There are 5 million malnourished children in Bihar. But not in these villages ...here’s why.
Of 5 million malnourished children under five in Bihar, no more than 0.3%, or one in 340–at best–can be treated at the state’s 38 nutrition rehabilitation centres (NRCs), the first line of primary care against a condition that can permanently inhibit future potential in a region with India’s youngest population.
Along with Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, Bihar has India’s highest proportion of malnourished children–more than half, according to the Rapid Survey on Children and the National Family Health Survey-4.
But due to your help not in the villages helped by our nutritious meal programme, a community meal prepared by local people to feed children in some of the poorest villages in India. The meal is high protein, and includes vegetable oils and is carefully balanced for maximum health benefit for the children that eat it.
Here what s local mother of three children has to say in a message to you ,
“First of all, I think where you are it is a holiday season so please accept my best wishes to you and your family. Here now for us it is very cold. The meal provided by your donations is a wonderful community event which brings us all together in the preparation and serving. It is a vital part of the health education and care we get from the People First health project and helps our children grow and do well and strengthens immunity and brings joy too..
Thank you all for helping us” !
Asha Devi
Village Women
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Hello Everyone,
Namaste
My name is Manju Devi and I live at the village Dadpur .
I am one of the volunteers who helps provide the fresh nutritous meal for our children and the vulnerable and most needy of our village community.
People First have been working in our village for many years and I want to tell you how much our lives have improved by our partnership with them.
The nutritious meal we provide for the children is not given in isolation, but is part of a whole partnerships, People First run a basic school, the health team visits us regularly and we have both women’s health groups and our own self-help groups which we manage ourselves and the meal is a part of a wholesome programme . They dont just give food snd go away, this is a partnership to improve all our lives especislly our children
Our village is still desperately poor and although the food and fuel are provided by People First we take great pride in cooking the meal and serving it.
Please help us especially our children to eat well as Winter approaches and we need to supplement the meal to help against the cold weather to come.
On behalf of our village we thank you so much for thinking of us!
Manju
In accordance with the Trusts privacy policy we have changed the name but noyhing else
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Hello everyone,
Faraway from the big cities in modern India children are going hungry
As reported by Times of India in Patna,
Bihar is one of the most undernourished states.
"With the percentage of stunted children being around 48.3%, Bihar is one of the most undernourished states of India, as per the National Family Health Survey 4 (NFHS)
Our Nutritious meal programme brings a healthy protein meal to children which makes all the difference in terms of health.
It is not doled out in a humiliating fashion but it is prepared by the community in a way which brings them together in the preparation, serving and sharing of the food with the most vulnerable members of the local community
Of 5 million malnourished children under five in Bihar, no more than 0.3%, or one in 340–at best–can be treated at the state’s 38 nutrition rehabilitation centres (NRCs), the first line of primary care against a condition that can permanently inhibit future potential in a region with India’s youngest population.
Along with Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, Bihar has India’s highest proportion of malnourished children–more than half, according to the Rapid Survey on Children and the National Family Health Survey-4.
India ranks third in Asia and 24th worldwide for the number of malnourished children aged one to five, according to the 2015 Global Hunger Index.
We cant change the above, but for one village and hundreds of children we can prevent malnourishment of children by our health care programme and meal programme because of your support.
Please be aware July 18th is bonus day on GlobalGIving
Thank you so much!
Neelam
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In Bihar and Jharkhand, nine out of every 10 children aged 6-23 do not get an adequate diet. The nutrition and health status of children in these two States has been found to be “critically low” in comparison to the national standard.
According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16) data, only 7.5% and 7.2% of children in Bihar and Jharkhand respectively in this age group receive an adequate diet, according to a trend analysis of the NFHS-4 data released by thr government.
“Malnourishment in early years is directly linked to maternal health…only 3.3% of mothers in Bihar and 8% of mothers in Jharkhand had access to full antenatal care services,” said a CRY release on its trend analysis. “Moreover, more than one-third of the total births in the two States continue to remain home births.”
“Child malnutrition is an irreversible phenomenon in the lives of children. Its effects are felt through adolescent and adult life”,
In the villages where we are providing a protein rich healthy meal on a regular basis
malnutrition has been wiped out.
It is a national disgrace as a previous prime minister said that with India developing its economy
India is home to millions of desperately poor people struggling to survive.
The level of poverty here is incredible, whist the rich get super rich.
We can’t change the world but with your help
we have transformed the health and futures of so many children.
Thank you all
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Dear Friends,
This is Neelam.
I am a nurse on the health team.
I hope this report finds you well and I wish you all a peaceful New year full of fulfilment.
It has been a fairly cold winter so far and if you do not mind I would like to tell you about our warm winter clothing and blanket appeal on GlobalGiving. At the same time, I want to thank you so much for your brilliant response to this appeal and let you know it has helped us maintain and improve the meal for the children. In response to the cold weather we have also given hot soup to the children at the school.
I can tell you that we have provided over 12,500 hot nutritious meals to children during 2017 thanks to you help. Your support was a vital part of our fund-raising efforts as each meal costs just one dollar.
As one child said,
“Best meal of the week, delicious and filling, my tummy is full.
Thank you so much for helping us”
From Neelam in Bihar, India
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