CELEBRATION OF IYCF WEEK…

Shakti observed the IYCF (Infant and Young Child Feeding) week as first week of August in Kashipur and K.Singhpur blocks with the collaboration of ICDS (Integrated Child Development Service).

The moto of celebrating this week is to give awareness about the importance of breast feeding and reduce childhood morbidity and mortality because it is necessary to focus on avoiding malnutrition in children below the age of 2 years.

All the village members , pregnant women and lactating mothers were made aware of the usefulness and benefits of breast feeding for infants.They conducted the street play on breast feeding . Afterwards to ensure the message had reached to the villagers or not they had a question & answer session . Shakti team distributed the prize to the winning person.

SHAKTI APPOINTS CHILDLINE CO-ORDINATOR.

Shakti has appointed Mr.Ramesh Chandra Nayak  as the co-ordinator of Shakti Childline Rayagada district. He is an eminent personality having 21 years of experience as programme monitoring officer in a National level NGO ,PREPARE-India. He has an M.A in Social Work. He is an experienced staff manager and has domain expertise in driving advocacy and livelihood projects for Tribal Empowerment,Food Security,Biodiversity conservation,women empowerment and Micro credit using participatory philosophy and techniques.

He did one federation for the tribal land less people where 89 people got their right to own their land who were previously exploited and deprived from their right . Mr. Nayak says “I am looking forward to advancing child rights in Rayagada”.

We welcome  Mr. Nayak to Shakti.

 

 

 

SURAKHYA…….

SHAKTI got a  new project from UNICEF to work at Rayagada district named SURAKHYA .

OVHA (Orissa Voluntary Health Association) and UNICEF in partnership with the Government of Orissa are launching this IYCF (Infant and Young Child Feeding ) initiative in the state as Project SURAKHYA. The project aims to introduce, improve, strengthen evaluate and sustain the key infant and young child feeding practices at the household and community level .

To reduce childhood morbidity and mortality it is necessary to focus on avoiding malnutrition in children below the age of 2 years. Of all proven preventive health and nutrition interventions, IYCF Practices  have the single greatest potential impact on child survival. Therefore, reduction of child mortality can be reached only when nutrition in early childhood and IYCF specifically are highly prioritized in national policies and strategies.

This initiative looks at strengthening interpersonal communication of frontline functionaries for counselling mothers and care givers on improved IYCF practices

          SURAKHYA: This is a Odiya word meaning the act of protection.