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For the past few years, we have seen some very encouraging trends in the field of maternal and child health. While there are still many challenges we need to overcome as a nation, there are several programs, both by the government as well as by private NGOs and other organizations that specifically focus on the health and wellbeing of both the mother and child.

Since it’s inception, SAM has been focused on developing communities by developing the health and wellbeing of mothers and children. There is a range of domains we work on in this regard from educating adolescent girls and newlywed couples about health aspects of childbirth, the importance of family planning and planned pregnancies to exposing pregnant women and new mothers on facts about nutrition that will benefit both the mother and the child.

Often we have seen that a house with a newborn infant usually is focused on the wellbeing of the child. There still remains a great lack of awareness about the nutrition that pregnant women and lactating mothers need to get so that they themselves can also remain healthy. After all, a healthy mother means a healthy child.

This is where SAM’s work has been significant. Through our programs, our frontline workers have focused on creating awareness amongst pregnant and lactating mothers to ensure that they themselves stay healthy through their nutritional intake. We motivate families and women to participate in the Village Health and Nutrition Day, or VHND.  The VNHD is a flagship program under the National Health Mission of the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and is organized once a month at the local Anganwadi center. The VHND is a platform where community members can interact with health professionals and get all basic information about health and nutrition.

SAM’s role here is noteworthy because we know that there is a need to motivate and push community members to participate in the VHND as often they might find themselves engaged in other routine activities and miss VHND as they fail to understand its relevance. Post SAM’s community mobilization efforts, we have seen an increase in women attending VHNDs.

In addition to linking women to VHNDs, SAM has also been promoting the

For the past few years, we have seen some very encouraging trends in the field of maternal and child health. While there are still many challenges we need to overcome as a nation, there are several programs, both by the government as well as by private NGOs and other organizations that specifically focus on the health and wellbeing of both the mother and child.

Since it’s inception, SAM has been focused on developing communities by developing the health and wellbeing of mothers and children. There is a range of domains we work on in this regard from educating adolescent girls and newlywed couples about health aspects of childbirth, the importance of family planning and planned pregnancies to exposing pregnant women and new mothers on facts about nutrition that will benefit both the mother and the child.

Often we have seen that a house with a newborn infant usually is focused on the wellbeing of the child. There still remains a great lack of awareness about the nutrition that pregnant women and lactating mothers need to get so that they themselves can also remain healthy. After all, a healthy mother means a healthy child.

This is where SAM’s work has been significant. Through our programs, our frontline workers have focused on creating awareness amongst pregnant and lactating mothers to ensure that they themselves stay healthy through their nutritional intake. We motivate families and women to participate in the Village Health and Nutrition Day, or VHND.  The VNHD is a flagship program under the National Health Mission of the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and is organized once a month at the local Anganwadi center. The VHND is a platform where community members can interact with health professionals and get all basic information about health and nutrition.

SAM’s role here is noteworthy because we know that there is a need to motivate and push community members to participate in the VHND as often they might find themselves engaged in other routine activities and miss VHND as they fail to understand its relevance. Post SAM’s community mobilization efforts, we have seen an increase in women attending VHNDs.

In addition to linking women to VHNDs, SAM has also been promoting the chaturangi bhojan, or balanced wholesome diet for pregnant women and lactating mothers. We encourage them to consume green leafy vegetables, yellow daals and grains, white milk and other dairy products, and red vegetables and fruits. This is a practice that most families can follow to ensure the health and wellbeing of mothers.

While the journey has not been easy, the SAM team has seen several successes in this area. And as we see more healthy mothers and children around us, we are convinced that our efforts are translating into positive results.

, or a balanced wholesome diet for pregnant women and lactating mothers. We encourage them to consume green leafy vegetables, yellow daals and grains, white milk and other dairy products, and red vegetables and fruits. This is a practice that most families can follow to ensure the health and wellbeing of mothers.

While the journey has not been easy, the SAM team has seen several successes in this area. And as we see more healthy mothers and children around us, we are convinced that our efforts are translating into positive results.