Selected Anganwadi Centres in West Bengal Spread Messages on Importance of Nutrition for Common Masses through Diet Rangolis, Cooking Shows

Improving nutrition outcomes through strategies of Social & Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) and Community Mobilisation is an important focus of Mission Poshan 2.0. And as the nationwide celebration dedicated to promoting nutrition awareness and driving action towards building a healthier India commences, the seventh phase of Poshan Maah campaign this year focuses on critical themes like anemia prevention, growth monitoring, effective service through governance and technology, ‘Poshan bhi Padhai bhi’ and supplementary nutrition.

In West Bengal, to boost the women of the community and enlighten them about the various means to add nutrition to them, young girls and children at many Anganwadi Centres adopted innovative means like preparing colourful Poshan Rangolis with cereals, pulses, vegetables and animal proteins. Thi apart, to increase the appetite of the growing children and young adolescent boys and girls, besides providing the importance of complementary feeding, cooking shows, demonstration of low cost nutritious recipes involving community are being arranged in certain Anganwadi Centres.

The Anganwadi workers are also promoting Health and Hygiene measures through Hand Washing demonstration activity to ward off Diarrhoea or other related diseases at their own catchment areas.

The Mayureswar Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in Birbhum district of West Bengal is celebrating the occasion through Jan Andolan or mass participation involving all the stakeholders.

The celebration started with a plantation drive at all Anganwadi Centres of the project on July 31, 2024 involving Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs), ICDS Supervisors, Anganwadi workers and helpers, adolescent girls, mothers, Panchayati Raj members, local community and off course our very special children enrolled in the centre.

Saplings of papaya,banana,guava which are being provided by The Office of the Block Development Officer, Mayureswar I Dev. Block are being planted at Poshan Vatikas or in nearby Government lands easily accessible to Anganwadi. Meeting with community members for collective ownership and maintenance of this vatikas for common good is being discussed, thus involving the entire community in its care and regular supply of fruits is ensured for the ICDS beneficiaries. Other events organised included mothers’ meeting at every Anganwadi centre with mothers and expectant mothers, new father to be and primary caregiver at home on importance of diet of pregnant mothers, registration at the nearby health centres, antenatal and postnatal check ups, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), sanitation and Hygiene etc.

Measuring of children across all Anganwadi Centres to assess the Growth Monitoring of child are being held in all AWCs of the project and with help of Health functionaries specially RBSK team extensive health check up was done.

A project level orientation workshop was also held meanwhile, to train the Anganwadi workers on Community Management of SAM, IYCF and Growth Monitoring.

A Community Based event celebrated as Supusti Divas coupled with Annaprashan Divas was also held providing specific message and initiation of complementary feeding of 6 month – 9 months children and spreading nutrition and health education knowledge to larger masses.