Unite for a Healthy India: National Launch of Lenten Campaign

Malnutrition is a painful and disgraceful scourge on humanity. Despite producing sufficient to feed her citizens, India continues to be one of the highest-ranking countries in the world for the number of children and anemic women suffering from malnutrition. The country has unacceptably high levels of malnutrition with 38.4% of children stunted and 35.8% of children underweight (NFHS-4). Albeit the enviable economic growth rate, millions of children in our country suffer from hunger and starvation. Malnutrition is a debilitating condition that weakens a child’s immune system and raises mortality rates of children from common diseases. India has one of the highest numbers of malnourished women and children in the world.

Caritas India’s Lenten campaign 2019 against hunger and diseased focusses on Malnutrition with the theme “Nutrition: Our Right Poshan Humara Haq – Unite for a healthy India” which aims to fight malnutrition across the country. On 17^th March 2019 Caritas India, held its Lenten Campaign National Launch at “Our Lady of Fathima Forane Church”, Jasola, Faridabad Diocese (St. Joseph Social Service Society). The launch also encompassed “Share the Journey” global campaign to spread awareness on the nutritional rights of migrants. The program began with a Holy Mass celebrated by Fr Paul Moonjely, Executive Director, Caritas India; Fr Jolly Puthenpura, Asst. Executive Director; Fr Suhsil Modi, Director Administration.

Fr Paul in his mass introduction and sermon expressed the importance of nutrition in our India along with explaining the mission of Caritas India of working for the poor and marginalised. He emphasised on the Lenten Campaign theme of Malnutrition and Caritas’ initiatives of curbing it. He also reinforced the concept of the campaign which is to fight against malnutrition and hunger can succeed only with a multi-sectoral strategy covering agriculture, social protection, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), nutrition-sensitive health care, education, nutrition interventions and initiatives that enable the empowerment of women and balanced physical growth of infants and children. Duty bearers need to show more intent to invigorate nutrition and health service systems so that communities. Civil society needs to double its commitment to help communities participate more meaningfully in improving the functionality of public health and nutrition systems and make the duty bearers truly accountable. The Mass concluded with the revealing of the official poster of the campaign by Fr Paul, Fr Jolly, Fr Sushil, Fr Julius, Parish Priest and trustees of the parish.

Caritas India along with Caritas India Volunteers organised a solidarity walk around the church campus. The objective of the walk was to create awareness among the parishioners and the local community. The church being located in a resettlement colony of Jasola turned to be an ideal location to spread awareness among the people pertaining to nutrition, food security, and migration. The walk concluded back in the church with the participants uniting towards a healthy India.