Life Saving Treatment to Children in Rural India

Dear Friends,

Hope you are well and have enjoyed a great Easter this year. I am writing to share with you the half yearly progress report for the project you are supporting – Immunization for Tribal Children and Young Mothers.

As you know, it aims at improving the immunization status of children and pregnant women in remote rural areas of Udaipur by organizing camps on a fixed day and time every month in over 120 villages. In addition to immunization these camps also provide antenatal checkups and treatment for minor childhood illnesses.

With your support we reach out to more than 1000 children and 500 mothers every year. Please find enclosed a mid-year progress report for the year 2011-12.  For your convenience a brief summary of the report is also given below -

During the mid year 2011-12, immunization of Balwadi (Seva Mandir’s rural pre-schools for tribal children, 1 to 5 years old) children was facilitated with the help of new dedicated team, who monitor the intervention at all the five blocks of Udaipur District. Once in every three months, the team visited these 31 balwadis and a total of 393 children were immunized for BCG, DPT and oral polio drops.

A total of 545 camps were held during the reporting period while 62 camps were got cancelled due to heavy rains or an account on lack of replacement/unavailability of nurses to administer the shots. A total of 683 children were vaccinated in all these 539 camps. In addition, 978 children were provided with the treatment for ailments such as fever, cough, cold, measles, eye or ear infection, diarrhea and skin infection.

These camps reached to 937 pregnant women for tetanus shots and antenatal checkup, blood pressure, urine and hemoglobin tests. The nurses also took measurement of weight and advices them on diet. In the last reporting period, women received antenatal check ups for 2nd times but during this period, 123 women successfully received antenatal check ups for 3^rd time

All these exciting progress that we have made in these camps would have not been possible without your support. Thank you from all of us here for your steady support and faith in us.

We look forward to your thoughts and comments on the report. A big thank you again for your continuing contribution.

With regards,

Deepti

Links:

• You can have a look on our website.

• Mid year update report 2011-12 (DOC)

Dear Friend,

I very much hope that you are enjoying the holiday season. From all of us here at Seva Mandir, a very Happy and Prosperous New Year to you. May 2012 brings peace and success to you and to your family. We thank you for your kindness that you gift us always. With this letter, we love to share some key highlights of year 2011.

For Seva Mandir, the year 2011 has been a year of changes and success. Ms. Neelima Khetan stepped down after 12 years of her excellent leadership (total 25 years of association with Seva Mandir) in March. Ms. Priyanka Singh became our new Chief Executive in April 2011. Seva Mandir is ready to see many more years of its successful engagement with rural communities in Southern Rajasthan in her leadership.

In October, Seva Mandir became the implementing agency for the MNREGA projects for 32 sites in rural Udaipur. It is a significant achievement as well as an indicator of the faith of the 74 Panchayats in Seva Mandir’s work. These Panchayats have endorsed us to be their implementing agency for MNREGA. Of these 32 sites that were sanctioned, the work has begun on the 22 sites. Most of these sites of pastureland development and currently the building of boundary wall is going on.

In 2011, Seva Mandir has been included in two working (sub) groups –  {i) Child Survival & Development and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and ii) Girl Child} constituted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to review the existing priorities, policies, strategies, programs and their implementation for fulfilling the rights of children to survival, development (including early childhood care, early learning, elementary education). Also, to highlight emerging issues and recommendations, resources allocation and utilization for Twelfth Five Year Plan of Government of India.

Several of Seva Mandir's programs have seen a maturing in the last years. For example, in the villages where Seva Mandir organized regular immunization camps, the complete immunization of children is 60%, while in comparison villages it is only 35%.

Similarly, the work on Natural Resources is yielding a lot of benefits to the poor. Every year grass worth Rs. 52 lacs (5.2 million rupees) is being harvested from the common lands developed under this program.

In April 2011, Champa Devi from Vassela village was awarded the "Woman Exemplar Award 2011". It is another reason to look back and feel joyous to see that a community member of Seva Mandir was being recognized by rest of the society for her selfless services.

We are privileged to experience exciting stories of women like Champa Devi. A big credit goes to friends like you for this. Your support has always been the source of our emotional strength. It helps us keep going with our work. It is gratifying that with your support we have been able to create spaces where ordinary people can exercise truth force to bring about social and political transformation.

We hope you will continue to be with us in future too. Your faith and untiring support is very critical to us at the moment. Especially, when national and international scenario is changing rapidly for civil societies and the definitions of ‘development’ are being re-explored.

We believe that the full and deep impact of Seva Mandir's work lies not so much in the tangible development activities that it promotes, but more in bringing the poor and rich together and enabling them to  work for the commons of building more just  and oppression free communities.

We look forward to your continuing contribution in the year 2012 too. Wish you a very bright and successful New Year.

With warm regards,

Deepti