International Nepal Fellowship (INF) was established in 1952, making it Nepal’s longest-serving international non-government organization. INF works to make sustainable improvements in health and quality of life for both people and communities through overcoming poverty and exclusion. Encouraging communities to take collective action to tackle key health issues, INF focuses in areas of community health and development, community-based rehabilitation, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition, anti-human trafficking as well as providing specialized health and rehabilitation services for the most marginalized people.
HealthBridge and INF Nepal implemented a maternal and child health project in Banke District of Nepal. The project aimed to reduce preventable maternal and child illness and death, improve nutrition for vulnerable mothers and children and strengthen existing health systems. The program worked by both improving the quality and accessibility of health services and mobilizing demand for services among women and children. Health workers and community volunteers were trained to deliver high-quality health and nutrition services. The project reactivated and bolstered the operation of Mothers’ Group meetings in the community, led by Female Community Health Volunteers; Mother’s Groups work with women, including pregnant women, mothers, mothers-in-law and other family members and provided them with information regarding the importance of accessing care during pregnancy, birth and during the post-natal period. The project also engaged men to address systematic cultural and gender-related barriers to accessing health services. Additionally, existing health infrastructure was strengthened by providing equipment, supplies and facilities. The gains of this project and lessons learned will be continued through the ongoing work of INF in vulnerable communities in Nepal.
Visit INF online at www.inf.org/inf-nepal/
