Reproductive and Child Health Nutrition & Awareness (RACHNA)

CARE India’s Work for Child Health and Menstrual hygiene among women, adolescent girls

Supported by CAIRN India, CARE India’s RACHNA project in Barmer, Rajasthan intends to contribute to improving health status in the district by strengthening delivery of national health programmes as well as mobilize communities for better health. The project focuses on reducing maternal and infant mortality and improving menstrual hygiene and reproductive health of adolescent girls and women in Barmer district.

The project is operational in blocks of Baytu, Sindhari, Dhorimanna and Barmer. CARE India’s is engaging and mobilizing women systematically at the community level and work with community leaders, existing Village Health Nutrition and Sanitation Committees, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and ASHAs.

Appropriate behaviour change communications programmes, capacity building and technical assistance from CARE India are being provided to push these efforts. CARE India is working to systematically address the issues of deprivation and marginalization of women and girls from Dalit and Adivasi communities. It further focuses on building the resilience in the community.

CARE India is attempting to develop a much more accountable system at the community and local governance level and ensuring to work towards strengthening gender relations at the community level. CARE India adopts a strategy of conducting a sustained mobilization and communication campaign to create awareness and behaviour change. CARE India is ensuring project efforts with government programs, community groups and on the campaign is synchronized with each other and will revolve around common themes of Maternal and Child Health; Tuberculosis control and HIV prevention.

The project has expanded its interventions by including the components of menstrual hygiene among women and adolescent girls through entrepreneurial activities.