Distribution of milk bottles
Navdrushti introduced the fortified cow milk from Shivamrut milk diary, Akluj to tribal children in Palghar district, especially for malnourished special kids who are under surgical and emotional stress. Navdrushti supplied the fortified cow milk in 200 ml milk bottles supplemented by ayurvedic herbs. The Brahmi and Shatawari herbs gave very promising results. Since then Navdrushti has shared the idea with several other NGOs working in the region.
Creating Kitchen Gardens
We have successfully introduced the concept of nutrition garden among tribals, whereby in the backyard of each tribal family a kitchen garden is created for growing leafy vegetables which can be part of their regular family diet.
Supply of Micronutrient food to Kids
In the past, Navdrushti has supplied freshly prepared highly nutritious indigenous tasty diet to all the enrolled malnourished kids in a few Anganwadis in Jawhar taluka in Palghar district of Maharashtra. The preparation cost of this indigenous diet is low but it gives the best results within a month. The purpose of this exercise was to demonstrate to other anganwadis in the neighbouring regions to adopt this practice of preparing and distributing nutritious indigenous tasty diet to all the malnourished children in their schools.
Child blindness
Considering the reporting of several cases of Xeropthalmia a blindness linked to malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency among tribal children in Palghar district of Maharashtra, Navdrushti in the years 2006 and 2007 conducted a child blindness control programme. The president of Navdrushti Dr Nagesh Tekale who had undergone special training in early detection of Vitamin A deficiencies in malnourished kids at Wilmer Eye Institute, John Hopkins school of Medicine, USA ensured success of the programme by taking it up on a war footing. In his mission he was assisted by an instrument Dark Adaptor donated by Wilmer eye institute which helped in easy assessment of Vitamin A deficiency.
Conducting Medical Camps
Navdrushti has conducted special medical camps for children and expecting/lactating women in the tribal belts. The primary objective of these medical camps is to provide health facilities to the tribal families having their forest habitat in remotely placed non accessible areas where government agencies are unable to reach. In these camps medicines are also provided free of charge to the beneficiaries. During the year a special ophthalmology camp is also arranged every quarter.
Anaemia control program
Navdrushti through its various awareness drives has encouraged tribal families to grow dark green leafy vegetables and fruits in their fallow land after harvesting the rice so that they include it in their regular diet. The dark green leafy vegetables help women & growing children especially the girl child. Iron rich food has also been introduced in some Anganwadis.
Plantation of fruit trees in house backyard
Navdrushti distributed saplings of fruit trees to Ashram school children for them to plant in their house backyard for avoiding the problem of malnutrition.
Supported Bare Foot Doctors Program
Navdrushti has provided in the past first aid training to selected youth in recognized hospitals of Thane district. After a week’s training, these bare foot doctors can visit the villages and identify critical patients and provide them emergency services to shift them to nearby hospitals. This trained well equipped youth force with certificates can also gives first aid to needy people if required.
Alcohol Ban
Navdrushti organized a satyagraha by mobilizing 200+ tribal women in Kaduchiwadi in Mokada taluka of Thane district to close down country liquor manufacturing units and the satyagraha was successful as the authorities closed them
Awareness campaign to raise marriageable age
Navdrushti undertook awareness programme in Jawhar taluka of Palghar district to stop early child marriages with the purpose of stopping child morbidity and mortality.
Fortification of Folic acid, Iron & Zinc
Navdrushti has in the past successfully run a campaign for fortification of Folic acid, Iron and Zinc to stop premature abortion of kids.
Education support to Sumitra Public School
Dorf Ketal Chemicals India Ltd. appointed Navdrushti as the implementing agency to execute and monitor the project. During the academic year 2017–18, with CSR support, key initiatives were completed including school infrastructure development, establishment of science and computer labs, playground development, and installation of safety systems. Academic quality was enhanced through staff appointments, continuous monitoring of teaching–learning processes, teacher training programs, parent–teacher meetings, and adherence to CBSE affiliation norms and the National Curriculum Framework (2005).
Anganwadi Support
In the past, Navdrushti has undertaken distribution of nutritious food including boiled eggs to children on daily basis at several Anganwadis besides introducing Yoga including Pranayama to promote the enhancement of IQ levels of each kid. Yoga helps in proper supply of oxygen to brain activities and nullifies the long lasting impact of malnutrition. Navdrushti also provides other forms of support to primary schools and anganwadis by donating play equipment’s for the kids and school going children.
Toy House
Navdrushti in the past has introduced wooden made scientific toys for the malnourished kids to enhance their IQ levels in several Anganwadis. This ensures these children suffering from malnutrition besides getting a proper balanced diet will also have access to toys for their individual activities with which their learning process will become faster. The objective was to provide quality nutrition along with enhancement of IQ levels so that kids can easily join education mainstream.
Digital Labs
Navdrushti has developed an interactive digital content for school curriculum for Grade 1 to Grade 10.
Computer literacy for tribal children
Navdrushti has in the past successfully undertaken computer trainings for 240 students including 92 girls at Malepada in Vikramgadh and Kusumbi in Dabheri. This project was supported by Ministry of Human resources and Development, Government of India under community polytechnic programme.
Book Library and Reading room
Navdrushti has successfully started a well-equipped book library and a reading hall for the hundreds of youths and senior citizens in Kawale hamlet of Vikramgadh taluka. This library has a special section for children. Library is enriched with 750 books, four weekly, three monthly magazines along with five daily newspapers. Daily around forty individuals take the benefit of this library and reading room.
Supporting Primary education in collaboration with Rotary Club
Supported Primary Education in collaboration with Rotary Club Thane West & Mulund West through distribution of notebooks and stationary to primary school children.
Awareness sessions on Hygiene and Safe drinking water
The most known cause of death of children in the tribal belts is due to malnutrition linked with personal hygiene and sanitation. Our teachers conducted awareness sessions for all the kids enrolled in our Anganwadis on hygiene and cleanliness both at an individual level as well as in their surroundings.
Implementing innovative agriculture practices
Agriculture is an age old one season farming in tribal belts of Maharashtra. Navdrushti undertook an initiative to successfully introduce new protein rich crop varieties (Tur and Winged Bean) in these tribal belts to provide additional quality food to the families. The tribals were also informed about cultivation of fruit trees, leafy vegetables and were encouraged to grow them to ensure total food security.
Conservation of Local indigenous seeds
Women in tribal belts are always ready to accept any new change i.e. innovations which will benefit their small growing children and their families. Navdrushti has supported tribal women to have seed bank in each hamlet under which self-help group of women will collect the traditionally cultivated seeds from each farmer, will store them in traditionally old ways linked with science and then will distribute it to the nearby needy farmers. The main objective of the seed bank is to protect tribal crops and agricultural practices from climate change and global warming. Navdrushti had encouraged tribal farmers to cultivate Ragi and Rajma as per modern agriculture practices during various interactions of its personnel with tribal farmers.
Implementation of Biotechnology and Tissue culture
Diarrhoea is a major cause and factor of child mortality in the tribal belt. Navdrushti has always educated and encouraged the plantation of Banana plants in the backyards of tribal hamlets. The half ripe banana in meshed form gives food security to the malnourished kids and also protects them from the Diarrheal morbidity and mortality also. Navdrushti for the first time introduced tissue culture designed banana saplings in the backyard of tribal families and 5000 banana saplings donated by Gufic Biosciences were planted.
Tree plantation drives
Navdrushti planted 5000 trees in Wada, Jawhar and Vikramgad talukas of Palghar district in collaboration with Godrej Industries Ltd.