Project Background:

Help A Mother, Save A Baby (HAMSAB) Project is a holistic initiative designed to support pregnant mothers during the critical antenatal, postnatal, and early childhood stages (0–2 years). The program ensures comprehensive care for pregnant women, extending up to six months post-delivery, while emphasizing education and sustainability.

Major Interventions:

The project focuses on educating parents and primary caregivers on vital aspects of maternal and child health, including:

• Conception and Pregnancy Care: Raising awareness about conception and managing pregnancy-related complications.
• Maternal and Child Health: Promoting regular medical check-ups and improving health and nutritional outcomes for mothers and children during the first 1,000 days.
• Nutrition and Diet: Guidance on appropriate diets during and after pregnancy, nutritious complementary foods for babies, and hygienic cooking practices (e.g., using iron utensils, washing hands).
• Sustainable Practices: Encouraging the establishment of kitchen gardens to enhance household nutrition.
• Community Engagement:
  • Conducting home visits and counselling sessions for pregnant women and their families.
  • Demonstrating nutritional recipes and advocating best practices for childcare.
• Collaboration with Authorities: Partnering with government bodies and health departments to integrate these interventions into existing policies and systems, ensuring sustainability and scalability.

Project Goal:

To enhance the survival and cognitive development of children by providing holistic care during the first 1,000 days of life—targeting antenatal, postnatal, and early childhood stages for children aged 0–2 years in Vikramgad, Palghar district.

Target Group:

• 100 pregnant women (Ante Natal Care beneficiaries).
• 150 children aged 0–2 years.
• Total Beneficiaries: 250 individuals.

Expected Outcomes:

Over three years, the project aims to:

• Provide comprehensive care to 100 pregnant women and 150 children.
• Ensure all beneficiaries survive, thrive, and achieve critical growth and developmental milestones by age two.
• Establish sustainable practices to enable long-term health improvements within the community.

Project: Seeds for Life.

Project partner: Shri Chaitanya Health & Care Seva Trust

Project area: Ondhe Village, Vikramgad Taluka.

Aim of the project:

To Establish a participatory model of seed conservation by Promotion of Climate-resilient, nutritionally superior, and marketable indigenous crop cultivars for Seed sovereignty, enhanced livelihood, Nutritional security, and Risk mitigation.

There are 2 major interventions-

• To establish demo seed plots of native rice, tubers, millets & pulses for further preservation & propagation.
• To upscale indigenous seeds for propagation, consumption and marketing.

Harvesting rainwater is a highly effective practical and environmentally friendly approach to water management. This system, designed to capture and store rainwater for various uses, not only helps conserve water but also fosters a sense of environmental responsibility among students.

Rainwater harvesting is a method that collects and stores rainwater from rooftops or other surfaces. The collected water can then be utilized for a variety of purposes, such as watering school gardens, flushing toilets, or even replenishing groundwater levels.

Schools are ideal set ups for rainwater harvesting systems due to their large roof areas and high water consumption. Implementing such systems not only reduces dependency on municipal water supplies but also serves as an educational tool for students, teaching them about water conservation and sustainability.

Components of a Rainwater Harvesting System:

• Catchment Surface: The roof of the school building serves as the primary catchment surface, where rainwater is collected.
• Gutters and Downspouts: These are channels installed along the roof edges to direct rainwater towards storage tanks.
• Filter System: A filter system prevents debris and contaminants from entering the storage tanks, ensuring the collected water is clean and safe.
• Storage Tanks: These tanks hold the harvested rainwater, preserving it for later use.
• Distribution System: Pipes and pumps distribute the stored water to various points within the school for designated purposes.

Praj Foundation has installed rainwater harvesting system in 2 schools in Shahapur Taluka. Total over 500 students benefitted from this initiative.

Praj Foundation has also installed rainwater harvesting system in 3 Adivasi ( tribal) hamlets benefitting over 1000 population.