Project
: 100-Block Plan
State
: Tamil
Nadu
Development Focus: Health
Care
About the NGO*:
The All-India People's Science Network (AIPSN) is a network of
people's science movement (PSM) throughout
the country. It was formed in 1988, just after the successful
completion of Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha in the year 1987. Since its inception,
the AIPSN is working with the aim of popularising science in our
society, developing scientific temper, fighting against obscurantism
with the help of science for policy implementations.
Summary:
Hunderd Block Plan (HBP) is an initiative of AIPSN and supported by AID
to start a social movement in India. The goal of this project is to implement
block level programmes in health, education, credit co-operatives and support
to women in the state of Tamil Nadu and Bihar. To learn more
about HBP please visit http://www.aidindia.org/aipsn
Objectives of Project:
(a) To improve the utilization of primary health care services
(b) To make a measurable improvement in child health by training
village women activits and by improving community awareness and
organization
(c) To organize and empower women around their health needs
Arogya Iyakkam, as the program is called in TamilNadu, is implemented through volunteers at the village level called village health activists. These volunteers are trained at camps organized at the block and village level. The activists are given intensive training in child health and nutrition to: analyze the combination of factors that lead to particular cases of malnutrition; identify those factors that can be addressed in that individual and social context; discuss with the family about the child's risk factors and the importance of addressing those factors; and reinforce the initial message by repeated visits at the family level as well as through cultural programs and village-level meetings.
The success of the health initiatives are closely linked to women's self-help groups in these villages. These groups, in addition to increasing accessibility to rural credit, also help in building communities and empowering the women. Kalajathas (street plays) also play an important role in creating awareness about community issues and needs.
The Arogya Iyakkam pilot program was originally initiated in May 1999 in 7 blocks consisting of roughly 500 villages in Tamil Nadu. The program was implemented by the Tamil Nadu Science Forum with seed funding from UNICEF. It was been extremely successful in improving the health of the children in the blocks where it was implemented. The number of malnourished children went down by 10% in two years. UNICEF voted the pilot program as one of their Top 10 programs in the world. The current Arogya Iyakkam program is an expansion of the pilot program to 33 blocks in TamilNadu and 13 blocks in Bihar.
Requested Budget: $2,500
Status: Approved
$2500
Project Coordinator: Gayathri
Manikutty, Rishikesh Ghare
Contact Email: mg_uta@yahoo.com,
rishighare@yahoo.com
Additional Information
Project Proposal:
HBP.doc
HBP-The
Next Phase.doc
Presentation Slides:
update1.ppt
Visit Report:
Theni
State Camp Site Visit Report Mar 2002
Newspaper articles:
Science for social change,
Messages
for Life in The Hindu, Arogyathukku
peyar Shanti Health
is synonymous with Shanti (English translation of the interview),
The messengers of science,
Students rally to drive home message of education,
Venus transit viewing
Correspondence Notes:
HBP
Q&A Nov 2001 First
State Training Camp - Mar 2002 06/07/02.doc
09/27/02.html
12/10/02.doc
01/11/03.doc
vembakottai
block data (till Apr03) status
report Feb02 Mar 03 status
report Mar Apr 03 07/14/03.doc
08/20/03.doc
Inter chapter interaction:
Conf
Call minutes 08/21/02 and 09/11/02
Additional Info:
Balaji Sampath introduces many programmes
of TNSF,
People's
Movement and HBP Vembakottai
block Info Indices
May 03 AID
US Conf 03 Balaji's
Comments on HBP Makkal
Palli Iyykam Jul02-Mar03 MPI
May03 Makkal
Palli Iyykam 07/16/03.doc
Non-monetary Contributions:
HBP
non-monetary website
Relevant Minutes:
Mar
3 2001, Jul
21 2001, Oct
6 2001, Oct
10 2001, Oct
27 2001, Jan
12 2002, Feb
2 2002, Mar
2 2002, Mar
9 2002, Jun
15 2002, Jun
22 2002, Jan
18 2003, May
20 2003, Jul
19 2003, Aug
2 2003, Feb
14 2004, Feb
21 2004, Mar
6 2004, Mar
13 2004,
*NGO: Non-governmental Organization
