Empowering Tribal Women: A Journey towards Holistic Health

A mere tourist visit to a tribal village in Birbhum turned out to be an eye-opener for me. Most of the dwellers there were of a short stature and thin to the bones. One need not conduct physical and blood examinations to understand that most of them were malnourished and nutritional diseases were quite prevalent among them. 

Surveys reveal a prevalence rate of 64% among women for anaemia in West Bengal. It is a public health problem that is associated with adverse outcomes for both mother and child. The situation is worse for women belonging to tribal villages. Anaemia is a life-threatening disease but with timely intervention it is both treatable and curable. However, tribal communities often face numerous health challenges due to factors such as limited access to healthcare facilities, socio-economic disparities, cultural barriers, and a lack of health education. It is these challenges that Civilian Welfare Foundation has been aiming at.

Since opening the first transdisciplinary lab in Eastern India in Bolpur, Birbhum, the unit asserts on reimagining healthcare with an intersectional approach with emphasis on low-cost diagnosis and holistic health profile of rural population. They conduct regular health camps at villages in and around Bolpur. The results and reports from these health camps are used to understand the prevalence of different disorders in the tribal population and then planning interventions accordingly.

In a pilot study among 500 women in 7 villages of Birbhum, they found very similar results. Anaemia, chronic pain and menstrual problems were seen to be predominant among the women. 71% of the women reported experiencing varying levels of pain which effected their daily functioning. A deeper analysis with psychological scales revealed stress, anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, more than 90% of them reported not knowing about psychological therapy, let alone consulting a mental health professional. It wasn’t shocking when around 40% of the women were seen to receive high scores on the scales of stress and depression.

This project recognizes the importance of addressing these multifaceted issues and proposes a holistic health intervention specifically designed for marginalized women. The project aims at distribution of health kit to 300 women from tribal villages around Bolpur along with blood tests, doctor consultation (both physical and mental). Women with further complexities will be screened and followed up with necessary medicines along with consultation and blood tests. Civilian Welfare Foundation needs your support in this project. Your contribution can not only help tribal women but communities at large.

Thank you in advance for your contribution. You have no idea how much it means to me to have your support. Please come forward to support my cause. Any contribution will be of immense help.