Communities Coming Together

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, The Hunger Project (THP) India initiated crucial community meetings targeting marginalised households across Madhya Pradesh lacking information and livelihoods. Designed to fortify community responses to hunger and malnutrition, THP conducted intensive door-to-door campaigns, culminating in 27,820 women attending 1,312 meetings.

These gatherings offered a platform for disseminating vital knowledge. Participants were connected to public services, food security schemes, and nutrition provisions. One integral intervention was promoting poshan badi (kitchen gardens) and teaching households to cultivate nutrient-rich produce. Around 3,000 households embraced this strategy.

Arti Chaudhary, a regular attendee, learned about poshan badi and anganwadi services—a government welfare program focusing on child nutrition and growth. “Having access to an anganwadi has made a huge difference” says Arti, noting the nutritional boost her children received. She’s also cultivated a kitchen garden, stating, “We now produce enough fresh food for our family and even share with neighbours in need.”

These meetings have offered more than knowledge; they’ve provided solidarity. Arti confesses, “It is comforting to see other women facing similar struggles in their families, coming together and learning together.”

Another participant, Anita Dhaiya, expressed her newfound understanding, “I now recognise the value of nutritious food. These are things that are easily available, but we never knew how they could benefit us health-wise. Joining these meetings has changed how I see and understand the need for adequate nutrition for myself and my family.”

While it’s impossible to capture the myriad voices touched by this initiative, stories like Arti’s and Anita’s illuminate the meaningful impact the meetings had on numerous women’s lives.

You can read more about THP India’s initiative here.