43-year-old Sunita Kasera is the only female member of the 150 member strong Karauli Press Union in Rajasthan. Sunita feels that Karauli is a backward district that offers little opportunity to local residents. Although Sunita completed her graduation from Jaipur University, after marriage, her in-laws insisted she stay at home. In her spare time, Sunita joined an NGO, Sathya Naval…
Our CC takes action in Karauli, Rajasthan; pregnant women receive vaccination cards.
Anganwadi centres have been created all over the country to ensure that all pregnant women, as well as young mothers and children, receive adequate healthcare. In particular, these centres have to distribute iron pills and supplementary rations of rice to pregnant women, to strengthen their health during pregnancy. From 2010, they are also in charge of vaccinations.
But in Karauli district, the benefits of this scheme were not reaching those who needed them. Out of despair, some women from this area decided to approach Sunita, with the hope that she could make a video that would help to solve the problem. "There is a high level of absenteeism among the staff in the centre, and the women were struggling to get their vaccination cards. They also rarely get their nutrition tablets and their iron pills," explained Sunita, who quickly took action.
She made a film on the issue and wrote a letter to the District Collector, explaining the state of affairs and demanding that something be done. A few weeks later, the pregnant women in Karauli got their cards, and the various advantages that come with it. "I have realised the power of what I do," says Sunita. "It's a small change but for these women, it is big."
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