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Nepal
How cultural traditions affect women’s health
High up in the mountains of central northern Nepal, not far from the Tibetan border
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Nepal
How cultural traditions affect women’s health
High up in the mountains of central northern Nepal, not far from the Tibetan border, lies the district of Rasuwa.
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| 23 June 2022
A unique sisterhood ensures there is light at the end of the tunnel
24-year-old Muzhgan Qurashi has lived all her life in the Balkh province of Afghanistan, which is 20 kms northwest of the provincial capital of Mazar-e-Sharif. She has a family of eight people-- her mother, two sisters, one brother, his wife and their three children—and she is the principal bread earner. Since childhood, she has witnessed gender discrimination and disregard for women’s rights. She saw several of her aunts and cousins struggle with complicated pregnancies and die of complications. She grew up seeing women unable to speak about issues that affected them, including their health. They rarely talked about their problems and when they did get down to seeking medical attention, their condition had significantly worsened. “As a child I saw women die during childbirth. It pained me to see them suffer. Worse still was the brood of children most deceased women left behind, including adolescent girls, who too were unaware of their sexual and reproductive health and rights.” Muzhgan Quraishi, Supervisor for Balkh Province under the Japanese Supplementary Budget supported AFGA project. According to the United Nations data, Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world where an estimated 638 women die per 100,000 live births. Poverty, lack of access to health services and gender inequality contribute to these tragically high numbers. Fewer than 60% births are overseen by skilled health professionals. When Muzhgan got into a conversation with a gynaecologist in the local provincial hospital she learnt that many of the women’s lives could have been saved had they received timely medical attention. This prompted her to do a course in midwifery after her graduation with the sole purpose of creating greater awareness around women’s sexual and reproductive health (SRHR). She convinced her family, telling them she wanted to help women and she felt strongly about the fact that while they could discuss and seek help for their other health needs like dental problem, eye issues, cardiac ailments, physical aches and pains, SRHR did not fall in the same category. There was shame, embarrassment, humiliation and an overall inability to prioritize this aspect of their lives. She wanted to ensure this silent suffering of women was alleviated and they learnt to seek timely help through reliable and trusted sources, which in the Afghan setting is usually through a member of the same gender. After completing a course in midwifery, Muzhgan was working in the community and was associated with several health care facilities. She was making house visits to assist women in their deliveries and doing pre and post natal check-ups when she heard about the JSB-AFGA project. She found this to be a perfect opportunity to learn new things and was excited about applying digital health interventions, which was the USP of the project, to improve outreach services for adolescent girls and women. Her family was initially reluctant to allow her to travel to Kabul for the training, organized by the Afghan Family Guidance Association (AFGA), but her enthusiasm and commitment convinced them. During the training, she met nine other supervisors who were part of the project. The insights and conversations built a camaraderie and they shared issues that they were facing and also solutions which they could all adapt to suit their context. The supervisors resolved to stay in touch and started a WhatsApp group so they could share with one another what they were doing and seek advice on special cases. Each Supervisor was assigned a group of midwives in their province who they were regularly in touch with for any handholding support they may need as they went about providing door-to-door SRHR services. Muzhgan feels that the timing of her training and induction into the project was for a reason. She could provide valuable support to women at one of the most critical moments of Afghanistan’s history. Women now needed guidance more than ever before. Their contact with the external world had become limited. Health facilities were not working optimally. However, the new regime had allowed outreach health workers and midwives to move around and provide services to households. The role of midwives and Supervisors like her therefore had become extremely relevant. Women had all kinds of questions and no one reliable to turn to. From seeking birth control pills and condoms to confiding about sexually transmitted infections and questions around breastfeeding, menstrual hygiene and other gynaecological issues, they had so many concerns, fears and dilemmas. The JSB-AFGA project prepared the 10 Supervisors including Muzhgan not only to reach women in conflict prone provinces with lifesaving services but also showed them how in a grave humanitarian crisis, they could still be relevant and of use to the people they were mandated to serve. Between their in-person visits and mobile phones/tablets they were always in touch with the women and families under their care. She places on record how the last few months have changed her in many ways. She says, “We learnt to use technology not just to communicate but save lives. Benefits of interacting with gynaecologists/ obstetricians whose expertise was available to us for complicated cases and meeting other women supervisors and midwives from across the country was immense. We always knew women had a strong bond amongst themselves. Through the midwifery training and the JSB project I feel so much more confident of helping hundreds of women who are in desperate need of services.” In a first-of-its-kind initiative, 150 midwives have been trained through a simulation based digital platform to reach over 45,000 households in 10 conflict prone provinces during 2021–2022. This has been a noteworthy initiative for many reasons. Afghanistan has a high rate of maternal mortality. Women get married young and have little access to sexual and reproductive services, leading to frequent and numerous pregnancies, high risk of complications and a lot of stigma and shame attached to a subject that is still considered taboo. The JSB-AFGA project - A community-led intervention was launched in mid-2021.
| 30 April 2022
A unique sisterhood ensures there is light at the end of the tunnel
24-year-old Muzhgan Qurashi has lived all her life in the Balkh province of Afghanistan, which is 20 kms northwest of the provincial capital of Mazar-e-Sharif. She has a family of eight people-- her mother, two sisters, one brother, his wife and their three children—and she is the principal bread earner. Since childhood, she has witnessed gender discrimination and disregard for women’s rights. She saw several of her aunts and cousins struggle with complicated pregnancies and die of complications. She grew up seeing women unable to speak about issues that affected them, including their health. They rarely talked about their problems and when they did get down to seeking medical attention, their condition had significantly worsened. “As a child I saw women die during childbirth. It pained me to see them suffer. Worse still was the brood of children most deceased women left behind, including adolescent girls, who too were unaware of their sexual and reproductive health and rights.” Muzhgan Quraishi, Supervisor for Balkh Province under the Japanese Supplementary Budget supported AFGA project. According to the United Nations data, Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world where an estimated 638 women die per 100,000 live births. Poverty, lack of access to health services and gender inequality contribute to these tragically high numbers. Fewer than 60% births are overseen by skilled health professionals. When Muzhgan got into a conversation with a gynaecologist in the local provincial hospital she learnt that many of the women’s lives could have been saved had they received timely medical attention. This prompted her to do a course in midwifery after her graduation with the sole purpose of creating greater awareness around women’s sexual and reproductive health (SRHR). She convinced her family, telling them she wanted to help women and she felt strongly about the fact that while they could discuss and seek help for their other health needs like dental problem, eye issues, cardiac ailments, physical aches and pains, SRHR did not fall in the same category. There was shame, embarrassment, humiliation and an overall inability to prioritize this aspect of their lives. She wanted to ensure this silent suffering of women was alleviated and they learnt to seek timely help through reliable and trusted sources, which in the Afghan setting is usually through a member of the same gender. After completing a course in midwifery, Muzhgan was working in the community and was associated with several health care facilities. She was making house visits to assist women in their deliveries and doing pre and post natal check-ups when she heard about the JSB-AFGA project. She found this to be a perfect opportunity to learn new things and was excited about applying digital health interventions, which was the USP of the project, to improve outreach services for adolescent girls and women. Her family was initially reluctant to allow her to travel to Kabul for the training, organized by the Afghan Family Guidance Association (AFGA), but her enthusiasm and commitment convinced them. During the training, she met nine other supervisors who were part of the project. The insights and conversations built a camaraderie and they shared issues that they were facing and also solutions which they could all adapt to suit their context. The supervisors resolved to stay in touch and started a WhatsApp group so they could share with one another what they were doing and seek advice on special cases. Each Supervisor was assigned a group of midwives in their province who they were regularly in touch with for any handholding support they may need as they went about providing door-to-door SRHR services. Muzhgan feels that the timing of her training and induction into the project was for a reason. She could provide valuable support to women at one of the most critical moments of Afghanistan’s history. Women now needed guidance more than ever before. Their contact with the external world had become limited. Health facilities were not working optimally. However, the new regime had allowed outreach health workers and midwives to move around and provide services to households. The role of midwives and Supervisors like her therefore had become extremely relevant. Women had all kinds of questions and no one reliable to turn to. From seeking birth control pills and condoms to confiding about sexually transmitted infections and questions around breastfeeding, menstrual hygiene and other gynaecological issues, they had so many concerns, fears and dilemmas. The JSB-AFGA project prepared the 10 Supervisors including Muzhgan not only to reach women in conflict prone provinces with lifesaving services but also showed them how in a grave humanitarian crisis, they could still be relevant and of use to the people they were mandated to serve. Between their in-person visits and mobile phones/tablets they were always in touch with the women and families under their care. She places on record how the last few months have changed her in many ways. She says, “We learnt to use technology not just to communicate but save lives. Benefits of interacting with gynaecologists/ obstetricians whose expertise was available to us for complicated cases and meeting other women supervisors and midwives from across the country was immense. We always knew women had a strong bond amongst themselves. Through the midwifery training and the JSB project I feel so much more confident of helping hundreds of women who are in desperate need of services.” In a first-of-its-kind initiative, 150 midwives have been trained through a simulation based digital platform to reach over 45,000 households in 10 conflict prone provinces during 2021–2022. This has been a noteworthy initiative for many reasons. Afghanistan has a high rate of maternal mortality. Women get married young and have little access to sexual and reproductive services, leading to frequent and numerous pregnancies, high risk of complications and a lot of stigma and shame attached to a subject that is still considered taboo. The JSB-AFGA project - A community-led intervention was launched in mid-2021.
| 11 August 2017
How cultural traditions affect women’s health
High up in the mountains of central northern Nepal, not far from the Tibetan border, lies the district of Rasuwa. The people here are mainly ethnic Tamang and Sherpa, two indigenous groups with cultural traditions stretching back centuries But these rich cultural traditions can come hand-in-hand with severe social problems, compounded by entrenched poverty and very low literacy rates. Binu Koraila is a health facility mentor for the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) in Rasuwa. "Stigma, myths and cultural practices can have a damaging effect on sexual health, family planning and women’s rights", she says. Misconceptions about contraception are widespread. “People think the intrauterine coil will go into the brain or will fall out. They think the contraceptive implant will penetrate into the muscles.” Funeral rites present another problem. “Men who want a vasectomy need permission from their parents,” she explains. “But it’s thought that men who have had vasectomies won’t be able to perform the rituals after their parent’s death: parents think that God won’t accept that, so they don’t allow men to have vasectomies.” The culture here is strongly patriarchal. Among the Tamang, marriage involves boys or men picking out young girls from their communities.Early and forced marriage is widespread among the Tamang. If chosen, the girls have no choice but to get married. “If a boy likes a girl, they can just snatch them and take them to their house,” Binu says. Some girls are as young as 13 years old. “The girls don’t know enough about family planning, so there is a lot of teenage pregnancy.” Early marriage and teenage pregnancy can create all kinds of physical, emotional, social and economic problems for girls and their families. For many, their bodies are not well developed enough for childbirth, and maternal mortality remains a major problem in Nepal, at 258 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to UNFPA data. Their large families also suffer because there is not enough food and money to go around. “Women are the worst affected,” Binu says. Parents and husbands keep strict control of women’s access to contraception. “If they want to use contraception, women tend to need consent from their parents or husbands. “I have seen cases where if a woman gets contraceptive implant services, they get beaten by their father-in-law and husband. One woman asked to have her implant removed because she had been beaten by her husband.” Binu’s role is to deliver sexual health and family planning advice and services to villages across Rasuwa district: “I go to remote places, where people are marginalised and don’t know about family planning.” She also trains government health workers on family planning, and mentors them after they return from training in Kathmandu to Rasuwa. As well as delivering health services, the FPAN team have been working hard to change perceptions. “Recently we had a health camp at Gatland,” she explains. "After two hours of counselling one client requested an IUD. After months there was a rumour in Gatlang that her coil had fallen out. The FPAN volunteer went to the woman’s house and asked if this was true. She said, ‘No, I’m really comfortable with that service.’ After that, the client went door to door and told others how happy she was with it and that they should take it at the next family planning camp. “After four or five months, we went back to the Gatlang camp and at that time another eight women took the IUD.” These numbers might seem small but they are far less so when viewed against the wall of stigma and myth that can obstruct contraception use here, as in so many rural areas of Nepal. The involvement of committed, passionate health mentors and volunteers is vital to show people how important it is to take sexual health and family planning seriously: the benefits are felt not just by women and their families, but by entire communities.
| 12 December 2024
How cultural traditions affect women’s health
High up in the mountains of central northern Nepal, not far from the Tibetan border, lies the district of Rasuwa. The people here are mainly ethnic Tamang and Sherpa, two indigenous groups with cultural traditions stretching back centuries But these rich cultural traditions can come hand-in-hand with severe social problems, compounded by entrenched poverty and very low literacy rates. Binu Koraila is a health facility mentor for the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) in Rasuwa. "Stigma, myths and cultural practices can have a damaging effect on sexual health, family planning and women’s rights", she says. Misconceptions about contraception are widespread. “People think the intrauterine coil will go into the brain or will fall out. They think the contraceptive implant will penetrate into the muscles.” Funeral rites present another problem. “Men who want a vasectomy need permission from their parents,” she explains. “But it’s thought that men who have had vasectomies won’t be able to perform the rituals after their parent’s death: parents think that God won’t accept that, so they don’t allow men to have vasectomies.” The culture here is strongly patriarchal. Among the Tamang, marriage involves boys or men picking out young girls from their communities.Early and forced marriage is widespread among the Tamang. If chosen, the girls have no choice but to get married. “If a boy likes a girl, they can just snatch them and take them to their house,” Binu says. Some girls are as young as 13 years old. “The girls don’t know enough about family planning, so there is a lot of teenage pregnancy.” Early marriage and teenage pregnancy can create all kinds of physical, emotional, social and economic problems for girls and their families. For many, their bodies are not well developed enough for childbirth, and maternal mortality remains a major problem in Nepal, at 258 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to UNFPA data. Their large families also suffer because there is not enough food and money to go around. “Women are the worst affected,” Binu says. Parents and husbands keep strict control of women’s access to contraception. “If they want to use contraception, women tend to need consent from their parents or husbands. “I have seen cases where if a woman gets contraceptive implant services, they get beaten by their father-in-law and husband. One woman asked to have her implant removed because she had been beaten by her husband.” Binu’s role is to deliver sexual health and family planning advice and services to villages across Rasuwa district: “I go to remote places, where people are marginalised and don’t know about family planning.” She also trains government health workers on family planning, and mentors them after they return from training in Kathmandu to Rasuwa. As well as delivering health services, the FPAN team have been working hard to change perceptions. “Recently we had a health camp at Gatland,” she explains. "After two hours of counselling one client requested an IUD. After months there was a rumour in Gatlang that her coil had fallen out. The FPAN volunteer went to the woman’s house and asked if this was true. She said, ‘No, I’m really comfortable with that service.’ After that, the client went door to door and told others how happy she was with it and that they should take it at the next family planning camp. “After four or five months, we went back to the Gatlang camp and at that time another eight women took the IUD.” These numbers might seem small but they are far less so when viewed against the wall of stigma and myth that can obstruct contraception use here, as in so many rural areas of Nepal. The involvement of committed, passionate health mentors and volunteers is vital to show people how important it is to take sexual health and family planning seriously: the benefits are felt not just by women and their families, but by entire communities.
| 11 August 2017
Waiting for an ambulance that never arrives: childbirth without medical help in rural Nepal
“When I was about to give birth, we called for an ambulance or a vehicle to help but even after five hours of calling, no vehicle arrived,” recalls 32-year-old Mona Shrestha. “The birth was difficult. For five hours I had to suffer from delivery complications.” Mona’s story is a familiar one for women in rural Nepal. Like thousands of women across the country, she lives in a small, remote village, at the end of a winding, potholed road. There are no permanent medical facilities or staff based in the village of Bakultar: medical camps occasionally arrive to dispense services, but they are few and far between. Life here is tough. The main livelihood is farming: both men and women toil in the fields during the day, and in the mornings and evenings, women take care of their children and carry out household chores. The nearest birthing centre is an hour’s drive away. Few families can afford to rent a seat in a car, and so are forced to do the journey on foot. For pregnant women walking in the searing heat, this journey can be arduous, even life-threatening. “Fifteen years ago, there was a woman who helped women give birth here, but she’s no longer here,” Mona says. “It’s difficult for women.” Giving birth without medical help can cause severe problems for women and babies, and even death. Infant mortality remains a major problem in Nepal, and maternal mortality is one of the leading causes of death among women. Only 36% of births are attended by a doctor, nurse or midwife. A traumatic birth can cause long-term physical, psychological, social and economic problems from which women might never recover. Access to contraception and other family planning services, too, involves walking miles to the nearest health clinic. Mona says she used to use the contraceptive injection, but now uses an intrauterine device. Like many villages in Nepal, Bakultar is awash with myths and gossip about the side-effects of contraception. “There are so many side effects to these devices – I’ve heard the coil can cause cancer,” Mona says. “This is why we want to have permanent family planning like sterilisation, for both men and women.” These complaints heard frequently in villages like Bakultar. As well as access to facilities and contraception, people here desperately need access to education on contraception and sexual health and reproductive rights. Misinformation as well as a lack of information are both major problems. “It would be really helpful to have family planning services nearby,” says Mona.
| 12 December 2024
Waiting for an ambulance that never arrives: childbirth without medical help in rural Nepal
“When I was about to give birth, we called for an ambulance or a vehicle to help but even after five hours of calling, no vehicle arrived,” recalls 32-year-old Mona Shrestha. “The birth was difficult. For five hours I had to suffer from delivery complications.” Mona’s story is a familiar one for women in rural Nepal. Like thousands of women across the country, she lives in a small, remote village, at the end of a winding, potholed road. There are no permanent medical facilities or staff based in the village of Bakultar: medical camps occasionally arrive to dispense services, but they are few and far between. Life here is tough. The main livelihood is farming: both men and women toil in the fields during the day, and in the mornings and evenings, women take care of their children and carry out household chores. The nearest birthing centre is an hour’s drive away. Few families can afford to rent a seat in a car, and so are forced to do the journey on foot. For pregnant women walking in the searing heat, this journey can be arduous, even life-threatening. “Fifteen years ago, there was a woman who helped women give birth here, but she’s no longer here,” Mona says. “It’s difficult for women.” Giving birth without medical help can cause severe problems for women and babies, and even death. Infant mortality remains a major problem in Nepal, and maternal mortality is one of the leading causes of death among women. Only 36% of births are attended by a doctor, nurse or midwife. A traumatic birth can cause long-term physical, psychological, social and economic problems from which women might never recover. Access to contraception and other family planning services, too, involves walking miles to the nearest health clinic. Mona says she used to use the contraceptive injection, but now uses an intrauterine device. Like many villages in Nepal, Bakultar is awash with myths and gossip about the side-effects of contraception. “There are so many side effects to these devices – I’ve heard the coil can cause cancer,” Mona says. “This is why we want to have permanent family planning like sterilisation, for both men and women.” These complaints heard frequently in villages like Bakultar. As well as access to facilities and contraception, people here desperately need access to education on contraception and sexual health and reproductive rights. Misinformation as well as a lack of information are both major problems. “It would be really helpful to have family planning services nearby,” says Mona.
| 11 January 2017
Helping families bond together
Mariyam a 25-year-old woman, who lived in Addu Atoll in Maldives, was having a battle of wits with Ahmed, her young three year old. He threw temper tantrums and just couldn’t be disciplined. Thankfully, one day Mariyam attended a session on better parenting skills organised by Society of Health & Education (SHE). SHE was the first non-governmental organisation in Maldives to establish a family planning clinic where couples could get information, education and counselling to plan their families. It also provides psycho-social support and counselling to children and adults. Through various approaches such as play therapy, children as well as adults are helped to develop life skills and cope with the grief, anger, anguish and possible abuse in their life. During the session on parenting, Mariyam requested for help in dealing with Ahmed. Thereafter through extended telephonic counselling sessions; it was revealed that Mariyam was currently pregnant with her fourth child. Her husband worked away from home and visited occasionally during holidays. Her pregnancy, combined with childcare needs at home, was taking a toll on Mariyam, making her feel weak and irritable, even overwhelmed at times. Understanding this, the counsellor suggested that she set aside a time to play with her son every day. When Mariyam put it into practice, she discovered that all her son wanted from her was some attention. The counsellor then helped her and her husband explore different family planning options when her husband came visiting the household. Together they decided to adopt a family planning option once Mariyam had delivered. He also decided to stay on the island for a few months and work at his father’s carpentry in order to help his wife to look after the children post-delivery. The couple visited SHE clinic for counselling on contraceptives post delivery and Mariyam has been a client ever since.
| 12 December 2024
Helping families bond together
Mariyam a 25-year-old woman, who lived in Addu Atoll in Maldives, was having a battle of wits with Ahmed, her young three year old. He threw temper tantrums and just couldn’t be disciplined. Thankfully, one day Mariyam attended a session on better parenting skills organised by Society of Health & Education (SHE). SHE was the first non-governmental organisation in Maldives to establish a family planning clinic where couples could get information, education and counselling to plan their families. It also provides psycho-social support and counselling to children and adults. Through various approaches such as play therapy, children as well as adults are helped to develop life skills and cope with the grief, anger, anguish and possible abuse in their life. During the session on parenting, Mariyam requested for help in dealing with Ahmed. Thereafter through extended telephonic counselling sessions; it was revealed that Mariyam was currently pregnant with her fourth child. Her husband worked away from home and visited occasionally during holidays. Her pregnancy, combined with childcare needs at home, was taking a toll on Mariyam, making her feel weak and irritable, even overwhelmed at times. Understanding this, the counsellor suggested that she set aside a time to play with her son every day. When Mariyam put it into practice, she discovered that all her son wanted from her was some attention. The counsellor then helped her and her husband explore different family planning options when her husband came visiting the household. Together they decided to adopt a family planning option once Mariyam had delivered. He also decided to stay on the island for a few months and work at his father’s carpentry in order to help his wife to look after the children post-delivery. The couple visited SHE clinic for counselling on contraceptives post delivery and Mariyam has been a client ever since.
| 11 January 2017
Changing lives across generations
Indumati, her (now departed) mother-in-law and her three daughters-in-law represent three generations of women in Maharashtra, India who have benefitted from the services of Family Planning Association of India. All three generations have been a part of women’s collectives’ movement encouraging women to participate in the socio-economic life of the family and community. Becoming a member of the women’s collectives helped Indumati to step beyond the boundaries of her home and begin participating in the community life of the village. Be it cleanliness drives in the village or celebrating all festivals with equal fervour created spaces for the women to contribute to the social wellbeing of the village. The next stop was micro-savings for economic independence. When the women realised that the women of their and neighbouring villages don’t have any healthcare services, they approached Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) to start a clinic in their area. When FPAI agreed the women’s group pooled money and contributed towards the building of the clinic. With increased access to healthcare services came increased awareness. Most women’s group imparted training on SRHR to the collective members. Some collective members even began to stock the contraceptives provided by FPAI so that women could access them in privacy and confidentiality. Indumati has three sons and one daughter. Each of her three sons has two children each. Her daughters-in-law were able to get information and adopted family planning methods due to her involvement with the women’s collectives. The inter-generational impact of access to family planning services is clearly visible in her household.
| 12 December 2024
Changing lives across generations
Indumati, her (now departed) mother-in-law and her three daughters-in-law represent three generations of women in Maharashtra, India who have benefitted from the services of Family Planning Association of India. All three generations have been a part of women’s collectives’ movement encouraging women to participate in the socio-economic life of the family and community. Becoming a member of the women’s collectives helped Indumati to step beyond the boundaries of her home and begin participating in the community life of the village. Be it cleanliness drives in the village or celebrating all festivals with equal fervour created spaces for the women to contribute to the social wellbeing of the village. The next stop was micro-savings for economic independence. When the women realised that the women of their and neighbouring villages don’t have any healthcare services, they approached Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) to start a clinic in their area. When FPAI agreed the women’s group pooled money and contributed towards the building of the clinic. With increased access to healthcare services came increased awareness. Most women’s group imparted training on SRHR to the collective members. Some collective members even began to stock the contraceptives provided by FPAI so that women could access them in privacy and confidentiality. Indumati has three sons and one daughter. Each of her three sons has two children each. Her daughters-in-law were able to get information and adopted family planning methods due to her involvement with the women’s collectives. The inter-generational impact of access to family planning services is clearly visible in her household.
| 11 January 2017
Reconstructing life after de-addiction
Karma Pem, a mother of four boys, had the world on a silver platter till it lost it all and found it again after blood, sweat and tears. She had a cushy job in the Ministry of External Affairs in Thimphu, Bhutan. When dignitaries from other countries visited the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan, Karma would be a part of the team assigned to them. Yet due to her addiction to alcohol, she has been to her personal hell and back. She spent considerable years of her life in an alcoholic stupor. Initially, she tried to manage her addiction with periods of sobriety especially at work but eventually she was asked to leave her job. This fuelled her downward spiral into the deeper addiction bringing her literally to the streets. “Once my husband even found me begging on the street,” says Karma Pem. After trying to cope with her bouts of drunkenness, Karma’s husband left her taking their boys away from the mother. “My mother stood by me as a pillar. She never once abandoned me, no matter what I did. She contacted RENEW to find a solution to my addiction. Through them, she found a de-addiction centre in India. She persuaded me to go there and get enrolled. My mother’s persistent efforts brought me back from the brink of personal annihilation.” adds Karma. Out of her four sons and two of them are recovering addicts. Her own recovery prompted Karma to motivate her sons to go through rehabilitation and pursue their studies. One of her sons is an upcoming football player. Today, Karma has been clean for about seven years. She is determined to rebuild her life and take control of her destiny. Today she is employed in RENEW’s livelihood’s centre
| 12 December 2024
Reconstructing life after de-addiction
Karma Pem, a mother of four boys, had the world on a silver platter till it lost it all and found it again after blood, sweat and tears. She had a cushy job in the Ministry of External Affairs in Thimphu, Bhutan. When dignitaries from other countries visited the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan, Karma would be a part of the team assigned to them. Yet due to her addiction to alcohol, she has been to her personal hell and back. She spent considerable years of her life in an alcoholic stupor. Initially, she tried to manage her addiction with periods of sobriety especially at work but eventually she was asked to leave her job. This fuelled her downward spiral into the deeper addiction bringing her literally to the streets. “Once my husband even found me begging on the street,” says Karma Pem. After trying to cope with her bouts of drunkenness, Karma’s husband left her taking their boys away from the mother. “My mother stood by me as a pillar. She never once abandoned me, no matter what I did. She contacted RENEW to find a solution to my addiction. Through them, she found a de-addiction centre in India. She persuaded me to go there and get enrolled. My mother’s persistent efforts brought me back from the brink of personal annihilation.” adds Karma. Out of her four sons and two of them are recovering addicts. Her own recovery prompted Karma to motivate her sons to go through rehabilitation and pursue their studies. One of her sons is an upcoming football player. Today, Karma has been clean for about seven years. She is determined to rebuild her life and take control of her destiny. Today she is employed in RENEW’s livelihood’s centre
| 23 June 2022
A unique sisterhood ensures there is light at the end of the tunnel
24-year-old Muzhgan Qurashi has lived all her life in the Balkh province of Afghanistan, which is 20 kms northwest of the provincial capital of Mazar-e-Sharif. She has a family of eight people-- her mother, two sisters, one brother, his wife and their three children—and she is the principal bread earner. Since childhood, she has witnessed gender discrimination and disregard for women’s rights. She saw several of her aunts and cousins struggle with complicated pregnancies and die of complications. She grew up seeing women unable to speak about issues that affected them, including their health. They rarely talked about their problems and when they did get down to seeking medical attention, their condition had significantly worsened. “As a child I saw women die during childbirth. It pained me to see them suffer. Worse still was the brood of children most deceased women left behind, including adolescent girls, who too were unaware of their sexual and reproductive health and rights.” Muzhgan Quraishi, Supervisor for Balkh Province under the Japanese Supplementary Budget supported AFGA project. According to the United Nations data, Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world where an estimated 638 women die per 100,000 live births. Poverty, lack of access to health services and gender inequality contribute to these tragically high numbers. Fewer than 60% births are overseen by skilled health professionals. When Muzhgan got into a conversation with a gynaecologist in the local provincial hospital she learnt that many of the women’s lives could have been saved had they received timely medical attention. This prompted her to do a course in midwifery after her graduation with the sole purpose of creating greater awareness around women’s sexual and reproductive health (SRHR). She convinced her family, telling them she wanted to help women and she felt strongly about the fact that while they could discuss and seek help for their other health needs like dental problem, eye issues, cardiac ailments, physical aches and pains, SRHR did not fall in the same category. There was shame, embarrassment, humiliation and an overall inability to prioritize this aspect of their lives. She wanted to ensure this silent suffering of women was alleviated and they learnt to seek timely help through reliable and trusted sources, which in the Afghan setting is usually through a member of the same gender. After completing a course in midwifery, Muzhgan was working in the community and was associated with several health care facilities. She was making house visits to assist women in their deliveries and doing pre and post natal check-ups when she heard about the JSB-AFGA project. She found this to be a perfect opportunity to learn new things and was excited about applying digital health interventions, which was the USP of the project, to improve outreach services for adolescent girls and women. Her family was initially reluctant to allow her to travel to Kabul for the training, organized by the Afghan Family Guidance Association (AFGA), but her enthusiasm and commitment convinced them. During the training, she met nine other supervisors who were part of the project. The insights and conversations built a camaraderie and they shared issues that they were facing and also solutions which they could all adapt to suit their context. The supervisors resolved to stay in touch and started a WhatsApp group so they could share with one another what they were doing and seek advice on special cases. Each Supervisor was assigned a group of midwives in their province who they were regularly in touch with for any handholding support they may need as they went about providing door-to-door SRHR services. Muzhgan feels that the timing of her training and induction into the project was for a reason. She could provide valuable support to women at one of the most critical moments of Afghanistan’s history. Women now needed guidance more than ever before. Their contact with the external world had become limited. Health facilities were not working optimally. However, the new regime had allowed outreach health workers and midwives to move around and provide services to households. The role of midwives and Supervisors like her therefore had become extremely relevant. Women had all kinds of questions and no one reliable to turn to. From seeking birth control pills and condoms to confiding about sexually transmitted infections and questions around breastfeeding, menstrual hygiene and other gynaecological issues, they had so many concerns, fears and dilemmas. The JSB-AFGA project prepared the 10 Supervisors including Muzhgan not only to reach women in conflict prone provinces with lifesaving services but also showed them how in a grave humanitarian crisis, they could still be relevant and of use to the people they were mandated to serve. Between their in-person visits and mobile phones/tablets they were always in touch with the women and families under their care. She places on record how the last few months have changed her in many ways. She says, “We learnt to use technology not just to communicate but save lives. Benefits of interacting with gynaecologists/ obstetricians whose expertise was available to us for complicated cases and meeting other women supervisors and midwives from across the country was immense. We always knew women had a strong bond amongst themselves. Through the midwifery training and the JSB project I feel so much more confident of helping hundreds of women who are in desperate need of services.” In a first-of-its-kind initiative, 150 midwives have been trained through a simulation based digital platform to reach over 45,000 households in 10 conflict prone provinces during 2021–2022. This has been a noteworthy initiative for many reasons. Afghanistan has a high rate of maternal mortality. Women get married young and have little access to sexual and reproductive services, leading to frequent and numerous pregnancies, high risk of complications and a lot of stigma and shame attached to a subject that is still considered taboo. The JSB-AFGA project - A community-led intervention was launched in mid-2021.
| 30 April 2022
A unique sisterhood ensures there is light at the end of the tunnel
24-year-old Muzhgan Qurashi has lived all her life in the Balkh province of Afghanistan, which is 20 kms northwest of the provincial capital of Mazar-e-Sharif. She has a family of eight people-- her mother, two sisters, one brother, his wife and their three children—and she is the principal bread earner. Since childhood, she has witnessed gender discrimination and disregard for women’s rights. She saw several of her aunts and cousins struggle with complicated pregnancies and die of complications. She grew up seeing women unable to speak about issues that affected them, including their health. They rarely talked about their problems and when they did get down to seeking medical attention, their condition had significantly worsened. “As a child I saw women die during childbirth. It pained me to see them suffer. Worse still was the brood of children most deceased women left behind, including adolescent girls, who too were unaware of their sexual and reproductive health and rights.” Muzhgan Quraishi, Supervisor for Balkh Province under the Japanese Supplementary Budget supported AFGA project. According to the United Nations data, Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world where an estimated 638 women die per 100,000 live births. Poverty, lack of access to health services and gender inequality contribute to these tragically high numbers. Fewer than 60% births are overseen by skilled health professionals. When Muzhgan got into a conversation with a gynaecologist in the local provincial hospital she learnt that many of the women’s lives could have been saved had they received timely medical attention. This prompted her to do a course in midwifery after her graduation with the sole purpose of creating greater awareness around women’s sexual and reproductive health (SRHR). She convinced her family, telling them she wanted to help women and she felt strongly about the fact that while they could discuss and seek help for their other health needs like dental problem, eye issues, cardiac ailments, physical aches and pains, SRHR did not fall in the same category. There was shame, embarrassment, humiliation and an overall inability to prioritize this aspect of their lives. She wanted to ensure this silent suffering of women was alleviated and they learnt to seek timely help through reliable and trusted sources, which in the Afghan setting is usually through a member of the same gender. After completing a course in midwifery, Muzhgan was working in the community and was associated with several health care facilities. She was making house visits to assist women in their deliveries and doing pre and post natal check-ups when she heard about the JSB-AFGA project. She found this to be a perfect opportunity to learn new things and was excited about applying digital health interventions, which was the USP of the project, to improve outreach services for adolescent girls and women. Her family was initially reluctant to allow her to travel to Kabul for the training, organized by the Afghan Family Guidance Association (AFGA), but her enthusiasm and commitment convinced them. During the training, she met nine other supervisors who were part of the project. The insights and conversations built a camaraderie and they shared issues that they were facing and also solutions which they could all adapt to suit their context. The supervisors resolved to stay in touch and started a WhatsApp group so they could share with one another what they were doing and seek advice on special cases. Each Supervisor was assigned a group of midwives in their province who they were regularly in touch with for any handholding support they may need as they went about providing door-to-door SRHR services. Muzhgan feels that the timing of her training and induction into the project was for a reason. She could provide valuable support to women at one of the most critical moments of Afghanistan’s history. Women now needed guidance more than ever before. Their contact with the external world had become limited. Health facilities were not working optimally. However, the new regime had allowed outreach health workers and midwives to move around and provide services to households. The role of midwives and Supervisors like her therefore had become extremely relevant. Women had all kinds of questions and no one reliable to turn to. From seeking birth control pills and condoms to confiding about sexually transmitted infections and questions around breastfeeding, menstrual hygiene and other gynaecological issues, they had so many concerns, fears and dilemmas. The JSB-AFGA project prepared the 10 Supervisors including Muzhgan not only to reach women in conflict prone provinces with lifesaving services but also showed them how in a grave humanitarian crisis, they could still be relevant and of use to the people they were mandated to serve. Between their in-person visits and mobile phones/tablets they were always in touch with the women and families under their care. She places on record how the last few months have changed her in many ways. She says, “We learnt to use technology not just to communicate but save lives. Benefits of interacting with gynaecologists/ obstetricians whose expertise was available to us for complicated cases and meeting other women supervisors and midwives from across the country was immense. We always knew women had a strong bond amongst themselves. Through the midwifery training and the JSB project I feel so much more confident of helping hundreds of women who are in desperate need of services.” In a first-of-its-kind initiative, 150 midwives have been trained through a simulation based digital platform to reach over 45,000 households in 10 conflict prone provinces during 2021–2022. This has been a noteworthy initiative for many reasons. Afghanistan has a high rate of maternal mortality. Women get married young and have little access to sexual and reproductive services, leading to frequent and numerous pregnancies, high risk of complications and a lot of stigma and shame attached to a subject that is still considered taboo. The JSB-AFGA project - A community-led intervention was launched in mid-2021.
| 11 August 2017
How cultural traditions affect women’s health
High up in the mountains of central northern Nepal, not far from the Tibetan border, lies the district of Rasuwa. The people here are mainly ethnic Tamang and Sherpa, two indigenous groups with cultural traditions stretching back centuries But these rich cultural traditions can come hand-in-hand with severe social problems, compounded by entrenched poverty and very low literacy rates. Binu Koraila is a health facility mentor for the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) in Rasuwa. "Stigma, myths and cultural practices can have a damaging effect on sexual health, family planning and women’s rights", she says. Misconceptions about contraception are widespread. “People think the intrauterine coil will go into the brain or will fall out. They think the contraceptive implant will penetrate into the muscles.” Funeral rites present another problem. “Men who want a vasectomy need permission from their parents,” she explains. “But it’s thought that men who have had vasectomies won’t be able to perform the rituals after their parent’s death: parents think that God won’t accept that, so they don’t allow men to have vasectomies.” The culture here is strongly patriarchal. Among the Tamang, marriage involves boys or men picking out young girls from their communities.Early and forced marriage is widespread among the Tamang. If chosen, the girls have no choice but to get married. “If a boy likes a girl, they can just snatch them and take them to their house,” Binu says. Some girls are as young as 13 years old. “The girls don’t know enough about family planning, so there is a lot of teenage pregnancy.” Early marriage and teenage pregnancy can create all kinds of physical, emotional, social and economic problems for girls and their families. For many, their bodies are not well developed enough for childbirth, and maternal mortality remains a major problem in Nepal, at 258 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to UNFPA data. Their large families also suffer because there is not enough food and money to go around. “Women are the worst affected,” Binu says. Parents and husbands keep strict control of women’s access to contraception. “If they want to use contraception, women tend to need consent from their parents or husbands. “I have seen cases where if a woman gets contraceptive implant services, they get beaten by their father-in-law and husband. One woman asked to have her implant removed because she had been beaten by her husband.” Binu’s role is to deliver sexual health and family planning advice and services to villages across Rasuwa district: “I go to remote places, where people are marginalised and don’t know about family planning.” She also trains government health workers on family planning, and mentors them after they return from training in Kathmandu to Rasuwa. As well as delivering health services, the FPAN team have been working hard to change perceptions. “Recently we had a health camp at Gatland,” she explains. "After two hours of counselling one client requested an IUD. After months there was a rumour in Gatlang that her coil had fallen out. The FPAN volunteer went to the woman’s house and asked if this was true. She said, ‘No, I’m really comfortable with that service.’ After that, the client went door to door and told others how happy she was with it and that they should take it at the next family planning camp. “After four or five months, we went back to the Gatlang camp and at that time another eight women took the IUD.” These numbers might seem small but they are far less so when viewed against the wall of stigma and myth that can obstruct contraception use here, as in so many rural areas of Nepal. The involvement of committed, passionate health mentors and volunteers is vital to show people how important it is to take sexual health and family planning seriously: the benefits are felt not just by women and their families, but by entire communities.
| 12 December 2024
How cultural traditions affect women’s health
High up in the mountains of central northern Nepal, not far from the Tibetan border, lies the district of Rasuwa. The people here are mainly ethnic Tamang and Sherpa, two indigenous groups with cultural traditions stretching back centuries But these rich cultural traditions can come hand-in-hand with severe social problems, compounded by entrenched poverty and very low literacy rates. Binu Koraila is a health facility mentor for the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) in Rasuwa. "Stigma, myths and cultural practices can have a damaging effect on sexual health, family planning and women’s rights", she says. Misconceptions about contraception are widespread. “People think the intrauterine coil will go into the brain or will fall out. They think the contraceptive implant will penetrate into the muscles.” Funeral rites present another problem. “Men who want a vasectomy need permission from their parents,” she explains. “But it’s thought that men who have had vasectomies won’t be able to perform the rituals after their parent’s death: parents think that God won’t accept that, so they don’t allow men to have vasectomies.” The culture here is strongly patriarchal. Among the Tamang, marriage involves boys or men picking out young girls from their communities.Early and forced marriage is widespread among the Tamang. If chosen, the girls have no choice but to get married. “If a boy likes a girl, they can just snatch them and take them to their house,” Binu says. Some girls are as young as 13 years old. “The girls don’t know enough about family planning, so there is a lot of teenage pregnancy.” Early marriage and teenage pregnancy can create all kinds of physical, emotional, social and economic problems for girls and their families. For many, their bodies are not well developed enough for childbirth, and maternal mortality remains a major problem in Nepal, at 258 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to UNFPA data. Their large families also suffer because there is not enough food and money to go around. “Women are the worst affected,” Binu says. Parents and husbands keep strict control of women’s access to contraception. “If they want to use contraception, women tend to need consent from their parents or husbands. “I have seen cases where if a woman gets contraceptive implant services, they get beaten by their father-in-law and husband. One woman asked to have her implant removed because she had been beaten by her husband.” Binu’s role is to deliver sexual health and family planning advice and services to villages across Rasuwa district: “I go to remote places, where people are marginalised and don’t know about family planning.” She also trains government health workers on family planning, and mentors them after they return from training in Kathmandu to Rasuwa. As well as delivering health services, the FPAN team have been working hard to change perceptions. “Recently we had a health camp at Gatland,” she explains. "After two hours of counselling one client requested an IUD. After months there was a rumour in Gatlang that her coil had fallen out. The FPAN volunteer went to the woman’s house and asked if this was true. She said, ‘No, I’m really comfortable with that service.’ After that, the client went door to door and told others how happy she was with it and that they should take it at the next family planning camp. “After four or five months, we went back to the Gatlang camp and at that time another eight women took the IUD.” These numbers might seem small but they are far less so when viewed against the wall of stigma and myth that can obstruct contraception use here, as in so many rural areas of Nepal. The involvement of committed, passionate health mentors and volunteers is vital to show people how important it is to take sexual health and family planning seriously: the benefits are felt not just by women and their families, but by entire communities.
| 11 August 2017
Waiting for an ambulance that never arrives: childbirth without medical help in rural Nepal
“When I was about to give birth, we called for an ambulance or a vehicle to help but even after five hours of calling, no vehicle arrived,” recalls 32-year-old Mona Shrestha. “The birth was difficult. For five hours I had to suffer from delivery complications.” Mona’s story is a familiar one for women in rural Nepal. Like thousands of women across the country, she lives in a small, remote village, at the end of a winding, potholed road. There are no permanent medical facilities or staff based in the village of Bakultar: medical camps occasionally arrive to dispense services, but they are few and far between. Life here is tough. The main livelihood is farming: both men and women toil in the fields during the day, and in the mornings and evenings, women take care of their children and carry out household chores. The nearest birthing centre is an hour’s drive away. Few families can afford to rent a seat in a car, and so are forced to do the journey on foot. For pregnant women walking in the searing heat, this journey can be arduous, even life-threatening. “Fifteen years ago, there was a woman who helped women give birth here, but she’s no longer here,” Mona says. “It’s difficult for women.” Giving birth without medical help can cause severe problems for women and babies, and even death. Infant mortality remains a major problem in Nepal, and maternal mortality is one of the leading causes of death among women. Only 36% of births are attended by a doctor, nurse or midwife. A traumatic birth can cause long-term physical, psychological, social and economic problems from which women might never recover. Access to contraception and other family planning services, too, involves walking miles to the nearest health clinic. Mona says she used to use the contraceptive injection, but now uses an intrauterine device. Like many villages in Nepal, Bakultar is awash with myths and gossip about the side-effects of contraception. “There are so many side effects to these devices – I’ve heard the coil can cause cancer,” Mona says. “This is why we want to have permanent family planning like sterilisation, for both men and women.” These complaints heard frequently in villages like Bakultar. As well as access to facilities and contraception, people here desperately need access to education on contraception and sexual health and reproductive rights. Misinformation as well as a lack of information are both major problems. “It would be really helpful to have family planning services nearby,” says Mona.
| 12 December 2024
Waiting for an ambulance that never arrives: childbirth without medical help in rural Nepal
“When I was about to give birth, we called for an ambulance or a vehicle to help but even after five hours of calling, no vehicle arrived,” recalls 32-year-old Mona Shrestha. “The birth was difficult. For five hours I had to suffer from delivery complications.” Mona’s story is a familiar one for women in rural Nepal. Like thousands of women across the country, she lives in a small, remote village, at the end of a winding, potholed road. There are no permanent medical facilities or staff based in the village of Bakultar: medical camps occasionally arrive to dispense services, but they are few and far between. Life here is tough. The main livelihood is farming: both men and women toil in the fields during the day, and in the mornings and evenings, women take care of their children and carry out household chores. The nearest birthing centre is an hour’s drive away. Few families can afford to rent a seat in a car, and so are forced to do the journey on foot. For pregnant women walking in the searing heat, this journey can be arduous, even life-threatening. “Fifteen years ago, there was a woman who helped women give birth here, but she’s no longer here,” Mona says. “It’s difficult for women.” Giving birth without medical help can cause severe problems for women and babies, and even death. Infant mortality remains a major problem in Nepal, and maternal mortality is one of the leading causes of death among women. Only 36% of births are attended by a doctor, nurse or midwife. A traumatic birth can cause long-term physical, psychological, social and economic problems from which women might never recover. Access to contraception and other family planning services, too, involves walking miles to the nearest health clinic. Mona says she used to use the contraceptive injection, but now uses an intrauterine device. Like many villages in Nepal, Bakultar is awash with myths and gossip about the side-effects of contraception. “There are so many side effects to these devices – I’ve heard the coil can cause cancer,” Mona says. “This is why we want to have permanent family planning like sterilisation, for both men and women.” These complaints heard frequently in villages like Bakultar. As well as access to facilities and contraception, people here desperately need access to education on contraception and sexual health and reproductive rights. Misinformation as well as a lack of information are both major problems. “It would be really helpful to have family planning services nearby,” says Mona.
| 11 January 2017
Helping families bond together
Mariyam a 25-year-old woman, who lived in Addu Atoll in Maldives, was having a battle of wits with Ahmed, her young three year old. He threw temper tantrums and just couldn’t be disciplined. Thankfully, one day Mariyam attended a session on better parenting skills organised by Society of Health & Education (SHE). SHE was the first non-governmental organisation in Maldives to establish a family planning clinic where couples could get information, education and counselling to plan their families. It also provides psycho-social support and counselling to children and adults. Through various approaches such as play therapy, children as well as adults are helped to develop life skills and cope with the grief, anger, anguish and possible abuse in their life. During the session on parenting, Mariyam requested for help in dealing with Ahmed. Thereafter through extended telephonic counselling sessions; it was revealed that Mariyam was currently pregnant with her fourth child. Her husband worked away from home and visited occasionally during holidays. Her pregnancy, combined with childcare needs at home, was taking a toll on Mariyam, making her feel weak and irritable, even overwhelmed at times. Understanding this, the counsellor suggested that she set aside a time to play with her son every day. When Mariyam put it into practice, she discovered that all her son wanted from her was some attention. The counsellor then helped her and her husband explore different family planning options when her husband came visiting the household. Together they decided to adopt a family planning option once Mariyam had delivered. He also decided to stay on the island for a few months and work at his father’s carpentry in order to help his wife to look after the children post-delivery. The couple visited SHE clinic for counselling on contraceptives post delivery and Mariyam has been a client ever since.
| 12 December 2024
Helping families bond together
Mariyam a 25-year-old woman, who lived in Addu Atoll in Maldives, was having a battle of wits with Ahmed, her young three year old. He threw temper tantrums and just couldn’t be disciplined. Thankfully, one day Mariyam attended a session on better parenting skills organised by Society of Health & Education (SHE). SHE was the first non-governmental organisation in Maldives to establish a family planning clinic where couples could get information, education and counselling to plan their families. It also provides psycho-social support and counselling to children and adults. Through various approaches such as play therapy, children as well as adults are helped to develop life skills and cope with the grief, anger, anguish and possible abuse in their life. During the session on parenting, Mariyam requested for help in dealing with Ahmed. Thereafter through extended telephonic counselling sessions; it was revealed that Mariyam was currently pregnant with her fourth child. Her husband worked away from home and visited occasionally during holidays. Her pregnancy, combined with childcare needs at home, was taking a toll on Mariyam, making her feel weak and irritable, even overwhelmed at times. Understanding this, the counsellor suggested that she set aside a time to play with her son every day. When Mariyam put it into practice, she discovered that all her son wanted from her was some attention. The counsellor then helped her and her husband explore different family planning options when her husband came visiting the household. Together they decided to adopt a family planning option once Mariyam had delivered. He also decided to stay on the island for a few months and work at his father’s carpentry in order to help his wife to look after the children post-delivery. The couple visited SHE clinic for counselling on contraceptives post delivery and Mariyam has been a client ever since.
| 11 January 2017
Changing lives across generations
Indumati, her (now departed) mother-in-law and her three daughters-in-law represent three generations of women in Maharashtra, India who have benefitted from the services of Family Planning Association of India. All three generations have been a part of women’s collectives’ movement encouraging women to participate in the socio-economic life of the family and community. Becoming a member of the women’s collectives helped Indumati to step beyond the boundaries of her home and begin participating in the community life of the village. Be it cleanliness drives in the village or celebrating all festivals with equal fervour created spaces for the women to contribute to the social wellbeing of the village. The next stop was micro-savings for economic independence. When the women realised that the women of their and neighbouring villages don’t have any healthcare services, they approached Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) to start a clinic in their area. When FPAI agreed the women’s group pooled money and contributed towards the building of the clinic. With increased access to healthcare services came increased awareness. Most women’s group imparted training on SRHR to the collective members. Some collective members even began to stock the contraceptives provided by FPAI so that women could access them in privacy and confidentiality. Indumati has three sons and one daughter. Each of her three sons has two children each. Her daughters-in-law were able to get information and adopted family planning methods due to her involvement with the women’s collectives. The inter-generational impact of access to family planning services is clearly visible in her household.
| 12 December 2024
Changing lives across generations
Indumati, her (now departed) mother-in-law and her three daughters-in-law represent three generations of women in Maharashtra, India who have benefitted from the services of Family Planning Association of India. All three generations have been a part of women’s collectives’ movement encouraging women to participate in the socio-economic life of the family and community. Becoming a member of the women’s collectives helped Indumati to step beyond the boundaries of her home and begin participating in the community life of the village. Be it cleanliness drives in the village or celebrating all festivals with equal fervour created spaces for the women to contribute to the social wellbeing of the village. The next stop was micro-savings for economic independence. When the women realised that the women of their and neighbouring villages don’t have any healthcare services, they approached Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) to start a clinic in their area. When FPAI agreed the women’s group pooled money and contributed towards the building of the clinic. With increased access to healthcare services came increased awareness. Most women’s group imparted training on SRHR to the collective members. Some collective members even began to stock the contraceptives provided by FPAI so that women could access them in privacy and confidentiality. Indumati has three sons and one daughter. Each of her three sons has two children each. Her daughters-in-law were able to get information and adopted family planning methods due to her involvement with the women’s collectives. The inter-generational impact of access to family planning services is clearly visible in her household.
| 11 January 2017
Reconstructing life after de-addiction
Karma Pem, a mother of four boys, had the world on a silver platter till it lost it all and found it again after blood, sweat and tears. She had a cushy job in the Ministry of External Affairs in Thimphu, Bhutan. When dignitaries from other countries visited the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan, Karma would be a part of the team assigned to them. Yet due to her addiction to alcohol, she has been to her personal hell and back. She spent considerable years of her life in an alcoholic stupor. Initially, she tried to manage her addiction with periods of sobriety especially at work but eventually she was asked to leave her job. This fuelled her downward spiral into the deeper addiction bringing her literally to the streets. “Once my husband even found me begging on the street,” says Karma Pem. After trying to cope with her bouts of drunkenness, Karma’s husband left her taking their boys away from the mother. “My mother stood by me as a pillar. She never once abandoned me, no matter what I did. She contacted RENEW to find a solution to my addiction. Through them, she found a de-addiction centre in India. She persuaded me to go there and get enrolled. My mother’s persistent efforts brought me back from the brink of personal annihilation.” adds Karma. Out of her four sons and two of them are recovering addicts. Her own recovery prompted Karma to motivate her sons to go through rehabilitation and pursue their studies. One of her sons is an upcoming football player. Today, Karma has been clean for about seven years. She is determined to rebuild her life and take control of her destiny. Today she is employed in RENEW’s livelihood’s centre
| 12 December 2024
Reconstructing life after de-addiction
Karma Pem, a mother of four boys, had the world on a silver platter till it lost it all and found it again after blood, sweat and tears. She had a cushy job in the Ministry of External Affairs in Thimphu, Bhutan. When dignitaries from other countries visited the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan, Karma would be a part of the team assigned to them. Yet due to her addiction to alcohol, she has been to her personal hell and back. She spent considerable years of her life in an alcoholic stupor. Initially, she tried to manage her addiction with periods of sobriety especially at work but eventually she was asked to leave her job. This fuelled her downward spiral into the deeper addiction bringing her literally to the streets. “Once my husband even found me begging on the street,” says Karma Pem. After trying to cope with her bouts of drunkenness, Karma’s husband left her taking their boys away from the mother. “My mother stood by me as a pillar. She never once abandoned me, no matter what I did. She contacted RENEW to find a solution to my addiction. Through them, she found a de-addiction centre in India. She persuaded me to go there and get enrolled. My mother’s persistent efforts brought me back from the brink of personal annihilation.” adds Karma. Out of her four sons and two of them are recovering addicts. Her own recovery prompted Karma to motivate her sons to go through rehabilitation and pursue their studies. One of her sons is an upcoming football player. Today, Karma has been clean for about seven years. She is determined to rebuild her life and take control of her destiny. Today she is employed in RENEW’s livelihood’s centre