IHO IN BIHAR, INDIA…
IHO’s first project was started in the state of Bihar in 1992. Bihar is the poorest and one of
the most populous states of India with a
population of ~ 80 million (2000 census of GOI). Much like other underdeveloped communities, contaminated water is one of the leading causes of illness in Bihar. And water-borne diseases, directly or indirectly, are the leading cause of sickness and death, especially among the infant population. Most of IHO’s projects are in the state of Bihar. Initially, IHO’s work focused upon the prevention, control and treatment of water-borne diseases. It has since been expanded to address other public health problems. Today, all of IHO’s projects fall into these four programs:
- Environmental Health
- Maternal & Child Health (including Family Planning & Reproductive Health)
- HIV/AIDS
- Empowerment of Women
IHO programs in Bihar are ongoing in the districts of Champaran, Samastipur, Patna and Gaya.
DEEP Project
Recently, in December 2005, IHO got a project from the Government of Bihar’s Department of Women’s Development Corporation. The title of the project is “The Urban Slum Project” (DEEP Project). The area of focus for the project is the outskirts of Patna. The following are the objectives of the project:
- Establish below the poverty lines women’s Self Help Groups (SHGs) in urban slums to make them self-reliant and self-confident which would help them gain greater access to and control over resources.
- Increase the income of urban poor women through their involvement in income generating activities, and thereby contributing to poverty alleviation.
- Develop links between SHGs and lending institutions to ensure women’s access to credit financing.
- Improve access to better health care, family planning, education and sanitation facilities in the slum areas.
The project is presently allotted for 1 year, but has the potential to be extended for a longer period of time.
Dhobi Project
The Dhobi Highway AIDS Prevention Project was initiated on October 6, 2001. The goal of the project is creating awareness and councelling for people working in the transport industry on National Highways, between Delhi-Calcutta and India-Nepal, that pass through the city of Dhobi in the Gaya District of Bihar. This is an extremely important area because many truck drivers and migrant laborers pass through, and these populations are crucial to target for HIV/AIDS education as they are known as high risk groups within the region. The project provides the following services:
- Education on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases
- Voluntary councelling and testing (VCT) made available by Bihar State AIDS Control Society (BSACS)
- Screening services
- Referral to Sadar Hospital or Magadh Medical College (both located in Gaya) for treatment
- Distribution of free condoms
in 2005 alone, it served approximately 3,000 truck drivers, khalasis (a driver’s helper), petrol station attendants and other people associated with the transport industry. Recently, it has been extended to create HIV/AIDS awareness among nearby villagers. Periodic Yauvan Melas (Youth Festive Camps) are organized during which condoms are distributed and other safe sex behaviors are advocated.
This project also serves as a field training site (level-III) for participants attending our ‘Regional AIDS Training Center & Network in India’ (RATNEI).
Prachar Project
In April of 2003, IHO launched The Prachar Project in partnership with Pathfinder International. The main objective of this project is to provide counseling to adolescent girls and boys regarding the choices for safe reproductive health and the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
In 2005, as one of the 19 NGOs selected by Pathfinder International, IHO continued to collaborate with them to significantly improve the sexual behavior of adolescents and young adults in the villages of Bihar in the Patna District. Selected community members are trained as change agents who become key communicators and village-level resource persons. In 2005, the project served a target population of 30,000 people and accomplished the following:
- Adolescent girls received training about puberty, menstruation, personal hygiene and nutrition.
- Adolescent girls and boys between the ages of 15-19 received information about reproductive health, family planning, STIs, HIV/AIDS and the importance delaying childbirth and the spacing of children.
- Newly married couples without children received information about the importance of delaying childbirth and the spacing of children.
- Young couples with only one child received information about the spacing of subsequent children.
- Families of young couples, including mother-in-laws, were educated about reproductive health, family planning and other health issues.
- Elders and community leaders with influence were trained in these areas.
Cultural teams are trained to present street plays, songs and puppet shows dramatizing the advantages of family planning and child spacing. Reproductive health education is also provided through IHO programs in the states of Gujarat, Orissa and Jharkhand
IHO IN BIHAR, INDIA…
Environmental HealthIHO’s first project was started in the state of Bihar in 1992. Bihar is the poorest and one of the most populous states of India with a population of ~ 80 million (2000 census of GOI). Much like other underdeveloped communities, contaminated water is one of the leading causes of illness in Bihar. And water-borne diseases, directly or indirectly, are the leading cause of sickness and death, especially among the infant population. Most of IHO’s projects are in the state of Bihar. Initially, IHO’s work focused upon the prevention, control and treatment of water-borne diseases. It has since been expanded to address other public health problems. Today, all of IHO’s projects fall into these four programs:
- Maternal & Child Health (including Family Planning & Reproductive Health)
- HIV/AIDS
- Empowerment of Women
IHO programs in Bihar are ongoing in the districts of Champaran, Samastipur, Patna and Gaya.