Zahra : Women's Health and Development.
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- Zahra : Women's Health and Development.
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2022-23
n
Community Health Learning Programme
Fellow Name
A Report on the Community Health Learning Experience
School of Public Health Equity and Action
(SOPHEA)
Society for Community Health Awareness Research and Action
INDEX / CONTENT
PART A
(1) Introduction
(2) Why Fellowship?
(3) Objectives
i.
Arears of interest
ii.
Personal learning objectives
(4) Learning modules & Reflections
(a) Modules
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
Palliative care
Mental health
Child health
Food & Nutrition
Health systems in India
Understanding Community health
Women health
(b) Balance between work,life & CHLP maintained
(c) Covid-19 experience
(5) Mentorship & Reflections
(6) Project learning experience
(7) Take away from CHLP
PART B
(1) Summary
(2) Analysis table
i.
-Problem
ii.
-Interventions
iii.
-Results
(3) SWOT Analysis
i.
-Strengths
ii.
-Weakness
iii.
-Threats/Challenges
iv.
–Opportunities
(4) Courses currently offered
i.
-Course A
ii.
-Course B
iii.
-Course C
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(5) Stakeholders
(6) Social integration
(7) Gallery
(8) Anexure
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PART-A
1.Introduction
A little about myself as most of you know me by now, my name is Zahra, married and a mother of 3
children. I have done my Graduation- B.Com, Bangalore University. Post Graduation- MSW(Masters
in Social Work), Raipur
I am associated with PROJECT SMILE TRUST an NGO since 2015 designated as Project Manager.
Project Smile Trust has been helping the most vulnerable and marginalized communities for over
10years. I have lead projects such as empowering and skilling the women, women hygiene drive, etc.
I have also lead a team of 40+ helpline volunteers during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
I am also part of a crises management team named ERT(Emergency Response Team) and Mercy
Mission comprising of social workers, Doctors, media associates, and other health care workers and
NGO’s. These teams were designed to help people impacted by Covid-19 challenges such as free
oxygen supply, concentrators, ambulance support, hearse services, hospital bed booking, negotiations
with hospitals on high bills and mental well being and 2nd opinion on critical cases.
I have been also facilitated by Dettol as a Covid Warrior& Hero.
2.Why did I join the fellowship program?
My focus has always been to provide sustainable relief and holistic development for communities with
an aim to empower them, so they can break the vicious cycle of poverty and become contributing
members of the society and nation at large.
Along with my ongoing responsibilities as a social worker, my intent for joining the fellowship
program was to broaden the spectrum of my knowledge and exposure to our current state of community
health and its grey areas.
3.What are my learning objectives and were they meet?
As a public health worker my objective in community-focused care was also to enhance healthcare
services and patient outcomes in targeted populations. By applying public health theory on a local,
personalized level, community I would like to cater services to a specific demographic and bring a
sense of wellness to communities that would otherwise lack proper access to care.
Yes, apart from being a social worker my objective also to engage in community health been met and I
shall continue to serve & identify how variables related to socioeconomic status — such as income
levels, nutrition, crime, health, and other resources impact people and also determine how the
community’s medical and educational resources contribute to people lifestyles and what improvements
are called for.
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Areas of interest:
*Palliative care
*Skilling of the vulnerable and marginalized women
*Environment health
*Mental health
*Child health
*Women health
*Community health post pandemic
Personal learning objectives:#My future aim is to be part of all types of community outreach in providing better community
health to the most needy and deserving.
#I also like projects such as empowering and skilling the women at Government correctional
homes. To enhance individual s with skills for a dignified livelihood and help them to become
ready for a wage or self-employment and become economically independent.
# My focus has always been to provide sustainable relief and holistic development for communities
with the aim to empower them, so they can break the vicious cycle of poverty and become
contributing members of the society and nation at large.
#As a public health worker my goal in community- focused care will be to enhance health care
services and patient outcomes in targeted populations. By applying public health theory on a local,
personalized level, community, I would like to cater services to a specific demographic and bring a
sense of wellness to communities that would otherwise lack proper access to care.
# I also would like to engage in community health and identify how variables related to
socioeconomic status- such as income levels, nutrition, crimes and other resources- impact people
and also determine how the community's medical and educational resources contribute to people
lifestyles and what improvements are called for.
4. Learning from modules and how I applied the learning in my work. Reflections on use of the
LMS, videos and participation in live online sessions.
It’s been an experience by itself and a wonderful one. I learnt so many things I never knew and that
too in detail and I feel there is so much more to learn and explore. Each module by itself was
so interesting and engaging that it made me see at things in a diverse way.
I attempted and actualized many modules in my work as well.
The modules that interested me the most were:❖ Palliative care
❖ Mental health
❖ Child health,
❖ Food and Nutrition,
❖ Health systems in India,
❖ Understanding Community Health,
❖ Women health
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Palliative care
➢ Palliative care is a crucial part of integrated, people-centered health services. Relieving serious
health-related suffering, be it physical, psychological, social, or spiritual, is a global ethical
responsibility. Thus, whether the cause of suffering is cardiovascular disease, cancer, major
organ failure, drug-resistant tuberculosis, severe burns, end-stage chronic illness, acute trauma,
extreme birth prematurity or extreme frailty of old age, palliative care may be needed and has to
be available at all levels of care.
➢ It is estimated that globally only 14% of patients who need palliative care receive it; to achieve
Sustainable Development Goal 3, working towards universal health coverage, countries have to
strengthen palliative care services. WHO works with countries to include palliative care as a
key part of their health systems. To improve equitable access to palliative care services,
emphasis is given to a Primary Health Care approach. Assessment tools have been developed to
measure progress made. Strong partnerships are in place to develop and implement technical
guidance, to strengthen capacity and to disseminate information.78% of adults in need of
palliative care live in low- and middle-income families.
➢ It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and
treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual.
Key facts
➢ Palliative care improves the quality of life of patients and that of their families (adults and
children) who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness that are facing
challenges associated with life-threatening illness, whether physical, psychological, social or
spiritual. The quality of life of caregivers improves as well.
➢ Each year, an estimated 56.8 million people, including 25.7 million in the last year of life, are in
need of palliative care.
➢ Worldwide, only about 14% of people who need palliative care currently receive it.
➢ Unnecessarily restrictive regulations for morphine and other essential controlled palliative
medicines deny access to adequate palliative care.
➢ Adequate national policies, programs, resources, and training on palliative care among health
professionals are urgently needed in order to improve access.
➢ The global need for palliative care will continue to grow as a result of the ageing of populations
and the rising burden of non communicable diseases and some communicable diseases.
➢ Early delivery of palliative care reduces unnecessary hospital admissions and the use of health
services.
➢ Palliative care involves a range of services delivered by a range of professionals that all have
equally important roles to play – including physicians, nursing, support workers, paramedics,
pharmacists, physiotherapists and volunteers –– in support of the patient and their family.
➢ Although it can include end of life care, palliative care is much broader and can last for longer.
Having palliative care doesn't necessarily mean that you're likely to die soon – some people
have palliative care for years.
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Primary goals1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Relieve pain and other symptoms.
Address patient emotional and spiritual concerns, and those of the caregivers.
Coordinate patient care.
Improve patient life during illness.
End-of-life-care
My Implementation
His son took him for an overall checkup and in an x-ray a doctor detected something not ok so he asked
to get further investigations done. Once the investigations were done Mr. was detected with cancer
stage 4 of the lungs,, and his family felt shattered as the doctor gave him 3-6 months of time to live.
Mr. X had never fallen sick and was a very active person all his live. He was detected with primary
cancer of the lungs which usually is known as a smoker’s cancer and to my surprise Mr. X had never
ever smoked a cigarette in his life.
Treatment of radiations was started and every time he had a session he would stop eating of drinking
anything as he was in a lot of pain. Dr. did their best to ease his pain and give him the maximum
comfort they could. He started getting into depression as he couldn’t walk about any more as the cancer
had affected his spinal cord, and he had become depended on his family. He stayed in the hospital for
almost 20 days then the doctor said to take him home as nothing more could be done as treatment.
Implementation:- the family setup a hospital bed at home so it would be easy to make him sit up on it,
got an air/ water bed so that no bed sores would happen, a wheelchair all this was done to relieve pain
and other symptoms. A counselor was called to address patient emotional and spiritual concerns, and
those of the caregivers.
Current Situation:-He was diagnosed with cancer on may 29th and passed away on June 29th exactly
a month later, but his family made sure that everything was comfortable for his right till the end and did
their best in whatever way possible.
Mental health
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel,
and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental
health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
A few causes for mental health problems?
childhood abuse,
trauma,
neglect.
social isolation
loneliness.
experiencing discrimination and stigma
Including racism.
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Social disadvantage,
Poverty or debt.
Bereavement (losing someone close to you)
Severe or long-term stress.
Having a long-term physical health condition. causes mental health problems?
Importance of mental health
➢ mental health makes us more vulnerable to certain physical health problems, such as heart disease,
stroke and type 2 diabetes. Nurturing our mental health can also help prevent the development of
mental illnesses. Good mental health helps us have a more positive outlook and enjoy our lives
more.
My implementation
Post completion of my training program facilitated by Late Dr. Thekur on Mental Health, I have been
able to work on my emotions better when it comes to my family & my work. I got a better
understanding about empathy, to be patient listener while maintaining a non-judgmental mindset. Over
a time of practicing these skills I have been able connect well with all types of individuals specially
during my work(got correctional homes for women) and understand what they have been or are going
through
.
Case study:- Mrs.X aged 26 was sent to the women correction correctional home, as she used to
indulge into prostitution to support her financially needs. Since she had been separated from her
children she had been showing signs of depression, which has resulted in violence towards other
women in the correction home.
Intervention:- As I had some basic skills which I learnt during my module I implemented it and I
listened to what she had to say , I felt she had no confidence in herself and felt guilty of what she had
done. Made her feel important that her family her children need her specially her children need her.
Made her look at the positive side of life and helped her overcome her guilt and built her confidence in
herself so as to she can make a change and difference in her life.
I realized that all she wanted was to confide in someone who would listen to her patiently, mainly
being non judgmental and biased.
Current Situation:-after attending the beauty course provided to her during her stay at the correction
home and with the support few local NGO’s she is happily now residing in a large city with her two
children and a small beauty parlor to support them.
A few small cosmetic companies support her with samples to sustain her business. She also contributes
her time to counsel the residents of shelter/observation homes and motivates them towards setting
expectations for a new life.
“ I am happy for getting a second opportunity to live a dignified life with my children”- Mrs.X.
Child health:This module has enhanced my knowledge and skills on health education, which is of high priority to
me and was very helpful for me as I worked closely with a special needs child and a T.B affected child
the slums . Having 3 children of my own I know how important child health is to a parent. It broadened
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my knowledge and understanding , stimulated my thinking and made me think critically, by
introducing me to new ideas.
Prior to taking this class, I had more of low to medium knowledge and skills about child health
competencies, but these have greatly improved. Although I had previous knowledge of the theories and
the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, it was more of a surface understanding and not in depth. The
competencies that I think I made the most impact with will be discussed in the course of this paper.
This course was a theoretical and practical-based experience which enhanced my understanding. By
learning about each phase of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model and applying it to our proposed
program, my understanding increased. Taking one the assignments in class, where I reviewed literature
in order to identify the scientific evidence from literature of our topic ‘sexual violence on campus’, I
was able to meet both MCH and health education competency through application. While conducting
the social/epidemiological assessment, I conducted interviews and distributed surveys, through this, I
was able to assess the needs and resources of the focus population by using basic quantitative and
qualitative research methods.
The Maternal And Child Health Bureau Strategic Plan
The Maternal and Child Health Bureau strategic plan during the years of 2003-2007 developed training
for the preparation of national leadership for Maternal and Child Health field and develop ways to
improve the overall health of the maternal and child health population. How the bureau planned to
achieve that was by strengthen the Maternal and Child Health knowledge and support scholarship
within the field by proving graduate education to develop interdisciplinary public health leaders
nationwide.
Maternal and Child Deaths during Pregnancy
Growth and development of the infant. Most maternal and child deaths occur during late pregnancy and
the first year of the child’s life respectively.4 Estimation by World Health Organization (WHO) in
2011, worldwide, approximately 3.5 million women die every year during pregnancy and delivery;
almost 1000 a day. Almost 99 % of maternal, newborn, and child deaths occur in low and middle
income countries.5 About 20% of global maternal death and 25% of child deaths occur only in India.
Health Promotion Strategies Used By Nurses As Guidance For Assessment And Alleviation Of Risk
Factor For Diseases
Health promotions are strategies used by nurses as guidance for assessment and alleviation of risk
factor for diseases (Potter et al.,2009). A maternal health nurse provides specific screening, teaching,
counseling and risk preventing tools to achieve optimal health of mother and child during the
postpartum period. Postpartum is a period of both physiological and psychological changes. The
mother’s adaptation such as, changes in parental role ,family ,body image, physiological changes after
child birth
The Developmental Stage And Health Needs Of The Baby
Health needs of the baby were assessed, both her weight and head circumference measurement were at
the 25th centile indication no weight loss which gave mother reassurance. This information is vital for
babies born with low birth weight such as baby A are more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (Carpneter et al, 2004). Baby was also developing, thriving and feeding well with no
concerns. The health visitor also remained mother about immunization as recommended in Healthy
Child (2009).
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My Implementation:
Case Study:- Child A was the third child of her parents and was a special child staying in the slums of
Audigodi. Her older siblings too were just like her and passed away at the age of 5. Child A was
staying in a joint family with 12 people in one house with a single window for ventilation and out of
the 12 members 7 of them were infected from T.B. including child A.
Intervention:-During this module I learnt about this child and visited their house, interacted with the
family and help them get in touch with a T.B. officer of their area so as to they attain all the facilities
provided to them by the government and the T.B. department.
Current scenario:-Post this learnt that the family started taking medication and now only 3 were
found to be infected post treatment and were getting better. With the help of an NGO relocated them
to a proper ventilated house and continue to support them with monthly ration.
FOOD AND NUTRITION
•
•
•
•
•
•
Importance of nutrition
Good nutrition is very essential for health, growth and development.
There is a close relationship of nutrition with infection, immunity, fertility, maternal and
child health.
Malnutrition in children is an important problem affecting about 50% of children under
the age of 5 years.
Obesity an increase problem in children and young adults
Relation of nutrition with non-communicable diseases-dualities, heart disease,
hypertension and cancer.
There is a close relation of nutrition wit immunity and infection.
Nutrition is an important key to learn and understand in your life while you get older. Many people do
not know the proper diet and exercise to keep their body healthy and strong. Throughout this module, I
have learned information on different kinds of vitamins, carbohydrates, amino acids and other helpful
diets. After reading and logging my dietary log for a week it has helped me re-organize my diet and
health. I have learned about how to personally manage my exercise and diet and I am seeing some good
results because of what I learned from this class. I started to see what I was missing in my diet and
started to know what quantity and quality was for your diet. I also took a leap into my family health
history to see what I need to change .
My implementation:/case study:Situation :-As I come from a large family which comprises of many senior citizens, youth and children
of which my senior citizens in my family suffer from hypertension and diabetes. The youth and the
young ones rely mostly on junk food or an unhealthy meal during the school/ college hours.
Intervention:-Now having learnt about the importance of good food and nutrition during my CHLP
LMS, I have been successful in convincing most of the women folks on the importance of healthy and
nutritious food for all age groups in my extended family.
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Current situation:- This initiative has just begun over the last couple of weeks and I hope will be a
success for all age groups within my extended family
Health system in India/ Determinants Of Health
➢ A healthy community benefits every person in it. And community health is one means of achieving
a healthy community. The field of public health aims to protect and improve health by addressing
the structures and systems that define a place—and by supporting the people who live and work
there in making healthy choices.
➢
➢ Inadequate access to basic healthcare services such as shortage of medical professionals, a lack of
quality assurance, insufficient health spending, and, most significantly, insufficient research
funding.
➢ One of the major concerns is the administrations' insufficient financial allocation.
• Types of Case Studies
1. Collective case studies: These involve studying a group of individuals. ...
2. Descriptive case studies: These involve starting with a descriptive theory. ...
3. Explanatory case studies: These are often used to do causal investigations.
➢ Determinants of health are a range of factors that influence the health status of individuals or
populations. At every stage of life, health is determined by complex interactions between social and
economic factors, the physical environment and individual behavior. They do not exist in isolation
from each other.
➢ The Public Health Agency of Canada has identified 12 determinants of health as follows:
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
Income and social status
Social support networks
Education and literacy
Employment/working conditions
Social environments
Physical environments
Personal health practices and coping skills
Healthy child development
Biology and genetics endowment
Health services
Gender
Culture
My implementation:/case study:- A 64-year-old man Mr. L with a number of health issues comes to
the hospital because he is having trouble breathing. The care team helps resolve the issue, but forgets a
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standard treatment that causes unnecessary harm to the patient. A subsequent medication error makes
the situation worse, leading a stay that is much longer than anticipated.
Unfortunately, Mr. L suffered a seizure, a complication that could likely have been avoided if he had
received all of the ordered anti-seizure medications.
Intervention:- Did a crowd funding and raised money for the treatment of Mr. L, as he had exhausted
all his saving.
Current situation:- Mr. L is back home but not in a movable condition and dependable on his family
for everything, just for not receiving the right kind of treatment on time.
Community 's Health :
This is important because it invites thinking about action by the community itself. It reflects a sense of
community ownership. The community members see particular harms to children as the community's
problem and responsibility.
A healthy community benefits every person in it. And community health is one means of achieving a
healthy community. The field of public health aims to protect and improve health by addressing the
structures and systems that define a place—and by supporting the people who live and work there in
making healthy choices.
According to what I have understood Community health is a medical specialty that focuses on the
physical and mental well-being of the people in a specific geographic region.
A community’s health is a reflection of the health experiences of its members. Family health has a
critical role in improving the health of the community by empowering families to lead a healthful life,
as well as facilitating a family’s access to needed resources The purpose of this is to discuss the varies
roles of family health in my community, as well as the assets their position provides.
My implementation:/case study1:Situation :-In the community that I work there are multiple challenges that are faced on daily basis so
our overall goal should be on building and strengthening community health movement in India.
As I work with the women in government correction homes the challenges we face are vast, hygiene is
the one to be addressed on priority. girls and women don’t get proper hot water to bathe, no clean
toilets and because of this they develop infection and cold/ fever. Food is also not enough at times and
hence they get weaker and immunity reduces. They fall sick very often. Things they are allocated in
budget books are not received them. Unfortunately, basic needs, necessities and rights are taken away
No proper regular medical checkups done for them. They share same blankets and thus more chances
of catching infection and viral etc.
Implementation:- Understanding the situation I had to raise funds to meet the basic hygiene needs of
these women . Held many sessions on educated the women on basic hygiene, cleanliness, do’s and
don’ts .Have taken sessions on educating them on the above topics and brought about awareness on
personal health and care.
Current situation:-Lower infection rates, better hygiene, overall a much better and cleaner place to
live in.
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Women health:➢ Women have a unique set of health care challenges and are at higher risk of developing certain
conditions and diseases than men. The leading causes of death for women include heart disease,
cancer, and diabetes, all of which could potentially be treated or prevented if identified early
enough
➢ One of the most important aspects of women's health is reproductive health. Each month, your
body goes through a complete hormone cycle, so when something is off or is unbalanced, it
affects your entire life, whether you realize it or not.
➢ To improve women's health, we need to address issues related to reproductive health, maternal
deaths, malnutrition and non communicable diseases; through quality and affordable health
services under universal health coverage.
➢ Increases environmental awareness in the communities where women live, work, play, and
worship to significantly affect their overall health. WHA provides environmental awareness as it
relates to health outcomes for women.
➢ If we talk about Today's scenario, many women are still facing the issues like gender
discrimination, sexual abuse and harassment, education, child marriage, and what not? Women
are elevated to the position of goddesses in India.
➢ Here are some of the most prevalent health concerns impacting women, and what you can do to
manage your risk:
• Heart disease. Heart disease is the No.
• Stroke. Each year stroke affects 55,000 more women than men.
• Diabetes. ...
• Maternal health issues.
• Sexual health.
• Breast cancer.
• Osteoporosis., etc
My implementation:/case study:Situation :-As me being a part of women’s wing in Project Smile Trust, I have actively lead and
been part of a team of volunteers, for a women’s hygiene drive focusing the women who live /
reside in the most unhealthy pockets in and around Bangalore.
These large population of women migrant workers who reside with their families in unlivable
areas infested with garbage, clogged water, open toilets , etc
Our survey team came back with shocking results specially pertaining to women safety and health .
The women and young girls practice a very conventional old method of managing themselves
during their menstrual cycle, which has lead to many being highly infected or frequent infections,
and other related illness.
Implementation:-Having said the above, a planned drive was organized by myself along with a few
more women colleagues and medical experts to educate these women on the importance of menstrual
health .a few co-operates also joined to supply essentials such as:- disposable /re-usable sanitary napkins
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and cloth, menstrual cups, razor blades, sanitizers, soaps, savlon, toothbrush, tooth paste, panties, , etc
were made into a hygiene kit and distributed to them.
That shall be required for their future use during their menstrual cycles .It is an ongoing effort to keep
reminding them on the importance of healthy life styles by maintaining hygiene in their families.
Current situation:-Post the drive women have learned the facts and how important their health is and
have adapted to a better life by making the required changes. Lower rates of infection and health issues
in them.
How was a balance between work, life and the CHLP maintained?
As we started our fellowship program things were cool and calm and exciting as we were just out of the
covid -19 pandemic fear. So work was more from home . but as days , weeks and months went by
things started getting tough and hectic.
Earlier I would work only 2 days a week so it was all well balanced but then had to stop work from
home and get back to 5 days a week or sometimes even 6 days which turned out to be a chaos, as
managing home, kids, family, work and CHLP altogether. I felt I would not be able to manage the
CHLP course but with the help of SOCHARA team and my mentor I got the confidence and started
attending the classes which were of great interest. Yea sometimes I did miss a few of the live sessions
due to work and family. The only thing that was most challenging for me was to read the modules as
I’m a poor reader, but I learnt a new technique called Google lens which helped me listen to what was
written. I could listen to the reads instead of reading it. I enjoyed watching videos. Another challenge
was to write down or make reports as I’m a person who talks a lot but when it come to writing I go
blank. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered one of the worst jobs crises. There was a real danger
that the crisis will increase poverty and widen inequalities, with the impact felt for years to come.
My experience during Covid -19
After catching sleep for barely an hour on the previous day, I woke up at 3am am to eat before my
Ramzan fast begins, after which I was back to answering calls from people seeking help. My experience
as a helpline volunteer at Mercy Mission and a member of Project Smile Trust, an umbrella organization,
comprising 20 NGOs dealing with COVID-19 related emergencies in Bengaluru.I have been a volunteer
since June 2020, but that month in particular has been especially devastating, to say the least.
Here I am sharing what a day in a volunteer’s life looks like.
After catering to the callers’ every need — including food, transportation, plasma donors and money
— continuously for six months, there was some respite coming our way, as the number of corona
virus cases had started dwindling. By December, the calls had reduced dramatically, and in January,
we were all hopeful that we could put the disastrous year that 2020 was behind us.
However, towards the end of March, the calls increased and as April set in, I couldn’t shake the feeling
that we were marching towards impending doom. This time, the demand from people was shocking, and
the tone of desperation clung to the air. They wanted beds, oxygen cylinders and ventilators.
Unlike the first wave, teenagers and elderly alike were now calling us, begging for healthcare facilities.
On a daily basis, I hear COVID-19 infected patients gasping for breath or someone saying their oxygen
levels are dropping as they speak.
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As a mother of three children and a daughter of octogenarian parents, I am scared, but watching frontline
health workers as they toil hard every minute of their lives, when they could be sitting at home with
family, gives me the strength to answer every call and make sure needs are met without delays. Every
second is precious — people have died by the time we could call them back with updates.
I feel like I am watching dystopia unfold in front of me; there is chaos, morbidity and a feeling of
helplessness.
By now, my kids, Zayan (13), Namira (9) and Naira (4), have understood what their parents are doing.
They know when things are falling apart. My youngest one will come and hug me or Zayan will offer to
note down the details. While I am not happy with the idea that they have to see this apocalyptic situation,
I am glad they are learning to be empathetic and thoughtful from a very young age. Meanwhile, my
husband, Naseem Akhtar, who has donated plasma 4 times, comforts and helps me cope with the crisis.
On any given day, I get an average of 300-400 calls, along with hundreds of messages. I feel a heightened
sense of guilt for not being able to take every call. My phone is constantly buzzing, and since Naseem is
also a volunteer, we cannot spend much time with our kids.
From 1 April to 18 April calls received on the Mission’s helpline increased from 40 to a whopping 722.
We had been taking calls on 24X7 shifts. Most people are reaching out for oxygen cylinders, hospital
beds and remdesivir injections.
Every time someone pleads or breaks down on the phone as they watch their loved ones struggle to
breathe, it takes a toll on my mental health. I get callers who are so frightened that they struggle to even
frame a sentence. When I sense hopelessness in a caller’s voice, I spend an extra minute just to give them
some hope. By the time some callers reach us, they have lost all their strength because of being turned
away from everywhere. I’ve counseled people who prefer ending their lives than seeing their family
members die in an undignified way.
The level of incompetence aside, there is still a lack of awareness of the illness. Even at this stage, I have
to tell callers why wearing a mask is important. Due to the tedious admission process or chaos, an
individual loses their sense of logic. People have been grappling with something as basic as identifying
the nearest hospital.
The situation is far worse for senior citizens who live alone, or whose children stay abroad. There was
an elderly couple who called me at 1 am for a bed. They wanted to shift to a hospital with an ICU facility
from a COVID-19 centre, but hospitals refused admission as the husband was 87-years-old. While I was
arranging for the bed, I realized that a lot of prefer choosing to focus on younger people. I broke down
that very moment as my parents are of similar age and my dad is diabetic. I imagined my parents in place
of them and it was harrowing.
In another case, two women were trying to leave from a COVID-19 centre after their
relative’s saturation became low. The patient was nearly 80-years-old, and the hospital staff
informed me that it looked like the women were just abandoning the patient.
If, on one hand, we are seeing an apathetic attitude towards the elderly, one the other, we see inspiring
stories as well. A food delivery executive offered to deliver a cylinder to an elderly couple quarantined
at home on our request. He took the risk of switching off his tracker since they are not allowed to deliver
anything besides food, solely out of humanity.
Every time we are able to arrange a COVID-19 related resource, all the sleepless hours, breakdowns, and
tragic news disappear. The heartfelt gratitude from callers makes my day.
The past couple of weeks during the covid -19 pandemic have shown me the kind of humanity that I
never thought was possible. I see strangers overlooking their differences and coming together as one unit
to solve the crisis. My heart swells with pride knowing we are in this together.
Every life is precious and no one is invincible. So, I would urge everyone to stay at home, as we are all
carriers of coronavirus, which means we can be partly responsible for our loved one’s death. And this is
one guilt you don’t want to carry around for life, was my message to people.
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5.Mentorship process and reflections
My mentors name is, Edwina Pereira, R.N., M.N., Medical Law and Ethics,{PG Dip} retired in 2019 as
Executive Director- Child First Foundation, a budding NGO focusing on promoting child safety,
wellbeing and health. She was Director - Training in International Services Association, INSA India
with over 30 years of facilitating public health, development, child protection, HIV, gender and
evaluation in several countries. She is a Health Management graduate of Global Health Action, Atlanta,
USA. She dreams of a world where all children grow to their full God given potential happily. She is a
National Trainer for NHSRC’s Comprehensive Primary Health Care progrmme. She is a National
Mentor in the pilot Community Health Officer’s Mentoring Programme managed by CMC Vellore and
NHSRC. She is a trainer facilitator for promoting inclusion of people with sexual and gender diversity
in varied settings including churches. She facilitates development of child safeguarding, gender
inclusion, TQM, HIV workplace policies and guidelines for government, non government and faith
based organizations. She is a CRY Research Fellow. She lives in Bangalore with her spouse, mother in
law, two children, their spouses and her granddaughter.
Edwina has been a great source of support for me as initially I hardly connected with her to be frank it
was just formality sake I had thought but from the moment I spoke to her there was ease and comfort ,
and she’s an amazing listener. She encourage me all the time and kept motivating me to say I’m the
best and am doing my best .
She always kept in touch with me and kept messaging and calling me even if I missed her call or didn’t
reply to her messages .
She explained to me in details about things I didn’t understand and motivated and guided me a lot
during my fellowship and encouraged me to complete my work and not to hesitate to ask for help.
I never expected to write reflections or make a project report and had given up as I felt I couldn’t write
but she pushed me and said I can do it and here I am writing my report all thanks to Edwina.
Karthik who has been a great support throughout this fellowship. I have never hesitated to reach out to
him for anything whether related to CHLP or not and he has always smiled listened patiently and
helped out. Things wouldn’t be the same if he wouldn’t be around. I connected with him right from the
beginning and I’m sure it will go a long way.
Janelle Fernandes sessions were interesting and I liked the way she would get out the SEPCE/SDH in
most of her explanations . she made learning easy and interesting. Janelle has an amazing way of
explaining things in a very easy manner to understand and with examples.
I met her personally during the CHH CONFLUENCE, she was just like a friend that I knew from ages
ago, and more like family to me apart from our fellowship discussions we would talk about our families
and kids too.
I would like to start off by saying I miss Radhika, she was such a sweet person who took care of us so
well during the confluence. She was extremely helpful and easily accessible to make sure we were
comfortable and our requirements were taken care of. She understood us and was like one among us
and never made us feel like an outsider.
In short from teaching to being a friend philosopher and guide, facilitate learning, mutual growth and
understanding.
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6.Project learning experience.
➢ Enabling communities and community health providers for health action.
➢ The project contributes to building awareness and to improve on medical and social care of the
marginalized population.
➢ I was initially confused as to what topic do I do my project on. I had more than 1 topic on mind
and didn’t know which one to choose. I was highly confused and didn’t know if I was picking the
right one.
➢ Edwina my mentor guided my in finalizing the topic of my project and I am glad I choose to do a
topic that’s really close to me and something I was working on for a very long time, finally I got to
implement it and get to the depth of it through this project.
➢ I named my project” Hope and Beyond”.
➢ I have been working with juveniles/inmates of observation/correctional homes in Bangalore. The
program focuses on special needs of young women who have been caught in immoral trafficking
and other illegal acts defined as per law. This project aims at concerns of these residents in order to
make the correctional facility a place that gives them a second chance to build upon and hope for a
better future, by providing the with different skill development certified programs.
➢ They face a lot of health issues .
➢ These project helps the residents to unload the current emotional hurdles of the past and empower
with a positive approach to a new beginning once they are out in the free world.
➢ Initially it was extremely difficult to make them come and attend the classes and build trust and
confidence with them, once this was achieved things became easier as I got to understand their
mind set and what they were going through and to help them in building confidence in themselves
and overcome their fears and make goals and achieve them.
➢ We had a batch of 23 girls who had come from different state homes located across different cities
from Karnataka. Training was provided to them along with personal one on one interview facing
techniques and as a result the a proud moment was when 11 girls were absorbed by Savage, 3 by
Biocon and 1 by Anganwadi teacher.
➢ My experience during this project was that never underestimate any individual no matter what
situations they are in, just keep motivating them and encouraging them to move ahead in life and
not stop. As my focus in this skill development project was to help focus on skilling and
empowering with a positive approach to a new beginning once they are out in the free.
➢ There were many hygiene related and health issues, mental health issues, for which awareness
and knowledge was given and explained how to overcome it and stay healthy .it made me happy
as these girls move ahead in life
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➢ Group and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion resulting in little control
over their lives and the resources available to them- due to unequal power relationships across
economical, social, political and cultural dimensions.
▪ Eg:- Women , people with disabilities, sexual minorities, schedule caste and tribes,
elderly population, children, migrants, etc
▪ Accountability lies with all.
7.Take away from CHLP and Looking Ahead- Where do I go from here?
➢ CHLP has giving me a different approach to look at things, the way this programme was
designed and executed was amazing. Each module was an exception by itself , we had qualified
experienced facilitators who were extremely compatible and made learning so interesting and
easy that our sessions always went over time. All our quires and questions were answered and
given in detailing we never expected.
➢ We had a great team of co learners and fellows which bonded really well and helped each other
in whatever way they could. each person I interacted with were outstanding and an example by
themselves, each one out here is so talented and experienced , it was amazing to know about
them and the work done by them. sometimes listening to their stories or discussions I used to be
in awe that people like this also exist in today’s world.
➢ CHLP- SOCHARA has taught me to learn values, knowledge, attitudes and skills that are
required for community based public health actions requires an alternative teaching learning
methodology{PEDAGOGY}. It calls for great experimental and group/ community based
learning self-directed learning and learning through study-reflection-action cycles.
Develop a critical mass of community health practitioners cum activists with scholarship,
competence and commitment to work towards HEALTH FOR ALL:-The SOPHEA Vision.
Along term process!!!!
▪
▪
▪
I started my career as a teacher way back in 2005. It was in the year 2015 I realized that I was
more of a community service person post which till date I enjoy being connected with community
service.
My focus has always been to provide sustainable relief and holistic development for communities
with an aim to empower them, so they can break the vicious cycle of poverty and become
contributing members of the society and nation at large. Over the last two years, It has been
overwhelming beneficial as I got better practical exposure to the current status of community
health in our society during Covid-19 pandemic.
As a public health worker my goal in community-focused care will be to enhance healthcare
services and patient outcomes in targeted populations. By applying public health theory on a local,
personalized level, community I would like to cater services to a specific demographic and bring a
sense of wellness to communities that would otherwise lack proper access to care.
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▪
▪
▪
I also would like to engage in community health and identify how variables related to
socioeconomic status — such as income levels, nutrition, crime, and other resources — impact
people and also determine how the community’s medical and educational resources contribute to
people lifestyles and improvements
To develop some of the basic skills required or at least be able to recognize what skills are
required and the develop on them and improvise it. thus, finally I may be able to decide how to
pursue my career further and in depth and what field.
Will definitely stay in touch with SOCHARA and look for guidance from them at every step , last
but not the least would like to thank each and everyone out here a few I have mentioned:- Dr.
Ravi Narayan, Dr.Thelma, Dr. Prithvish, Dr. Denis Xavier, Guru, Prasanna, Suresh, Chander,
Janelle Fernndes, Radhika, Karthik, Uma Chaitanya, Maria ,Mallesh, Ranjeetha.
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PART B
Skilling Women at Govt Correctional Facilities
Collaboration with Women & Child Welfare Department-Government ofKarnataka
Summary
.
As a Program Manager working with an non-profit organization, my focus has been to provide
sustainable relief through skilling and a holistic development for these women.
Although it is commendable that the government has provided such facilities for the development of
the women, a serious fallacy is to be noted, is that these women are given minimal training during their
stay, the training enable them to integrate in the society such that they do not fall back into the same
vicious circle of petty offences. The aim of correctional facilities is to train these young women to
become responsible adults. Although global research studies indicate that strategically planned
intervention programs can strongly reduce overall recidivism rates among juvenile offenders,
unfortunately inadequate attention has been paid to their personal growth and development.
PROBLEMS
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Youth/women exploitation is on rise.
Social, economic and psychological issues.
Lack of administration support to individuals who are in conflict with law.
Lack of structured interventions and rehabilitation options available.
INTERVENTIONS
To train young girls/women to be emotionally strong.
Enhance individuals with skills for a dignified livelihood.
.Tailor-made program aimed specifically to address pre- existing behavioral
and cognitive issues.
To make Govt correctional centers as training and empowerment centers.
RESULTS
RE integration into Society
• Dignified life
• Contribution to Nation development
• Reduction of percentage of residents going back to immoral practices.
• Enabling eco-system built over a period of time in
observation/correctional homes.
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Also, unfortunately, due to no efficient mechanism to deal with social reintegration, most of these
women fall back into the same patterns. Therefore, it is imperative that progressive correctional home
reforms in the above stated areas take place, for the development of these women.
Our employability skill development programs are designed to suit the learning requirements of
residents of such homes. The program helps the residents to build their potential to become ready for a
wage or self-employment and become economically independent.
Our programs are designed by experts in partnership with International Skill Development
Society(ISDS) and District Legal Services Authority(DLSA-Nagpur).
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESS
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Potential residents
Collaboration with
NGO’s or like minded
Infrastructure with inhouse resources
Administration support
THREATS/ CHALLENGES
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Over crowded residents
Violence
Mental Abuse
Lack of administration support
Unhygienic surrounding
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Separation from family
Low self confidence
Poor physical health
Weak mental health
OPPORTUNITIES
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NGO’s intervention
Planned skilling opportunities
Emotional and physical health
programs
Creating safer societies
Courses currently offered
Course A Basics In Beauty Therapy & Hair Styling /
Advance In Beauty Therapy & Hair Styling
Duration: Approx 4 sessions per week (each session 2-3hrs)
Trainers: Sessions shall be facilitated by subject matter experts with min 10yrs experience
Topics Covered:
• Basic Hygiene
• Cleanliness
• Oil Massage
• Shampoo and Conditioning
• Moisturizer
• Facials
• Manicure and Pedicure
• Threading
• Basic Make-up
• Hair Styles and Braiding
Course B -Basics Spoken English
Duration: Approx 4 sessions per week (each session 2-3hrs)
Trainers: Sessions shall be facilitated by subject matter experts with min 15yrs experience
Topics Covered:
• Spoken English: Letter & Sound Association
• Syllables and words
• Sight Words
• Constructing Sentences
• Grammar Et al.
• Tenses in Sentences
• Listening Skills & Comprehension
• Reading Skills and Comprehension
Communication:
• Voice Modulation
• Intonation
• Proper Pronunciation
• Building Confidence to Speak
• Eye Contact and its Importance
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Etiquettes:
• Body Language, non-verbal communication
• Table Manners
• Phone Etiquettes and its Importance
Role-play:
• Teacher – Student
• Employer – Employee
• Attending Interviews
Course C -Digital Literacy
Duration: Approx 6 sessions per week (each session 2-3hrs)
Trainers: Sessions shall be facilitated by subject matter experts with min 5 yrs experience
Topics Covered:
•Introduction to computers
(Importance, main parts, special keys, cyber crime and security, etc)
•common computer terminology (Hardware and software, paint, Microsoft word, internet,
creating and saving a file)
• Computer performance and content (different types of computers, types of communication,\
educational and entertainment programs and their uses, common functions on an operating
system, minimum requirements for a software )
• Computer operating system (detailed explanation on windows 8 and above, work with
windows 8 interface within programs, manage files and
Folders in windows explorer)
• Computer handling and career opportunities (perform basic files operations, role of memory,
identify the different career opportunities available for a computer literate person, importance
of computers with regard to career)
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Stakeholders
Women and Child Welfare Development Department –Government
Bangalore- The major thrust of the programme of the department of women
and child development is to ensure the all round development of children
and empowerment of women. The department aims at economics
development and integration of women into the mainstream of economy,
equity and social justices. The strategy adopted for the programmes in the
areas of women’s development involves empowerment of women through awareness
generation, education and greater emphasis on skill development and income generating
activities. So as to enable women to enhance their earning capacity and status in life.
ISDS- International Skill Development Society operates various skills
development, empowerment & training programmes, focusing largely on
women and youth. The initiatives aim to improve the employability of different population
including Juveniles, school drop-outs, destitute women, differently abled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers. ISDS skills training programmes are implemented as integrated components of
livelihood and community development and education projects as well as stand-alone
projects. Programmes include handling basic office automation, fire and safety, basic computer
literacy, beautician training, tailoring and handicrafts. Besides providing skills training, ISDS
also work to facilitate skills training through linking beneficiaries to external initiatives by
NGO’s, companies and the government.
Project Smile Trust- We are a non-profit organization endeavoring
to bring smiles upon people\'s faces in hope that Lord Almighty may
smile upon us. We are a group of individuals from different walks of life
united for the goal of serving humanity with dignity, care, love ,
compassion and most of all to bring a joyful smile to people\'s faces.
Vihaan- Vihaan works at the grassroots to fight human trafficking and other forms of
exploitation by protecting those who are vulnerable and making every effort to prevent the
crime from taking place. We provide survivor’s access to legal support leading to justice and
partner with frontline organizations to provide women, men and children with futures that are
safe and secure.
Social Integration:
We strongly believe in success of any intervention can only be measured by positive end results.
Here upon successful completion of training 11 girls have been absorbed by large organizations and
designated as sales, production unit staff and a few as anganwadi teachers.
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Gallery-
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Annexure
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THANK YOU
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- Media
Zahra.pdf
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