Story
Both of us haven't run long distances in almost 10 years, so completing this marathon (with our dodgy knees) in a couple of months time is going to be a huge challenge!
We're supporting Educate for Life's work along the way, because growing up in the UK, we were very lucky to benefit from the best start in life. Not least, a loving family, fantastic schools and excellent healthcare to prevent illness and support our healthy development.
Educate for Life works in remote rural communities in Rajasthan in India. Families live in poverty without access to all that we take for granted. The charity's research shows that in 2015, one in seven children in its project area would sadly die before reaching their 5th birthdays. Most women would deliver their babies at home without a skilled birth attendant.
Educate for Life works with a local partner organisation to provide families with better access to healthcare and support. The charity's programmes include a focus on antenatal care and safe delivery services; improving childhood vaccination rates; providing nutritional support to pregnant women and primary school children and organising annual general paediatric, eye and dental checks.
This work is saving lives. Since 2015 the death rate of young children has reduced by over 40%.
The life prospects of children growing up in the area are changing. In addition to healthcare access, children are also benefitting from nurturing holistic educational experiences delivered in schools supported by Educate for Life. Some children are now the first from their community to have completed 12th Class (A-levels) and be studying in college or university.
How your support could make a difference:
£10 - Feeds two classes of primary school children for a day
This amount could provide two classes of malnourished primary school children with a hot healthy meal, or ration packs if they are studying at home due to Covid restrictions.
£25 - Healthcare for a year for a primary school child
£25 - Healthcare for a year for a primary school child
This amount could provide a primary school child with healthcare support for a year, ensuring they are up to date with their vaccinations, have a paediatric health check and an eye check, receive anti-parasitic medication, iron folate, folic acid and vitamin supplements, have health education sessions and are promptly referred to a healthcare professional if they are suffering from ill-health.
£50 - Post-natal and early childhood care for families for a year
£50 - Post-natal and early childhood care for families for a year
This amount could support four families with pre-school age children, making sure mothers receive regular home visits and have an eye kept on their well-being, whilst being provided with advice and guidance on nutrition for their children and supported to access vaccinations and professional healthcare if their child is unwell.
£100 - Antenatal care for two pregnant women
£100 - Antenatal care for two pregnant women
This amount could support two pregnant women throughout their pregnancies, ensuring that they receive monthly home visits from a community health worker and information about healthy behaviours, childbirth and infant care. They will be accompanied to attend antenatal checks at the local Primary Healthcare Centre and to receive appropriate vaccinations and supplements. The women are also given nutritional packs containing rice, pulses and lentils.
“I am six months pregnant now and Madam comes to visit us regularly and take care of me and the coming child by providing us with good information. Once a month she takes us to the Primary Healthcare Centre and I get all the necessary vaccines and check-ups done so that my baby is born healthy and I am also very happy that I am not facing any disease. She comes every month and shows me a video about how to take care of myself during pregnancy, how to take care of the baby, what to feed the baby, etc. After watching such videos, I am very happy thinking about the coming baby.”
“I am six months pregnant now and Madam comes to visit us regularly and take care of me and the coming child by providing us with good information. Once a month she takes us to the Primary Healthcare Centre and I get all the necessary vaccines and check-ups done so that my baby is born healthy and I am also very happy that I am not facing any disease. She comes every month and shows me a video about how to take care of myself during pregnancy, how to take care of the baby, what to feed the baby, etc. After watching such videos, I am very happy thinking about the coming baby.”
Safe Motherhood Programme Member
To find out more about Educate for Life's work, please visit www.educateforlife.org.uk