Engage&Empower girls & boys for Girl Effect-India

Hi Friends, 

One of the main focus area under our project is health & nutrition of poor young girls.   

Adolescence is a difficult time in any young girl’s life. This is when the body and the mind both are going through many changes which can be confusing for anybody. These changes are physical, emotional, mental and hormonal which have a direct bearing on how a girl starts to perceive herself and the world around her. At this difficult juncture in their lives, it is important that we provide safe space to our girls where they can avail information on various important topics, ask questions about their problems and discuss them with a mentor. IDEA’s Life Skill Sessions are planned keeping this in mind. Last month, our social worker conducted a session for 25 girls from the underprivileged areas of Dighi. This spirited bunch has been with IDEA since the last 2 years learning various skills like tailoring, beautician and handmade crafts. Every month we conduct Life Skills sessions to create awareness on various important topics related to Health, Hygiene and Women rights for all girls/ women enrolled in our many skill development courses.

                In many low-income families in India, girls are considered a burden and therefore their Health and Nutrition are not given much importance. They usually have food after their brothers, no one takes them for yearly health checkups and the many taboos around menstruation mean that they have no one who will give them correct information about what their body is going through and how they must take care of themselves during such times. As they are on the cusp of adulthood, they are also going through emotional upheavals and mood swings. It becomes necessary at these trying times to have a mentor who will guide them through the growing up process. Our social workers are trained to deal with these adolescent concerns and queries.

This particular session covered topics like Anemia awareness, Importance of balanced Nutrition and Menstrual health guidelines. Anemia in girls goes largely undetected due to lack of awareness. The girls were asked to check if they are suffering from common symptoms of Anemia like constant fatigue, dizziness, and headaches. They were told that the main cause of Anemia is low iron levels in the blood – iron-deficiency anemia. Reduced iron levels mean low hemoglobin, which in turn denotes diminished carries oxygen carrying capacity. On the topic of Nutrition, they were advised to eat balanced meals at the right times and were explained the importance of the 7 different nutrients – carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, fiber, and water. The social worker also discussed menstrual problems and told them the Dos and Don’ts when it comes to menstrual health. They were told about what is normal and what is not during a menstrual cycle and what can cause a cycle to change.

All girls are urged to go for regular health-checkups. They are advised and reminded to look after their own health. Good mental and physical health during adolescence makes the growing up years a lot easier. We at IDEA want our girls to be aware individuals who take charge of their health and be in a position to decide for themselves. All we have to do is provide the correct information which is the key to understanding and accepting self and this knowledge is a critical component in the journey to empowerment.

FRIENDS, PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT. LET’S EMPOWER MORE AND MORE GIRLS!

Links:

• IDEA website