My friend Prakash and I have been coordinating with Charlotte to think about how we can reach pregnant/breastfeeding mothers and newborns who belong to the Dalit community to provide our package. The solution, for now, was to coordinate with organizations that are working on Dalit issue. In other words, to approach people/community/organizations/local actors who have been working with the community and understand the cultural context. This way we would ensure the package reached them.
The first hurdle was to get the data. One of the biggest gap in the assessment reports/updates/posts from relief teams is the number of pregnant/breastfeeding mothers present in the affected area. There are few posts that share this information, so it becomes easy for us to approach the team but in most of the cases, this data is absent. But since we were working with the group who had local contacts in the area, the information was a phone call way.
We found out that there were five breastfeeding mothers, and one pregnant woman.
Early morning, a group of men came to receive the package. They were representing “Dalit Nagarik Samaj Mahabhukampa Pidit Sahayog Tatha Samanwaya Samiti” which was more like a cluster of different Dalit-related organizations like Global Forum, National Dalit Commission, Dalit Civil Society, and Dalit NGO Federation. Prakash would be accompanying this group so I felt assured that he would be able to explain the package to the women (he has been involved with this initiative from the very beginning, when this wasn’t even an initiative.)
After having explained to the group who we were and what we were trying to do, and a ceremonial photoshoot, they loaded the buckets to the mini-truck/jeep and headed towards Dhumkharka, Kavre.
Unfortunately, this happened to be the day when another very strong aftershock was felt and it rained the whole day. I was sick and worried whether the team was safe and if the women would receive the package. But it did.
I am sure there are many other such pregnant/breastfeeding mothers out there, not just in Kavre but all the affected areas who are yet to receive proper attention. Our team is thinking of ways we can expand our initiative so that all of those women will have access to this package (and much more).
साभार : withlove
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