SOCIETAL HEALTH ISSUES 2022

SHEETAL POKHREL

Background

— School level from Vishwa Adarsha College, situated at Itahari 4

— Passed my SEE by scoring A+(3.85) and 11 by scoring A(3.39).

— Finished +2 level in Management and planning to continue BBA.

— A lot of interests

— Extroverted.

— Like singing and listening to soft music

— Interest in exploring and adventures

— My other hobbies are: freestyle dance, singing and watching short Hindi web series.

— Born in Siraha.

— Moved a lot : Amardha Village in Morang, Kathmandu, and finally to Itahari.

— Currently, I am located in Itahari-4, Sunsari. I grew up with my parents and guardians.

— Was looking for community engagement opportunity

— Want to make my society better.

Why I chose to apply for Aakar

Family background

Hobbies and interests

Education

CONTEXT

Many preventable water borne and other communicable diseases affect people in rural communities of Nepal like diarrhoea, common cold, fever, pneumonia and normal day to day injuries. This can lead to poor physical and mental health, and even death in some cases.

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My project focuses on a low income, partly dalit community called Mallik Tole in Sunsari which affected by these types of health issues.

RELEVANCE

PROBLEM STATEMENT

If the problem is not resolved, there will be:

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• Negative effects on the people’s mental and physical health.
• Area's mortality rate increases.
• Other negative consequences.

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The wider affect are:

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- Low standard of living

- Financial impacts on families and community .

- Impact in the community’s development and future

The project Aims to:

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• Make people mentally and physically healthy.

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• Make people aware about harmful diseases: causes, symptoms, spreading, effects and preventative solutions.

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• Make people aware about first aid and its uses.

Context: Demographic and Local Context

Demographics:

• 55% female, 45% male
• In my conversation with the local government, I found that 30 - 40% of people there suffer from preventable health issues every year.

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Awareness about health:

• I surveyed 20-25 people of all ages/ genders
• I found that about only 42% of people are aware about basic Health Issues and it’s prevention and cure.

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Main gaps in awareness identified:

• About hospitals, other resources and health insurance
• About health issues, symptoms, prevention, cure and complications

COMPLEMENTARY CARE includes, Traditional therapy, Homemade remedies and Yoga.

CONVENTIONAL CARE includes Artificial Treatment, Artificial medicine and Doctors.

Context: Current Health Practices

• Most residents use only the complementary and traditional care practices to address health issues.
• Some also adopted superstitious practices like Dhami/ Jhankri (faith healing) to deal with complications which often made matters worse.

SOLUTION

• Workshop on Health Issues
• Healthcare facility information
• Healthcare materials distribution

• I organized a multiple hour long workshop on the health issues.
• We focused on common diseases like diarrhea, common colds, fever, and pneumonia etc.
• We talked about symptoms, disease prevention and home remedies. i.e Jiwanjal, sanitation, purifying water.
• I used visual learning methods like charts and posters.
• I explained about first aid and provided a kit to the Malik area.
• I distributed flyers with information on emergency services and hospital.
• I used the Nrs 7000 I raised to distribute soap and other sanitization materials

Challenges

Project location identification

Raising Funds

Feedback collection

The issues I had in choosing a location were:

• Communication barrier as local language was different
• Superstitions: Deep rooted superstitious health practices which was beyond the scope of my project.

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After further research, and getting input from friends and family who live nearby, I found Malik Tole. I talked to the local community members and the local government to get permission.

I approached many sources for raising funds for this project. In order to get help of the local government for funding, I had to face the administrative and legal procedure which was fully new to me.

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To solve this issue, I communicated my full project plan clearly to the ward office and later with sub metropolis of Itahari and asked for their help.

I successfully received funds worth Rs.7000/- and some health materials to distribute.

People of the Malik area were fully satisfied by my project but they were shy to share their reviews virtually on camera.

I collected verbal and written feedback off camera.

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To get their input from officials of the local community I visited the area frequently but I could not arrange a good time for meeting. I had a phone call with them.

June

27

IDEA SUBMISSION

FUNDRAISER

July 23

SECOND WORKSHOP

FOURTH WORKSHOP

TIMELINE OF MY PROJECT

August 18-22

REPORT COLLECTION

FINAL PRESENTATION

IMPACT

Better access to health resources, information and its treatment

• NRs.7000/- fund collected from government.
• About 80-90 Soaps were distributed.
• A First Aid Kit given to the area.
• People are following better sanitation methods.
• People are connecting more with medical field than superstition.
• People are living healthy life.

Impact 1

All the people who attended the session are following sanitation method and have knowledge about health issue and its curing method

Impact 2

About 20% of people had already used the first aid kit for small injuries and prevented infection.

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Running workshop

Providing First Aid Kit

Materials I distributed to MALLIK AREA

Testimonial 1

Member of MALLIK AREA

“You are doing great job sister. We are benefited a lot by this project.

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I don't have much time to sit and listen to this kind of information but today I got to know about these all just because of you. I am following those things which you have taught.”

Testimonial 2

“Thank you for everything you did for our Community. I had learned very much from this project. I had used the first aid kit when I got injuries in my hand while cutting vegetables.”

Member of MALLIK AREA

What I learned?

• To work with stakeholders like the government, hospitals, community etc..
• To Develop confidence in myself.
• To tackle the problems and solve it.
• To convince people about my project.
• To Present myself as a candidate for social work.

If I had more time, I would

– I would conduct these kind of project in other areas as well.

– I would provide more stuff to needy people for sanitization. Like: Gloves, water purification drop, Sanitizer and so on.

– I would make them visit hospital for necessary information.

– I would give more information about other health issues expect those ones.

Summary Video

Thank You!

Q/A