Integrated Program for Community Development (IPCD)

Observation of World Breast Feeding Week in IPCD target villages

World Breastfeeding Week is annually observed every year during first week of August. It was therefore observed in all 29 IPCD target villages across six program districts on any one working day between 2nd and 3rd week of August 2011 with objectives of promoting exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months of life.

As part of the observation, breast-feeding promotion rally was organized in every target village with the support of Red Cross Volunteers (Health Promoters, Community Development Groups for Rebuilding Livelihood, Community Micro Groups and Village Disaster Management Team members), local school students and women groups. Placards on breast feeding promotional messages like

• “Mother's milk is right of every child”
• “Breast milk is best for your baby”,
• “There is no alternative to mother's milk”,
• “Mother's first milk saves life”,
• And “support mother to save child”

were used by the volunteers during the rally. Medical officer from Govt Hospital and Primary Health Centre delivered a special address and speech amidst ANC and PNC mothers about breastfeeding including information and advice on lactating, positioning and common problems

Competitions such as speech, slogan, song etc., were organized for Anti Natal Care (ANC) and Post Natal Care (PNC) mothers with regard to importance of breast-feeding. Local Panchayat leaders & community leaders participated in the event and distributed prizes to the winners.

Totally 900 ANC & PNC mothers, 2,800 male students, 2,950 female students, 575 CMG & VDMT members, 352 Health Promoters have participated in the events in all the target villages. This event has brought wider attention from families, friends and communities in supporting breast-feeding by mothers, intake of nutritious foods and prevention of childhood diseases.

HIV/AIDS and Peer Education Training for School Program Coordinators (SPCs):

Training on HIV/AIDS and peer education was organized for School Program Coordinators (SPCs) on 3rd & 4th August 2011 at Indian Red Cross Society, Tamil Nadu Branch Chennai. 08 SPCs and 04 selected Village Coordinators (VCs) from six IPCD target districts participated in the workshop. The objective of the training was to enhance the knowledge & skill of the SPCs on HIV/AIDS and peer education in order that they train the peer educators and peer members and be informed adequately the support and monitor the initiative.

ToT on Ten Steps for Creating Safe Environment in Schools (Ten Steps) for Head Masters, JRC Counselors and IX grade teachers

Three batches of Training of Trainers (ToT) on Ten Steps were organized from 23rd to 29th August 2011 for higher and high school Headmasters, JRC Counselors and IX grade teachers of target schools from Cuddalore, Pudukottai, Thanjavur and Kanyakumari districts. 60 participants from the selected institutions participated in these workshops. The purpose of the training was to prepare Headmasters and teachers to implement the “Ten Steps” in their own schools. District Coordinators and School Program Coordinators facilitated most of the sessions in this workshop. Group discussion, group presentation role plays and games were the methodologies of training. As a follow up of this training, the trained JRC Counselors and teachers will orient other teachers in their respective schools. Violence Prevention committee will be formed in all higher and high schools across six districts so as to provide safe environments to the children in the schools.

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