Muskaan Foundation

In collaboration with Gayatri Shaktipeeth Katihar, the Muskaan Foundation conducts an educational awareness program in the slum areas of Katihar Municipal Area every Sunday. The initiative aims to instill education and Indian cultural values in children, fostering a healthy youth in India. Through engaging two-and-a-half-hour free lectures for enthusiastic and needy slum children, the program also involves the distribution of essential stationery, including educational books, notebooks, pens, and pencils. Additionally, nutritious breakfast and chocolates are provided, contributing to building a healthy future for the children and reviving lost Indian customs and moral values in the community.

Addressing the critical issue of approximately 60% of females, infants, adolescents, and young children in Bihar facing anaemia, Muskaan Foundation collaborates with PMH Biocare to implement the flagship program "ANEMICA." The initiative involves screening anaemic patients through health camps with the assistance of doctors and health workers. Volunteers conduct awareness programs to motivate and mobilize patients for screening and consultation. Free distribution of Iron and Folic Acid tablets is carried out for three months, followed by regular screenings to monitor progress. A patient database is maintained to track improvements, ensuring medical consultations through health camps or virtual mediums.

With a dedicated focus on health and sanitation awareness, particularly concerning women's natural cycles during menstruation, the initiative strives to highlight the significance of cautious self-care during this vital process. Sadly, many women lack awareness of the consequences of negligence during menstruation, making them susceptible to various incurable and prolonged diseases. On International Women's Day, the campaign aimed to bring awareness and instigate healthier practices among women in slum areas, emphasizing the importance of using sanitary napkins and proper disposal methods. The awareness program revealed the unfortunate reality of women habitually using unsuitable materials during menstruation, such as dirty clothes or ashes.

The School-In-A-Bag initiative addresses educational challenges faced by school-age children in Katihar, Bihar, particularly girls, affected by economic hardship, insurgency, displacement, child labour, cultural beliefs, and early marriages. This intervention distributes school bags loaded with essential materials, aiming to reignite interest in education, encourage enrollment, motivate parents, support in-school children lacking resources, and contribute to national education goals, including 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyan.' Focused on ages 6-11, the project targets internally displaced, out-of-school, unenrolled, and underserved in-school girls in rural communities, emphasizing the basic right to education for every girl child.

In an admirable initiative, children residing in the urban slums in and around Katihar are set to receive a thoughtful gift at the onset of the academic year – a bundle of five notebooks each. This book distribution program aims to support and encourage education among underprivileged youth, providing them with essential tools for learning. By equipping these children with notebooks, the initiative strives to bridge educational gaps and foster a brighter future for those facing economic challenges in the urban environment.