Malnutrition is a harsh reality for thousands of children which destabilise the immune system, prevent brain development and overall wellbeing. The sign of malnutrition is not visible until its acute and impacts the other functions. Timely care with proper nutrition is the only remedy to beat this cruel disease.

Caritas India Sabal program addresses the issue through community-based malnutrition management (CBMM) intervention by promoting food and nutrition diversification among the Korku community. Funded by Caritas Germany, the programme is addressing chronic malnutrition and hunger through its food and nutrition security initiatives for 141 villages of Madhya Pradesh and the Maharashtra region. With a key focus on ensuring food and nutrition security among the tribal community Sabal programme works with its integrated and holistic approach to fight against hunger and malnutrition.

The program focussed on reviving traditional millet cultivation, setting up backyard nutrition gardens, planting trees with nutritional value, preparing local protein mixes, and sourcing animal protein and forest-based food produce. It has also encouraged Korku women to enrol their children at the Anganwadi centre and avail the benefits of entitlements and services for their children.

Despite the community-based efforts and the effectiveness of prevention and protection, children facing severe health conditions requires medical intervention. The Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare plays a crucial role in addressing severely malnourished children. Past experiences of neglect and indifference by medical professionals at the health centres have led to distrust among the community members. As a result, they were reluctant to visit the health centres and relied on the experiences of tribal priests and healers to treat health issues and ailments.

The collaborative initiatives of the Sabal program with the support of the health team, and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), have helped to restore the trust in the health system. The extended support has enabled institutional workers to conduct home visits, regular health profiling sessions, counselling, vaccination drives, among others has been effective in strengthening the rapport between the community and the workers.

Last year from January to December 2021, the program has referred 33 children with severe health conditions in need of medical assistance to the NRC. Of the 33 cases, 21 have bounced back to normal health, 5 have been shifted from severe to moderate status, and 7 children were stable. The mothers were encouraged to stay in the NRC for 14 days and assured regular visits by the Sabal nutrition health workers. When the child is discharged from the centre, a nutrition food basket is given to the mother as a token of appreciation. The food basket is also a supportive measure and an attempt to make up for the financial losses the family suffers during the two-week hospitalisation at the NRC.

Furthermore, the community itself has more regard for the Anganwadi Centre (AWC) and the NRC and are availing the benefits and services from these government established institutions.