Success Stories

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IYCF Counseling Card

The CINI Chetana Resource Centre (CCRC), in collaboration with UNICEF, has developed a counseling card on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices to support Anganwadi workers in providing easy, effective, and case-specific guidance to mothers and caregivers of children with different nutritional needs.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to create a comprehensive Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) counseling package for frontline workers, aimed at improving feeding practices, nutrition, and early childhood stimulation.

In 2019, CCRC marked a significant milestone by introducing case-specific child nutrition counseling for children under two years of age. With the active support of UNICEF, CCRC completed the first version of the ‘Shishur Pushti O Jotner Poramorsher Niyombidhi’ Card and conducted training programs for Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), ICDS Supervisors, and CDPOs to ensure effective use of the tool at the community level.

Community health exposure visit to the GNM nursing students:

Since 2000, the CINI Chetana Resource Centre (CCRC) has been supporting community health exposure visits for GNM nursing students, starting with the Calcutta Nursing Training School (CNTI). The program aims to enhance students’ understanding of rural health and nutrition and provide hands-on exposure to community health services.

Most participating students come from different districts of West Bengal and, upon completing their GNM training, often pursue careers in the government block-level health system. To prepare them for this role, CCRC provides structured exposure to rural health infrastructure and services.

Today, CCRC collaborates with renowned nursing institutions such as ESI, Calcutta Nursing Training Institute, Islamia School of Nursing, Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Guwahati Regional Nursing College, Mission of Mercy, and others. Each year, over 450 nursing students benefit from this program, gaining valuable insights and practical experience in rural community health.

Empowering Adolescents through Health & Menstrual Hygiene Education

CCRC, in collaboration with MUKTI (Urban Programme), successfully implemented a 3-day Adolescent Health Training for girls and boys aged 14–19 years, along with a focused Menstrual Hygiene Orientation for girls aged 10–14 years. This initiative aimed to address critical health needs during adolescence and break long-standing myths and taboos around menstrual hygiene.

The sessions created a safe, interactive, and youth-friendly learning environment where adolescents openly discussed physical and emotional changes, personal hygiene, nutrition, reproductive health, and self-confidence. Special emphasis was placed on menstrual hygiene management, helping young girls understand their bodies with dignity and confidence.

Key Achievements

  • Reached over 2,200 adolescents across urban communities:
    • 1,000 adolescents (14–19 years) trained on Adolescent Health through 27 batches
    • 1,200 girls (10–14 years) oriented on Menstrual Hygiene through 24 batches
  • Significantly improved knowledge on physical, emotional, and reproductive health, nutrition, and personal hygiene.
  • Strengthened life skills, including self-confidence, decision-making, and effective communication.
  • Broke social taboos around menstruation by promoting open dialogue and accurate information.

Empowered adolescents as community health ambassadors, motivating them to share learnings and promote healthy practices within their families and neighborhoods.

Overall Impact

This initiative has equipped thousands of adolescents with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to make informed health choices. Beyond individual transformation, the program has sparked a ripple effect—creating informed, confident young change makers who are positively influencing their communities and contributing to a healthier, more aware society.