Email Address
info@missionvivekananda.org.in
Phone Number
+91 8589991227
Our Location
Agali ,Palakkad-678581
Adolescent Girls’ Health Project
The Adolescent Girls Health Project (AGHP), launched in February 2021 by the Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission with support from UST-CSR, aims to improve the overall health and nutritional status of tribal girls through behavioral change communication and dietary interventions.
Approach:
The project involves creation of girls peer-groups in the tribal villages. These groups meet regularly and discuss common issues. During these group meetings, behavioral change communication in a wide range of topics related to adolescent health and nutrition is imparted. These topics are covered through interactive sessions, games, and activities. The girls are encouraged to take both collective and individual actions, making small adjustments or tweaks to improve their nutritional and health habits.
As part of the project, we also provide some dietary support in the form of a monthly ready-to-eat millet-based nutrimix powder, along with support in setting up backyard kitchen gardens and poultry (egg-based). The millet-based mix, along with vegetables and eggs, aims to improve dietary diversity and increase the intake of essential micronutrients, including proteins and vitamins among adolescent girls.
First phase (2021-2024; 90 tribal villages)
The first phase of the project, implemented from 2021 to 2024, reached 709 adolescent girls across 90 tribal villages, organized into 90 groups (30 in first year, 60 in second year and 90 in third year). The focus areas included nutrition, menstrual hygiene, reproductive health, and mental health.
Outcomes of first phase
- There was slight improvement in the average BMI levels of girls from 18.42 to 18.76 (comparable BMI data of girls part of the first 30 groups).
- There were noticeable improvements in the girls’ confidence levels.
- The peer groups evolved into safe spaces for girls to discuss their health, family, and personal issues. Many of these concerns were addressed through the initiative, which might have otherwise gone unresolved.
Second phase (2025-Ongoing)
Rationale for second phase:
- While there were slight improvements in the BMI levels of the girls, malnutrition and anemia continued to be significant concerns.
- There were also several new areas that needed attention.
- We also understood that inorder to sustain the project’s outcomes, a peer-led model is necessary. This involves identifying, training, and developing village leaders for each group to effectively lead the peer group within their community.
Therefore, a second phase was initiated in early 2024 with the following additions:
- Strong emphasis on developing peer group leaders through continuous leadership development activities.
- New focus areas for discussion and training, such as nutrition, general hygiene, sanitation, early marriage, relationships, teenage pregnancies, cervical cancer, absorption and gut health, positive mental health practices and career orientation.
- Strengthening the peer group to take an active role in influencing both group and individual behavior and promoting collective action.
- Additional activities to engage girls and communities, including food festivals at the village level.
Key activities done (2021-2024, both the phases):
- 90 peer groups formed and regularly meeting with 653 girls (current)
- 700 poultry units and 650 kitchen garden units
- 601 Reusable sanitary napkins distributed for adolescent girls
- 90 peer leaders identified.
- Continuous leadership development activities including
- 03 annual leaders training (2021-24),
- Quarterly mentorship trainings and support for leaders started in 2nd phase (2 trainings so far in 2nd phase)
- Conducted exposure visit for the girls to Infopark Kochi, Cochin shipyard and High Court of Kerala)
- Conducted food festivals in two themes – leafy vegetables and millet-based foods. More themes such as fruit-based, protein-based foods are planned for the coming months.
Adolescent Girls’ Health Project
Project for Tribal Adolescent girl’s health and nutrition in Attappady was formally inaugurated by Dr Velumani, Ayurvedic Doctor from the tribal community on February 15, 2021. The project started with a 7 day training-of-trainers (TOT) program of cluster coordinators.
The project is supported by the CSR health care program of UST. The training program concluded on Friday 21, 2021 with a valedictory function.The function was attended by the CSR Ambassador of UST, Sri Prashant Subrahmanian; who was immensely supportive and helpful in initiating this project.Sri Sunil Balakrishnan, Chief Values Officer, UST who joined the function through online platform, gave the inaugural address.
The CSR head of UST, Smt.Smitha Sharma also joined through online platform. Sri Sasikumar , secretary of Nila Seva Samithai, gave the felicitations.
The adolescent girl’s health and nutrition project has been initiated to bring the improvements in health and nutritional status of tribal adolescent girls of Attappady.One of the reasons of high infant mortality rate in Attappadi is poor health and prevalance of anemia in pregnant mothers.The project is initialy being planned to be implemented in 30 tribal hamlets and is expected to cover around 500 adolescent girls.
The seven day training-of- trainers (TOT) program covered topics on Group formation, organizing group meetings, improving group morale, problem identification, adolescent health and nutrition, menstrual hygiene, sexual and reproductive health, prevention of sexual exploitation, mental health. Sessions on each topic were taken by experts from the respective fields.
