Improving the health and nutrition of a community often comes down to one thing – communication. Village Square champions those with the most effective megaphones, but also showcases new or quirky trends in food and healthy living.
Health & Wellbeing
How to ensure better well-being of India’s elderly
On this International Elders’ Day, success of an intervention offering social bonding, and health cards providing the elderly easy access to health care, point the way for effective elder care
Of cockroaches and digital health records
While digital health policy and proposed digitization of health records look good on paper, for it to be effective, basic rural health care services should function
Farmers cash in on demand for immunity boosters
With no signs of the coronavirus infection abating, moringa farmers in Tamil Nadu use the increasing demand for natural immunity boosters to their advantage, by value addition
Nomadic Molesalams peddle traditional medicine despite challenges
Despite a meager income, inability to avail government benefits and their children missing education, the traditional medicine men continue their trade among loyal rural clientele
Adolescent girls progress towards complete empowerment
Repressive norms pushed adolescent girls to poor health and early marriage. Bringing them together into groups has helped them improve their health, stop child marriage and learn vocational skills
How a tribal community took measures to guard itself against COVID-19
Though remote, Sittilingi Valley in Tamil Nadu, has a sizeable population that migrates for work. This prompted a proactive panchayat leadership to rally the community around to safeguard itself
Lockdown adds to distress of forest tribes facing development challenges
For Adivasis in Panna Tiger Reserve, lockdown and ensuing lack of financial resources add to the persisting multiple challenges, as they struggle to sustain themselves
Health workers offer rural tele-counseling to contain COVID-19 myths
With lack of access to authentic information, myths and fears proliferate. Health workers counsel communities over phone, addressing their anxieties about the disease and the returned migrants
Closure of seasonal hostels leaves migrants’ children in the lurch
While the lockdown left migrants stranded at destination sites, their children staying in seasonal hostels had to be sheltered with relatives or had to fend for themselves