a Mobile Medical Clinic, mothers are receiving the specialized antenatal and postnatal care needed to better ensure healthy children as well as healthy moms. To prevent unwanted pregnancies, eligible couples receive supplies and education on the use of condoms and other contraceptives. And for all — children and adults — essential vaccinations help prevent and fight infections faster and more effectively. 

Education is always an essential part of the work we do. Clinic staff are hosting monthly educational meetings — complete with multimedia teaching tools — to teach good hygiene and health practices. 

During this time of the ongoing pandemic, COVID-19 protocols are also part of our educational outreach. To reach more people, and to minimize spread of the virus, we are also going door-to-door. 

At the time of this writing, 1,556 villagers have received COVID-19 awareness and prevention training, 450 households have received home visits, 1,800 villagers have received face masks, sanitizers, and soaps, and 296 needy families have received groceries.

As we near the end of the “year of the pandemic,” we are grateful for the opportunity to be useful and to bring awareness that we believe will help change lives for generations to come. healthcare is necessary to form a strong foundation for populations that need to be recognized as equal to us all.

But we can’t do it alone, we rely on people like you to share in our determination to rid the world of the inequities that continue to alienate those born into poverty and denied their rights to education and basic healthcare. A gift in an amount affordable to you will make a world of difference to so many.

I WANT TO HELP

The post A Healthcare to Unreached Journey appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

The Share & Care Foundation’s 8th Annual Health & Wellness Fair, held Sunday, October 20, 2019, at Hindu Samaj Mandir in Mahwah, New Jersey, provided health and wellness checks for 120 local residents who would not otherwise be able to afford these services.

Participants were overjoyed at the opportunity, and expressed heartfelt appreciation for the time and effort from devoted, hard-working volunteers, including medical professionals who ranged from internists to cardiologists. It is estimated that the professional services, free of charge to all participants, were valued upwards of $100,000. Their service also makes it possible for Share & Care to conduct the annual event at virtually zero cost.

Participants Receive Care Specific to Their Needs

Thanks to hours and hours of preparation from a team of volunteers ahead of time, each participant was given the one-on-one attention they deserve.
Participants were encouraged to register early so they could have blood drawn a week prior, October 13, at the same location. The free blood screenings made it possible to arrange one-on-one consultations with volunteer medical specialists during the Health & Wellness Fair, based on individual results. In all, 75 recipients pre-registered and 45 registered on the day of the event, October 20.

Each participant had their blood pressure checked and recorded along with their weight and body mass index. Internists and lifestyle managers, i.e., weight and nutrition specialists, reviewed each and made referrals as needed to volunteer specialists that included cardiologists, endocrinologists, neurologists, nephrologists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, pain management specialists, psychiatrists, and OB/GYNs. Some participants saw as many as four different specialists.

Flu shots were also offered and more than 70 were administered. Additionally, 65 participants took advantage of free eye screenings provided by participating ophthalmologists and the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.  Volunteer pharmacists, acupuncturists, physical therapists, massage therapists, and dentists were also on hand.

The annual event is the brainchild of Dr. Bharti Palkhiwala, who serves on the Share & Care board and as the organization’s “Healthcare to Unreached” program director. Working with a devoted team of volunteers, Dr. Palkhiwala joined forces with Dr. Savita Khosla to bring basic healthcare services to this year’s recipients.

Share & Care thanks all those who donated their time and resources freely for this worthy cause. Their kindness goes above and beyond. Share & Care also received an outpouring of enthusiasm at this year’s event and thanks all those who expressed interest in volunteering for this and other programs.
Thanks also to: Mystic Lifestyle, Healthcare Simplicity, Faith Home Health Care, Mohan Foundation USA, Valley Hospitals, and Quest Laboratories. And so many more.

The post 8th Annual Health & Wellness Fair Brings Joy to Local Residents in Need of Healthcare appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

According to the World Health Organization, at least half of the people living in the world today do not have access to the basic health services they need. And in India alone, nearly 600 million people — mostly in rural areas — have little to no access to healthcare at all.

That’s why our Healthcare 2 Unreached program has joined forces with GRAVIS, a renowned NGO making incredible strides in improving healthcare access in remote areas of India.

For more than 35 years, GRAVIS has served marginalized communities in the Thar Desert — which, despite its long history of severe droughts, is the most densely populated desert on the planet. In addition to living with virtually no basic health services, people in this area also face issues like food and water scarcity, feudalism, and extreme gender discrimination. These conditions have resulted in the widespread neglect of women and children, high pregnancy and miscarriage rates, and significant malnourishment among children under 15.

In early 2017, Share & Care and GRAVIS initiated the Improving Child and Mother Survival project to improve life for the most marginalized members of society in this desert.

How the Project Works

The Improving Child and Mother Survival project is estimated to affect 600 women, 1,200 children, and 400 adolescents in the Osian block of Jodhpur district, Rajasthan. The objective of the project is to reduce infant and maternal mortality in three specific villages in this region. To meet that objective, we are using four main strategies:

1. Conduct trainings tailored to the needs of women, children, and adolescents.

Share & Care and GRAVIS both operate according to the Gandhian philosophy of self-reliance and working toward the sustainable development of rural areas. Because of this, community-wide education is a core component of the project.

For women, regular group trainings are conducted (with 30 to 40 participants) on topics like reproductive health, nutrition, hygiene, and the prevention of diseases. As a result, these women feel more confident in taking control of their health and well-being.

For adolescents, training camps focus on similar health and personal care topics. These camps, held separately for boys and girls, also address relevant subjects such as puberty and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Younger children receive nutrition training sessions, in which they are educated about dietary needs and the importance of a balanced diet.

Since early 2017, there have been 12 group trainings for women, 24 training camps for adolescents, and 12 nutrition camps for children.

2. Empower locals to work as peer educators.

Village health workers assist with organizing health meetings, household discussions, and home visits. Known as VHWs, village health workers are local women with a desire to serve their communities. They are trained by GRAVIS and work in their respective villages as volunteers and health educators.

Currently, six VHWs meet regularly with hospital members and project staff. These women have not only shown improvement in their own abilities, but they’ve also begun playing important roles in the overall development of their communities.

3. Provide pregnant women with lifesaving antenatal care.

Twelve antenatal camps have been held in the project area to provide pregnant women with health checkups and pregnancy information. In just one year since the project launched, these camps have benefited over 370 women.

4. Introduce tools to enhance food security.

Nutrition training — aimed at reducing conditions caused by malnutrition, like anemia and vitamin deficiencies — is not helpful if nutritious food is unavailable. To address this reality, GRAVIS has introduced Arid Horticulture Units, an effective way to grow fruits and vegetables even in a harsh desert ecosystem. So far, 50 of these units have been established for the poorest and most vulnerable households, and the beneficiary families have been trained on techniques to properly care for them.

How You Can Help

The Improving Child and Mother Survival project is supported by Share & Care, which means it is ultimately made possible by generous donors like you. If you’d like to help us create safer and healthier lives for India’s neediest women and children, we invite you to contribute to our Healthcare 2 Unreached Signature Program.

Ready to make a difference?

DONATE TODAY

The post Reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality in the Thar Desert appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

Our Healthcare 2 Unreached Signature Program brings lifesaving care to people in remote areas of rural India, with a focus on decreasing maternal and infant mortality. We’re proud to say that we’ve seen successful results in the areas we’ve reached so far.

Recently, we joined forces with SEWA Rural, a Gujarat-based NGO with whom we’ve partnered in the past, to further broaden our areas of impact.

In 2013, the NGO (in partnership with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Gujarat) launched a technology-driven health initiative known as “ImTeCHO.” Through the use of cell phones and a custom healthcare app, the initiative benefited nearly 20,000 people in 600 villages in just three years. Share & Care has committed to helping expand ImTeCHO, and with our involvement, it is estimated to reach 3,000 villages and benefit 110,000 lives.

How the ImTeCHO Initiative Works

ImTeCHO stands for “Innovative Mobile Phone Technology for Community Health Operations.” In this project, trained social health activists — known as ASHAs — make home visits to families in poor, tribal areas, and use smartphones to deliver and document maternal, newborn, infant, and child care. The software application for ImTeCHO is based on the Android platform and includes custom, healthcare-specific inputs.

The ImTeCHO app provides each ASHA with a daily home visit schedule. During visits, the ASHA uses the app to submit and gather information to and from offsite health care providers. The trained ASHA will administer medicine or provide other basic services when needed. In the case of an emergency, the consulting doctor may decide to send an ambulance to the home.

Results

Approximately 10,000 pregnant women and 9,000 newborn infants, predominantly from tribal communities, benefit each year from ImTeCHO. The initiative has increased the rates of institutional delivery, early and exclusive breastfeeding, and home-based newborn care in the project areas, and has reduced infant and maternal mortality by 25%. Findings show that it has improved the overall effectiveness of government health workers as well.

ImTeCHO has received two national-level awards and gained international attention from the peer-reviewed journal World Health Action.

How Share & Care Is Helping

In the next phase of the project, Share & Care will provide performance incentives to further increase the effectiveness of the ASHAs. Performance refers to factors such as the number of cases handled, response times, and the amount and types of preventative care administered.

With our involvement, the total villages and individuals that will benefit from ImTeCHO — that is, the number of people who will have access to healthcare for the very first time — will increase fivefold. Our efforts will focus on the tribal areas of the Bharuch, Valsad, and Narmada districts, and will work in tandem with approximately 20 primary health centers.

Through the use of technology, more people in a wider geographical area can be effectively reached and treated.

The Power of Your Contribution

The basic cost of training one ASHA is $250, and the cost of providing care to one woman or child through ImTeCHO is just $8.

This project has already made a positive difference in thousands of lives, but as we well know, there is much more work to be done. To support the continuation of ImTeCHO — and to provide vital care for thousands more who need our help — please consider making a donation to our Healthcare 2 Unreached Signature Program. You could save a life.

SUPPORT H2U

The post How H2U is Expanding Access to Lifesaving Healthcare in Rural India appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

Nearly 130 local residents, several with no health insurance coverage, pre-registered to benefit from the health fair along with several walk-ins.

A plethora of physicians consisting of internists, geriatricians, cardiologists, endocrinologists, OB/GYNs, ortho/pain management specialists, podiatrists, psychiatrists, pharmacists, dentists, lifestyle managers (weight management and nutrition), vision specialists, chiropractors, and acupuncturists, were freely available for everyone to ask questions, get checked if needed, and schedule follow-ups if necessary.

Free flu shots (adults) plus health screenings for blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, BMI, and anxiety/depression were available to everyone. A healthy breakfast was given free of charge to all participants, as many had fasted to have their blood drawn.

Share & Care is extremely proud of our efforts to be a part of the community and thank all those who participated in this year’s Health Fair.

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Share & Care’s Healthcare 2 Unreached Signature Program brings healthcare and education to some of the poorest, most remote villages in rural India. With the help of local NGOs, we have been able to provide a range of preventative and curative services for thousands of men, women and children — with an emphasis on helping pregnant women and young children.

H2U launched in 2010 in the rural town of Kerla, and has since expanded to other areas of Rajasthan and the Thar Desert, as well as Tamil Nadu. The villages in which we work have little to no electricity, medical facilities, or means of transportation. Education is scarce, and health problems and malnutrition are rampant.

Of the many health challenges facing women and children in these remote areas, iron-deficiency anemia — the result of poverty, malnutrition, and poor sanitation — is among the most prevalent. Basic symptoms of anemia include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, and dizziness. For pregnant women, anemia is also associated with premature labor, low birth weight, maternal mortality, and infant mortality. In children, it can negatively affect cognitive and physical development.

In rural India, women (and subsequently their children), are far more likely than men to be anemic. This is due largely to women’s low status in society, which limits their ability to care for themselves and/or seek education about caring for their families.

Figures from a recent National Family Health Survey (2015-16) provide a stark example of this disparity. According to NFHS, in rural areas of Rajasthan, 61.6% of children age 6-59 months were found to be anemic, along with 48-49% of pregnant and non-pregnant women (respectively). Just 18% of men, however, were found to be anemic. In rural areas of the Jodhpur district, according to the same survey, anemia was present in 66.1% of children, 43 to 46% of women, and 12.8% of men.

To improve conditions for women and children in these regions, Share & Care has provided funding for health centers that include birthing facilities, prenatal and antenatal services, vaccinations, immunizations, and nutritional supplements — among other healthcare services. As a result, we’re proud to report ongoing successes.

For example, in Kerla, the location of our pilot program, infant mortality has been reduced from 80 deaths per 1,000 births in 2013 to 0% in 2017. And in multiple Jodhpur district villages, we’ve embarked on an Improving Child and Mother Survival project, which will provide approximately 600 women and 1,200 children with improved healthcare and nutrition.

Consistent with Share & Care’s belief in the power of grassroots-level change, H2U also provides villagers with nutrition and sanitation education, sustainable resources for food and water security, and general community-based health trainings. We plan to continue replicating these methods for success in areas of rural India where help is needed the most.

If you’d like to contribute to our goal of improving life for India’s most vulnerable individuals, click the link below. Every donation makes a difference. Yours could save a life.

DONATE TODAY

The post Addressing India’s Anemia Crisis appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

As we’ve previously written about, tackling India’s sanitation crisis is a complex issue, requiring not only the construction of toilets but also plenty of hands-on, village-wide education about proper sanitation and hygiene.

It is possible to create change, however, and we are making a difference — one community at a time. Below are four inspiring stories from beneficiaries living in Gujarat, India.

Before

Valmiki Rama Laxman Family

There are eight members of the Laxman family, all of whom survive on meager wages from seasonal farm labor. Due to poor financial conditions, they did not have their own toilet and were forced to practice open defecation.

This was problematic and dangerous for all members of the family, but particularly for the daughters Sitaben, who is blind, and Laxmiben, who is handicapped. Both of these young women have suffered immense harassment and discomfort when defecating in the open, especially when in poor health and during rainy seasons.

Gota Pasa Solanki

Last year, Gotabhai’s wife began experiencing severe gastrointestinal issues. Like many of India’s rural poor, she suffered from diarrhea and physical weakness, and eventually had no choice but to defecate at home — where there was no toilet.

In addition to posing additional health risks, this also made her feel ashamed. Gota, who himself is handicapped, found himself unable to help her or even assist her outside.

Vahari Ishwar Karsan Family

For generations, members of the Karsan family practiced open defecation due to a lack of sanitary facilities as well as a lack of hygiene education. However, just a couple years ago, the family’s youngest daughter was harassed while on her way to relieve herself. This caused her significant mental trauma and fear, and and she has since been forced to defecate in the courtyard of her family’s home.

Pasi Chatur Senva

Pasiben is a 60-year-old widow who suffers from physical weakness and severe joint pain. She lives in a tiny home by herself and relies almost entirely on the charity of kind-hearted villagers for her food, clothing, and medicines.

Because her home did not have a toilet — and because she is often unable to move about freely — she’s had no choice but to live in an unsanitary environment, and has suffered additional health issues because of it.

After

Thanks to Share & Care’s Nirmal Village Program and our partner NGO, all four of these families — and hundreds more — have received toilets and hygiene education, and are no longer forced to defecate in their homes or in the open.

The Karsan family, whose young daughter was harassed, have begun encouraging other people in their village to construct toilets, and say they believe their new sanitation facilities will even assist in their children’s education.

Gotabhai, whose wife suffered health issues, says he now feels proud and safe, and insists, “There can’t be a better gift than a toilet!”

With your help, it is possible for us to reach our goal of bringing even more toilets and hygiene education to rural India’s most underprivileged individuals. Click below to contribute now.

DONATE TODAY

The post Meet the Beneficiaries of Share & Care’s Nirmal Village Program appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.