New campaign to help mothers, children understand value of nutrition in tribal, rural areas

In collaboration with an NGO, Reckitt, a consumer health and hygiene company from the United Kingdom (UK), will use targeted educational programmes to teach new mothers and children under five in rural and tribal communities the value of appropriate nutrition, hygiene, and disease prevention.

These educational programmes will also promote self-care as a vital component of primary healthcare under the Self-Care for New Moms and Kids Under 5 programme, developed by Reckitt, which recently joined hands with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Stop Diarrhoea Campaign.

Reckitt has collaborated with NGO Plan India to increase awareness and launched a self-care theme song, Maa E Maa, sung by Gujarati folk singer Geeta Rabari, during the eighth CSR Health Impact Awards held in New Delhi recently to reinforce the message, according to a corporate statement from the company.

The song celebrates the nurturing relationship between mothers and children, according to PTI.

The initiative, developed in collaboration with Plan India, aims to democratise self-care by focusing on critical aspects of well-being such as nutrition diversity, physical activity, and hygiene.

The programme's goal is to promote healthier lifestyles and induce real changes in attitudes and behaviours, ultimately improving health outcomes for mothers and young children, Reckitt says. 

According to the statement, the programme aims to educate new mothers and carers about essential self-care practices, encourage proper nutrition, hygiene, and lifestyle habits, engage local communities to drive health improvements, prevent diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia, provide nutritional counselling, and educate on vital hygiene practices such as hand washing and clean water use.

The campaign also promotes health practices such as antenatal check-ups, birth spacing, and overall well-being through activities like yoga.

Ravi Bhatnagar, Director of External Affairs and Partnerships, SOA, Reckitt, said, "By focusing on tribal areas in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, this programme builds on previous efforts like the Nutrition India Program and Reach Each Child, providing essential knowledge and resources to empower mothers and children.”

Reckitt plans to empower 10 million moms and children in targeted locations. The initiative has already benefited 64,000 women by providing household counselling in 210 villages across five districts in three states, says the statement.