Twenty years ago, Suman was born in the confines of a thatched hut; her home before she got married at the age of 16. Her mother didn’t consume iron tablets, or undergo regular prenatal check-ups during any of her 6 pregnancies, much like the other women in the village. Lack of facilities, but more importantly, lack of awareness prevented them from knowing better. Today, the same cannot be said about Suman, who is expecting her second child.I met Suman during my visit to a “Mother’s...
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For decades, India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh has been performing poorly on many socio-economic fronts. Leading amongst these are exceptionally high maternal and infant mortality rates. Often, pregnancy and child birth are accompanied by several avoidable complications and risks like disease, infection and even death. In the face of all this, and to combat such problems, CARE is implementing a project to help pregnant women in rural Uttar Pradesh gain access to information, resources and support groups. The project works on individual, household and...
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This Valentine’s Day spending some quality time with my husband was a big bonus. Given our busy schedules, we decided to make time for ourselves. A leisurely lunch and a thoughtful gift presented with this soulful couplet made my day complete. suna hai mohabbat mein hadein nahin hoti, gar hoti hai hadh, to wahan mohabbat nahin hoti(I have heard that there are no boundaries when you love someone, if there are boundaries then love is absent)This couplet speaks a lot about breaking down barriers and communication...
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Today I would like to introduce you to a formidable woman from a small village in Uttar Pradesh who symbolizes the shakti or power in a woman. Chaman Bano, a 42 year old spunky woman, never went to a management school, but manages the needs of her village with an ease of a veteran. As the elected female representative of her village, she is inspiring other women to follow her example. The respect and admiration in her village is hard won and the path has...
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In the Barabanki District of Uttar Pradesh, many children don’t live to see their fifth birthday due to little or no access to health care.  Childbirth is dangerous for mothers and babies and childhood diseases are rampant.  But this is changing and Join My Village is excited to be part of the solution!    In many rural villages, pregnant women have few easily available medical resources.  Hospitals are far away and many women lack the basic knowledge of how to take care of a newborn.  That’s...
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