Samira Shams, Project Officer, Voice and Accountability, KPK
Despite the fact that district Nowshehra has remained a hub of different interventions post-2010 flood, ranging from relief, rehabilitation to post traumatic psychotherapy, capacity building, a few to count. The majority of the people are well aware of community based interventions, yet, there are still some areas for which this concept still remains alien. Village Manduri is one of such areas where people were not familiar with the concept of participatory approach of development via group formation. That is why the people were reluctant to become part of group, take initiatives themselves and work for their betterment. People of the village were not even in favour of EVA-BHNs’ initial gathering but due to their social and cultural values, they facilitated EVA-BHN and arranged a large gathering where EVA-BHN team shared their aim and purpose with the people. The team also explained the cause of EVA-BHN and how community participation can contribute in the fulfilment of these goals. This resulted in a positive projection and the people pledged to join hands with EVA-BHN. They also agreed to form a Community Group.
The gathering, however, consisted of only men and for the same reason of social and cultural barriers, women were not allowed to take part in any such activities. A female colleague of EVA-BHN was not allowed to even sit in the gathering or talk to other women of the community. After the meeting took place and the group was sensitised, male members agreed to support a separate gathering for women since the EVA-BHN project is directly related to the MNCH, therefore, they agreed that women would be able to form a separate group and thereby play their role in the EVA-BHN activities.
In the next meeting of group formation, female members of the community gathered in the house of one of the community members. A female team member of EVA-BHN talked to the women, and explained the important role that women can play to ensure better maternal health and nutrition. She said that EVA-BHN is providing platform so that people can get their entitled health rights. All women participants agreed to become members of the Community Group and also assured that they would play their active role in all EVA-BHN activities.
In the entire UC Manduri, there is only one health facility- Basic Health Unit. There is no facility for delivery or other reproductive health related issues. The entire population have either to rely on traditional Dai (Midwives), LHVs or have to cover a distance of 10-15 km to avail MNCH related facilities in the Nowshera cities. EVA-BHN is therefore a ray of light for the people of this village since this is the platform where they are able to demand their health rights from the government.
EVA-BHN 