SEWA Bharat

SEWA fosters social inclusion and provides preventive as well as curative care to women under various sectors like health, education, environment etc. By offering an alternative to the stigma and marginalization associated with hygiene issues, it empowers all women – and especially encourages influential women of the community to build ownership for community development and protection of women under various sectors. The women volunteers also known as “Sewa Bahen” creates a positive impact on women of the community and take personal initiatives in addressing menstrual hygiene management needs through MHM training modules. Such interventions are increasingly implemented in both community as well as and in other vulnerable groups and contexts.

Step 1: Recruitment and training of the field staff by SEWA as well as capacity building of ASHA workers

SEWA Staff: To improve the access to accurate MHM information in the community, SEWA selects and appoints field staff in every village they are present in. For the MHM program, 2 days training is given to the staff on related topics like what is health, the gaps in achieving good health, awareness on menstruation and usage of products; disposal, managing periods etc. twice in a year.

The members of the field staff are registered members of SEWA known as “SEWA Bahens” who volunteer to take part in the various awareness programs that SEWA undertakes. Other than receiving training on MHM, the Sewa Bahens are also trained on how to link the customer to the government with the help of referral programs and other social security schemes.

ASHA Workers: ASHA workers receive training from SEWA on improving the level of MHM knowledge, teaching practices by sensitizing and training them on MHM issues. Capacity building of ASHA Workers is carried out in a manner similar to that of “SEWA Bahens”.

SEWA, via training ASHA workers helps in strengthening the link and relationship between good menstrual health and safe periods through focus group discussions, dialogues, establishment of menstrual hygiene clubs, arrangement of exchange visits, competitions and promotions to create awareness to break the silence on MHM issues. Other than this the ASHA workers are trained on awareness creation, promotion of positive behaviour change on menstruation hygiene issues amongst parents, adolescent girls, etc. Development and dissemination of Information, Education and Communication materials specific to menstrual hygiene is created to expand awareness and break stigma around menstruation.

Since ASHA workers have a strong presence in villages and are considered among the trusted key opinion leaders, they play a pivotal role in binding the community together around this issue. ASHA Workers mainly work at the block level. Both SEWA Bahen and ASHA workers are given trainings on Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day days (VHSND) as well.

Step 2: Conducting activities and awareness campaigns in the villages

Once the SEWA Staff and ASHA Workers have been trained, they further train men and women in the villages. Several activities are conducted for this purpose:

• Discussions on MHM at regular intervals: SEWA Bahens and ASHA workers conduct meetings with the villagers at the panchayat level, twice a year. These discussions are mainly aimed at generating awareness by discussing issues that otherwise brings much shame and disgust to women and men. A separate meeting with key stakeholders of the villages such as Mukhiya, Sarpanch etc is also conducted once a year to disseminate MHM knowledge and awareness.
• Street Plays (Nukkad Natak): Street Plays are an innovative way of drawing the attention of women to issues that could pose a risk to their health. Through street plays, issues such as poor health and ignorance of people towards health are highlighted. These are usually done with the help of trained Street Play actors (Nukkad Natak Mandli). The Street plays are conducted once a month in two villages of a particular panchayat.
• Audio-Video Shows: These shows mainly comprise of stories or documentaries centering around menstrual hygiene in a very innovative way for the target audience. These shows are organized on a need basis and panchayats dealing with low awareness and adoption to safe hygienic products are targeted first.

Step 3: Ensuring sustainability of its programmes through frontline health workers

One way to ensure continuity of campaigns and awareness activities is through frontline health workers who work at the village level. Women who work with SEWA are called as Aagevaan Bahen (AB). These ABs have been assigned the responsibility of traveling from one village to the other to propagate awareness around menstrual hygiene and to keep their surroundings clean. Other than the ABs and, ASHA workers, auxiliary nurse midwives (ANM) have also been assigned the responsibility of imparting education to the villagers on a regular basis.