Quotes from Participants Illustrating Successful Community Mechanisms in the Program
| Themes | Illustrative quotes |
|---|---|
| Community felt cared for and supported | “I remember how often we had to take [child's name] to the hospital, even in the rains. Now he is okay. Everyone in the neighborhood says that he's come back from death's jaw. There was no hope. His chest was full. [SNEHA frontline health worker] was here at that time, she walked in the rain and first took us to the small hospital, and then walked to the big hospital with us. She stayed until the admission process was over and then she left.” (Mother, 36 years, housewife, Muslim, 6 children, youngest boy, age 1.5 years, was severely wasted with pneumonia complications, recovered) “She [SNEHA frontline health worker] even took me along on 2–3 occasions to the hospital … because I wouldn't understand anything, hence she came along. There she accompanied me for 2 days, then I understood everything. Before I could get there, she would have the case paper ready and would show me the medicines … after that I'd return and she would stay back for some work.” (Mother, 25 years, housewife, Hindu, 2 children, younger girl, age 2.5 years, is severely wasted) “When they are not there, we have to manage on our own. When they [SNEHA frontline health workers] came, we felt a sense of support.” (Mother, 30 years, housewife, Muslim, 6 children, youngest girl, age 2 years, was severely wasted, recovered) |
| Community believed that the knowledge imparted by the SNEHA frontline health workers was useful | “This person from SNEHA, she comes daily … doctor comes once or 2 times a month … they advise us on weight and tell us about doctors. We get to know if child is not the right weight. We receive information so their visits are beneficial to us.” (Pregnant women, 25 years, housewife, Hindu, 1 girl, age 2 years, severely wasted, recovered) “They ask you to take care of the child, give them milk on time, feed them milk for 15 minutes on one side and then other … that the child should be fed milk 10–11 times through the day, and only then his weight will increase. Children should not be given any food from outside and you should start after 6 months. They should be given all the medicines on time.” (Mother, age not known, housewife, Hindu, 1 girl, age 3 months old, non-wasted) |
| Community felt monitored | “If they are there, it is good because then parents look after their children properly. They keep coming, so we also have to be attentive to our children.” (Mother, 30 years, housewife, Hindu, 2 children, younger boy, age 4 years, was severely wasted with complications, recovered) “If there is something that you may have forgotten to follow, you will instantly remember it after seeing them. Yes, because I don't feed him properly then how will he grow? That is why as soon as he wakes up in the morning I wash his hands and mouth and then give him milk and thereafter I give him something to eat. By that time what if someone comes to ask me what I fed him? That is why I feed him properly. We will also become careless … because we are being told [by the SNEHA frontline health worker] all the time, so we are attentive and we also fear that they might come anytime to ask us. Because of their visits we would know that today we are supposed to go to check the weight; otherwise, amidst these kids one tends to forget these things. It feels good because they come and call us.” (Mother, 25 years, housewife, Muslim, 4 children, twins were 11 months, girls, one of them was moderately wasted with complications of not walking) |
Abbreviations: CMAM, community-based management of malnutrition; SNEHA, Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action.