PUSHTi project is being implemented by JSI R&T India Foundation, in partnership with SHARP NGO, under Mission Health of Glaxo SmithKline- Consumer Health (GSK-CH) in 17 villages of Nabha block situated in district Patiala, Punjab. PUSHTi is a community-centered initiative integrating nutrition, health and WASH, to address the immediate and underlying causes of undernutrition during the 1000-day window in the life cycle of a woman i.e. pregnant women and children below two years, adolescent girls and village communities in general.

Addressing the immediate and underlying causes of undernutrition requires a combination of nutrition specific and sensitive interventions. The project facilitates increased access to these interventions in alignment with Government of India provisions through various nutrition, health, WASH and rural development programs and the Poshan Abhiyan. Community engagement has been the central in problem identification and arriving at context specific actions. The project aims at “right nutrition at right time” by covering target groups through age appropriate and context specific, evidence-based nutrition interventions.

Progress

• Pushti team is community-needs responsive, taking health related actions that the community needs and requests such as Swacchta drive, health camps, anti-mosquito fogging drives and installation of dustbins.
• Through group counselling and talks on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), early initiation of breastfeeding and birth planning with the help of experts from Patiala Medical College, we have reached more than 250 pregnant or lactating women.
• An innovative concept, the PUSHTi Corner is installed in 12 schools. The corner consists of a display board containing nutrition messages, soap dispenser, a suggestion/question box with a safety lock and a First-aid kit.
• More than 200 adolescent girls have been sensitized about balanced diet, dietary diversity and menstrual hygiene.
• All Anganwadis and ANM are oriented on IYCF, WASH and adolescent nutrition and family planning.
• Similarly, school teachers of Govt. Schools have also undergone orientation.
• Anganwadis have been equipped with small equipment such as thermometers and weighing scales so that they are able to conduct health, nutrition and sanitation days more effectively.
• From each village, a volunteer has been designated as Nutrition Champion and oriented to counsel peers.
• The Community Center that also works as Anganwadi Centre at Ageti village has been renovated.

 Next Steps

• Initiate renovation of Sub Center, Ageti
• Gap assessment and gap filling of Anganwadis of 10 new villages
• Empower village leaders to asses health services
• Strengthen connects with existing women groups and youth groups to promote sustainability
• Implementation of WASH activities
• Improve branding activities in all villages
• Documentation and dissemination of best practices