Improving maternal and child health in Kenya

The Laikipia, Samburu and Turkana counties are underdeveloped semi-arid and arid lands in Northern Kenya. The frequent cross-border attacks and raids on livestock by armed tribesmen in the region leads to a high number of casualties and a stunting of development programmes among the pastoralist communities in the region; there is limited access to basic welfare services, most of which have been destroyed in the prolonged conflict. This also has an adverse effect on the health of the women and children.

In recent years, Kenya has performed poorly on indicators of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH); the 2014 Kenyan demographic survey shows that infant mortality rate in the country stood at 39 deaths per 1000 births, and the World Bank survey assessed Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) at 525 for the same year. The widespread HIV infection and the prevalence of practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and beading  (community sanctioned rape by a relative) also have an adverse impact on the health of women in the region.

Pragya’s intervention is focusing on the MNCH levels in the area. We are conducting research and holding consultations with local community members to generate qualitative data on the state of existing welfare services, reproductive health & nutrition among women and the potential challenges to establishing peer support networks in the region. The data collected after interacting with the locals, and other participants will be validated at the village and country level. The findings of the study will be collated, analyzed and published in the form of a report.

The dissemination of the findings from the research will aim to strengthen the local healthcare capacity, increase access to maternal and child health services in the community and improve the local healthcare governance in the region.

DEISPI workshop for educationally backward districts in India

The multi-stakeholder consultative workshop on DEISPI (Dynamic Education Information System for Planning and Improvement) ~ An Education Management & Information System for Tribal, Border, Hilly, Forested (TBHF) Districts in India was held on 5th November 2014 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi,India. The workshop was supported by USAID under the 'All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development' initiative, and was conducted by Pragya India. The event shared the learnings from the successful piloting of DEISPI with stakeholders in other educationally backward TBHF districts across India, as well as at the national level, and facilitating its uptake and implementation. The event sought to draw together national, state and district level institutions, governmental and non-governmental, involved in education delivery, with particular focus on TBHF districts, as well as educationists concerned with education policy, research, teachers' training and curriculum development to fine-tune the EMIS.

Along with the Guest of Honour, Prof. Peter Ronald deSouza (Senior Fellow - Centre for Study of Developing Societies, Board Member - NUEPA) and Distinguished Guest Dr. Huma Masood (National Programme Officer - Gender & Education, UNESCO), the workshop had participation from institutions involved in education delivery, with particular focus on TBHF districts as well as educationists concerned with education policy, research, teachers’ training and curriculum development. Participation was elicited from national and international institutions such as NUEPA, ACER, SSA Missions and State Education Departments, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Institutions (SCERTs, SIEs, DIETs), District Education Departments and institutions hailing from TBHF districts. The event also provided the opportunity for key stakeholders from the 11 piloted districts, to share their experience and concerns in implementing DEISPI. 

The participative process brought out the need for modification in DEISPI Tools / Process / Methods of data collection and dissemination in TBHF districts across the country. Recognising that all TBHF districts are not alike , the participants of the workshop were divided into 5 working groups: TBHF with positive socio-political status, Border/peripheral TBHF, TBHF with chronic poverty, TBHF near mainstream economy and TBHF with significant socio-cultural barriers. The Chairs presented the results of the deliberations at the end of the session. (Glimpses from the event)

E-book published - DMS-HIMALAYA

In June 2013, high-intensity rain and cloudbursts in the Indian State of Uttarakhand in the Himalayas triggered a series of hydrologic and geologic disasters, including glacial lake outbursts, landslides and flash floods, affecting more than 2,036,000 people and leading to one of the worst catastrophes of the decade. 

One year on, as the country still grapples with the calamitous event and its aftermath, in DMS-Himalaya, Banerji, Ipe and Basu through first-hand observations, vividly recapture the cascading combination disaster that occurred and the event trajectory. The book also examines the response process to the disaster, what worked and what did not. The learnings, from pre-event stages to post-event response, are drawn out with consideration of the complex interlinked issues related to disaster response in remote locations with fragile ecologies, and have been woven into a fortified disaster management system for the Himalayas.

View the book