CRUSADE/TAMWED

IMPROVING DIETS

Report for the period from September 12 to March 13

The project was started with the overall aim of promoting the production and use of nutritional food with increasing access to basic health care and creating awareness on environmental issues.

The specific objectives of the project are to reach to 1,000 people On a range of issues.

1.Increasing access to basic and appropriate health care

2.Improving Diets

3.Raising awareness about climate change and other environmental issues

4.Increasing capacity to produce a variety of healthy foods

The progress of this one year project starting September 2012 till March 2013 is given here.

  1. HEALTH CARE

Referrals and Counselling

Those identified and listed with illnesses are being visited, counselled and referred to our clinic or to Primary Health Centres (PHCs) if needed. They are visited and followed up by health workers regularly to observe improvements and for further referral. During the period 1,253members were visited, 364 counselled and 174 referred.The details of some of those referred for illness are in Annex B, Table 1.

Homoeopathy Clinic

The Homoeopathy clinic at our center works three days a week. Common health problems are Menstrual Irregularity, Leucorrhea, Low Back Pain among women. Children usually present with Respiratory Tract Infections, Tonsillitis and Worm Infestations. General illnesses include Diabetes, Allergies and Gastric Disorders. Details of patients attending the clinic are shown in Annex B, Table 2.

Diagnostic Camps

Diagnostic camps were conducted to screen Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension. We see borderline, new cases and also patients under treatment. Affected are advised on Diet regimen, regular exercise and medication. During the period 19 diagnostics camps (11 in Minjur Block and8 in Sholavaram Block) were conducted. Details of new, borderline cases are shown in Table 3.

Eye Camp

CRUSADE in collaboration with Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Care Hospital organised 8 Eye Camps (2 in Sholavaram and 6 in Minjur Blocks). Details of camps conducted and members benefitting are shown inAnnex B, Table 4.

  1. IMPROVING DIETS

CRUSADE organised a Training of Trainers programme on Nutrition/Balanced Diet to Health Workers, Cluster Coordinators and Programme Managers.The responsibility of organising the training was entrusted to Ms. Annie Valsarajan, an Independent Consultant for Development Programmes. The content, methodology, duration, venue and the dates were finalised with mutual consent.

The Trainers training was organised scattered over three months totally for 5 days.The training focussed on increasing SHG women’s knowledge about Common Nutrition problems, important Nutrients, Vitamins and Minerals,Food Pyramid, Nutrition for Infants, Pregnant and Lactating Women, Complementary Foods, Anaemia during Adolescence, Vulnerable Groups,Personal Hygiene and Eliminating Myths and Misconceptions of Eating Behaviours.The report consolidated by the consultant at the end of the TOT is attached.

It was decided to deliver the topics covered under TOT in 2 modules to 1500 SHG members in project villages. In the first phase, the village level training covered1,497 SHG members from 247Self Help Groups (SHGs) through 50 training sessions in MinjurandSholavaramBlocks. A photo taken during one of the sessions is to the right.

  1. RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

CRUSADE conducted an Environmental Awareness programmeat the Panchayatlevel at Akkarambedu village In November 2012.It is planned to conduct three more such camps in the next two quarters. A report on the event in November is included at Annex A.

  1. INCREASING CAPACITY TO PRODUCE HEALTHY FOODS

CRUSADE distributed six varieties of vegetable seeds for home gardens. We will collect the data on vegetables produced through home gardens in the current quarter.

Establishment of Nursery of herbal plants and tree saplings distribution to SHG members.

BUDGET SEPTEMBER 2012 TO AUGUST 2013
PARTICULARS / BUDGET / EXPENSES 31.03.2013
1 / Project Manager (1)-CRUSADE @ Rs. 5000/- / 60,000 / 35,000
2 / Gardeners (1) @ Rs. 2500/-pm / 30,000 / 22,412
3 / Support and Training for CHWs (12 for CRU @ Rs. 1200/-pm) / 173,000 / 111,119
4 / Nursery Plot, Plants and equipment / 10,000 / 9,315
5 / Seeds, Plants, etc. / 20,000 / 21,950
6 / Management, Administration, Office cost / 25,000 / 21,188
7 / Transport / 6,000 / 8,416
Total / 324,000 / 229,400
8 / Minus Partners Contribution / 22,000 / 9,315
Total / 302,000 / 220,085

CRUSADE has established a nursery of herbal plants and stocking fruit and coconut seedlings at technology centre at Puduppakkam. During the season, CRUSADE distributed 360 herbal plants, 245 Mango saplings and 200 coconut seedlings to 125 members in 13 villages. This will be an ongoing programme of CRUSADE to mitigate pollution and global warming.

ANNEX A

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTIONAND CLIMATE CHANGE AWARENESS CAMP

AKKARAMBEDU VILLAGE – MINJUR BLOCK

10th NOVEMBER 2012

CRUSADE in close association with the Naalur Panchayat and PudumaiPengalIyakkm (PPI) conducted an awareness camp on Environment and Climate Change in Akkarambedu village which is in Minjur Block.[1]

Events include cleaning the entire village on the previous two days, a procession along all the streets of the village led by a van fitted with an amplifier to propagate the message, meeting at the end addressed by the president and others and distribution of cotton bags to Self Help Group members for use while shopping so plastic bags can be avoided. The procession and the meeting was attended by around 200 people led by the Panchayat president, councillor and ward members besides PPI/CRUSADE representatives.

Awareness slogans were relayed through the amplifier which were then repeated by participants who carried the slogans on placards. As such the message was well communicated to all the villagers. The village cleaning was undertaken through the Panchayat under MGREGP (the central government employment programme). The fronts of all the houses were decorated with drawings (kolams ) using colour powder . The whole village had a festive look on the event day.

Panchayat participation helped place orders for 22 cement rings to be placed in 11 locations of the village for collecting degradable and non-degradable waste. The President promised that non-degradable waste will be collected for recycling periodically. (Muthukumar , the President seems to have some experience in this as he was running a recycling unit before).

Lunch and snacks were provided by the Councillor and procession expenses were met by the Panchayat. The President also promised to provide a gate to the school where the meeting was held to enable SHGs to plant trees inside the compound. CRUSADE contributed by making and distributing 180 cotton bags with camp details printed. PPI contributed photos and video.

Using the occasion, the Ward Member (Koteeswari) presented the needs of the Ward which was drawn up in a Ward-level planning process completed recently as an initiative of CRUSADE. Some demands of the Ward were already met by the Panchayat as the president was involved in the planning process.

Jothi Ramalingam

Secretary

CRUSADE

17 November 2012

ANNEX B

HEALTH PROGRAMME INFORMATION

TABLE 1. REFERRALS

No / NAME / AGE / SEX / VILLAGE / HEALTH PROBLEM / PROGNOSIS
1 / Ananthi / 13 / F / Sholavaram / Heart Disease (Ref to Stanley Hospital) / Disease diagnosed and the person is under treatment, she is advised to continue medication by CRUSADE Health worker.
2 / Nathiya / 26 / F / Senganirmedu / Menstrual Disorder / Disease diagnosed and the person is under treatment. Now she feels better than before.
3 / Pachaiyammal / 20 / F / Madimaikandigai / Chronic white Discharge / Disease diagnosed and the person is under treatment. Now she feels better than before.
4 / Kalaivani / 39 / F / Ambedkar Nagar(Athur) / Diagnosed as Tuberculosis / Under treatment in Stanley Hospital. She regularly gets DOTS therapy.
5 / Masalmma / 35 / F / NEVP / BrongaitilAshthama / Disease diagnosed and the person is under treatment. Now she feels better than before.

TABLE 2. HOMOEOPATHY CLINIC

Month / New Cases / Repeat cases
Sep 12 / 3 / 1
Oct / 5 / 1
Nov / 7 / 6
Feb 13 / 18 / 8
Mar / 10 / 14
TOTAL / 43 / 30

TABLE 3.DIAGNOSTIC CAMP

No / Month / Village / People Checked / New Cases / Borderline Cases / Patients already under treatment
DM / BP / DM / BP / DM / BP / DM / BP
1 / Oct 12 / Senganirmedu / 52 / 18 / 10 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
2 / Nov / Arani / 11 / 72 / 2 / 5 / 1 / 13 / 6 / 5
3 / Nov / Pasuvanpalayam / 32 / 20 / 0 / 3 / 3 / 5 / 3 / 4
4 / Nov / Athurmedu / 9 / 59 / 1 / 3 / 0 / 9 / 4 / 3
5 / Nov / InamAgaram / 21 / 25 / 3 / 3 / 1 / 5 / 7 / 2
6 / Dec / Neithavoyal / 21 / 16 / 4 / 5 / 1 / 3 / 3 / 2
7 / Dec / Ooranambedu / 4 / 39 / 0 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 1
8 / Dec / Vazhudigaimedu / 29 / 20 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 10 / 2 / 1
9 / Dec / Athreyamangala / 21 / 33 / 7 / 6 / 7 / 3 / 8 / 8
10 / Feb 13 / Attanthangal / 33 / 5 / 8 / 2 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 0
11 / Feb / Senganirmedu / 19 / 1 / 2 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 1 / 1
12 / Feb / Akkarambedu / 27 / 9 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 2 / 3 / 6
13 / Feb / Chinnambedu / 0 / 8 / 0 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 4 / 0
14 / Feb / Vellampakkam / 15 / 5 / 5 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 2
15 / Mar / Arumandai / 12 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 7 / 2
16 / Mar / Asanaputhur / 22 / 8 / 4 / 4 / 2 / 2 / 3 / 2
17 / Mar / Ramanathapura / 29 / 17 / 7 / 14 / 6 / 0 / 2 / 3
18 / Mar / Shenganirmedu / 4 / 7 / 2 / 6 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0
19 / Mar / Naaloor / 10 / 15 / 4 / 4 / 1 / 8 / 0 / 3
Total / 371 / 382 / 65 / 72 / 30 / 67 / 57 / 45

TABLE 4. EYE CAMP

No / Month / Village / Members checked / Members Provided spectacles / Cataract Surgery done
1 / Sep 12 / Budhur / 58 / 9 / 3
2 / Sep / Velur / 56 / 3 / 2
3 / Oct / Devadhanam / 88 / 16 / 5
4 / Dec / Inamagaram / 91 / 29 / 0
5 / Dec / Reddypalayam / 67 / 22 / 6
6 / Feb 13 / Kalpakkam / 71 / 25 / 15
7 / Mar / Akkarambedu / 98 / 19 / 9
8 / Mar / Kanniyampalayam / 76 / 19 / 9
Total / 605 / 142 / 49

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[1]Panchayats are the basic units of administration in India. There are 3 levels of local governmentwithin each State: District, Block and Village.