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Being a child isn’t the best thing in India today. Apart from the shocking cases of child molestation and incest in the newspapers, there are children who are dying of hunger. One in every three children below the age of five go to bed hungry & starving every night. Imagine how utterly aweful life must be for these children. Whilst in India we have the largest child feeding programme in the world, it seems to be incorrectly designed as the food and resources do not reach these starving children. Politicians need to consider this issue as ‘high priority’ because providing adequate nutrition to pregnant women and children is crucial to the health of our nation. Every year from age one to twelve a child typically grows taller by 2 to 3 inches and heavier by 2-3kgs. Growth charts and weighing scales provide valuable clues to a child’s health. Increase in height and weight are two of the many developmental changes that occur during childhood. The government run feeding centers (in our slums and villages) fail to look after malnourished children as they are inadequately equipped and are unable to meet the needs of children under 2 (who are most at risk). It is important to know that when hunger is chronic; children can become malnourished. The high statistics – (42.5% under the age of 5) of starving children in India can take a devastating toll on the health of our nation. Malnutrition contributes to nearly half of the deaths of children under 4 years of age. The ones who survive, grow up with physiological and psychological problems. Malnutrition can impair a child’s functioning in many ways. Meeting the nutritional needs of children is critical to support their growth and development.
Our government needs to call for more effective food assistance program especially designed for starving children in order to eradicate malnutrition and reduce the number of sick children who will eventually grow up into ‘sick’ adults. This is crucial for the health of our country.
Let me say one thing clearly………….
[ REPORT ABUSE ]The politicians have never been concerned with these issues. They just mean their own interests. So, We must not rely on them. Only we, the people, can do in this area. Private organisations and NGOs must come forward to deal with this issue.
Firstly, I appreciate that there are people like you who really are concerned about children who are dying of hunger. Your study and observation is certainly raising right issues in this regard.
Now comes the issue that how exactly can we help improve this situation. No doubt, there are govt and non-govt organisations who are doing their bit. And most of them are doing the same in very efficient and effective way. Still a lot needs to be done. I am already engaged in underprivileged children’s education. I’d be highly obliged if I’d be given an opportunity to be a part of your movement.
Actually, we need only a few people to start with and your kind of adviser, rest’ll obviously be fine.
Thanks once again for raising the right issue that seriously needs attention.
Regards,
[ REPORT ABUSE ]Sachin Jain
In view of the high risk of malnutrition and disease that women face at all the three critical stages viz., infancy and childhood, adolescent and reproductive phase, focussed attention must be paid to meet the nutritional needs of women at all stages of the life cycle. This is also important in view of the critical link between the health of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women with the health of infant and young children. Special efforts must be made to tackle the problem of macro and micro nutrient deficiencies especially amongst children as it leads to various diseases and disabilities.
[ REPORT ABUSE ]Intra-household discrimination in nutritional matters vis-à-vis girls and women must be sought to be ended through appropriate strategies. Widespread use of nutrition education should be made to address the issues of intra-household imbalances in nutrition and the special needs of children. Women’s participation must also be ensured in the planning, superintendence and delivery of the system.
that is really nice
I also want to do some thing
let us join hands to promote peace
http://onlinelife82.blogspot.com
[ REPORT ABUSE ]Hi!
[ REPORT ABUSE ]How can an individual help? Tying up with NGos is the best option ,I know, but the question is long term sustenance & continuation. I think the govt shld tie up with individuals or NGO’s to help alleviate the suffering of our children. Your report leaves me feeling guilty for the luxuries I enjoy–my Blessings seem to be at the cost of the pain of so many hungry kids…..
Very thoughtful of you. Not many people today feel so much for poor children. I salute you.
[ REPORT ABUSE ]Dear Dr Anjali Mukerjee,
I write to you on joining the blog. Your sensitivity to children and their safety and well being of Mumbaikars is well known and laudable.
It gives me pleasure to write to you and share with you that Mumbai is highly prone to many kinds of man made and natural disasters like Terrorism, Earthquake , Tsunami & Sea level rising, Cyclone, Flood, Drought, Climate change threats & Environmental Degradation, Fire, Chemical, Biological and Nuclear hazards.
It is worth mentioning that life in Mumbai is insecure due to these threats of man made and natural disasters. Children, street children, women, disabled, aged and the poor in Mumbai are most vulnerable to these disasters and loose their innocent lives.
Mumbaikars are least sensitized to develop safety culture to save their lives and lives of their near and dear ones. Terrorist attack on Mumbai on 26 November 2008 and devastating floods of July 2005 have shown us that how important it is to prepare people to develop safety culture.
Towards this cause, Saritsa Foundation with its committed zeal, has prepared and build knowledge and developed culture of preparedness amongst 78,000 schoolchildren, women, disabled, poor, street children and children of sex workers to protect them from disasters in Mumbai and Maharashtra.
The participants groups for this mission include 2000 teachers of MCGM, 350 teachers of Pune Municipal Corporation and 250 teachers of Nashik Municipal Corporation Schools so far have been provided preparedness and capacity building knowledge and practical training to cope with disasters and Impacts of climate change.
Nationally, Saritsa Foundation has prepared and built confidence amongst 162500 people including about 7200 disabled people in states of Maharashtra, Gujarat Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Pondicherry, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Himachal Predesh and Jammu and Kashmir Assam and Arunachal Pradesh since its birth on June 2000. 40 percent of these participants who have been prepared are women and girls and about 45 percent are school children.
It has conducted about 832 workshops for schools students and teachers, 200 workshops for youth, women and poor communities and 82 workshops for the disabled people. 84 community rescue teams (including police personnel of respective zones) have been prepared for coping with floods in flood prone wards of Mumbai in a period of about 9 years.
It has also conducted two innovative pioneering campaigns to educate and train poor and common people at grass root level to minimize risks from disasters and impacts of environmental degradation and climate change as under:-
• National Campaign from Ahmedabad Gujrat to Leh and Ladakhin Jammu & Kashmir to sensitize preparedness for disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change by a mobile team of experts, trainers and motivators during October and November 2007.This campaign covered remotest rural villages and towns of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh with 5 other states making a total of 7 states.
• National Campaign from Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh to build capacity for disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change amongst most vulnerable communities across 12 states of India by a mobile team of experts and trainers and motivators during October to December 2008.
Preparing deprived and discriminated women and girls in distress to cope with disasters and to be trainers and motivators from rural and tribal areas of Maharashtra to reduce risks from Disasters and Climate Change. It also aims to integrate these with poverty eradication goals at grass root level. The project commenced in September 2008 and has been completed on 30 May 2009.Saritsa Foundation has also conducted a workshop for the children of the sex workers on the eve of women’s day on 8 March 2009 at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.
In continuation of its mission Saritsa Foundation has now planned to launch a “Safer Schools, Safer Hospitals and Safer Mumbaikars” (Mumbai Risk Reduction initiative) Campaign.
The aim of the campaign is raising awareness of people of Mumbai by information, knowledge and education to reduce risks from disasters and impacts of climate change.
It is visualized that this awareness campaign shall empower people to protect themselves and their families to respond to these risks. It will also complement the initiative of local Government Authorities.
Saritsa Foundation has planned this campaign for 2 years with People’s Partnership during year 2009, 2010 and 2011.
The campaign is planned in 6 phases as under:-
Phase 1 –
100 workshops for schools children and teachers.
Phase 2 –
72 workshops for communities and staff of Municipal Corporation of Mumbai.
Phase 3
10 workshops for women groups.
Phase 4
5 workshops for persons with disabilities.
Phase 5
5 workshops for hospital staff and administrators.
Phase 6
2 seminars for experts, NGO’s, practitioners, local government’s representatives and corporate managers.
Request
Your zeal and enthusiasm for well being of people of Mumbai is well known. You have always been making a very laudable contribution for this purpose. You also love children and their safety and security in Mumbai.
Terrorist attack on Mumbai on 26 November 2008 and devastating floods of July 2005 have shown us that how important it is to prepare people to develop safety culture. The above project is aimed for the same.
I request your partnership, support and encouragement for this campaign in Mumbai. You are fully aware about vulnerability of people of Mumbai to man made and natural disasters like Terrorism, Bomb Blast, Floods, Sea Level Rise, Earthquake, Cyclone, Global Warming & Climate change, Chemical, Biological and Nuclear hazards,.
I humbly request you to be a champion of this cause in Mumbai and support minimum of 20 school safety or 20 Street children safety programs or 20 community workshops. Kindly contribute Rs. 200,000/-(Rupees Two Lacks only) for this benign mission. Organization of each workshop will cost Rs. 10,000/-.
I request a meeting with you. Kindly communicate me date and time as per your convenience.
Your kind acceptance for this benign cause shall strengthen Saritsa Foundation in its campaign.
Thanking you,
With warm regards and good wishes.
Yours Sincerely,
Colonel Nagar M Verma
[ REPORT ABUSE ]in the name of democracy we are shying away from too many realities of our times,first there is no will to check the rising population because we fear we would hurt some religious sentiments and generally we see that the poor have more children,our politicians need a strong will to curb this menace and at the same time its their responsibility that not an single individual starves and every life should be precious,every day we see so many people killed in accidents and for reasons that could be avoided,its as if we have ceased to be sensible to others plight,and finally whats the point of india shining if its at the cost of sufferings of crores of our poor people,may be we are happy for the cheap labour we get….
[ REPORT ABUSE ]