Joint Action for Nutrition Outcome (JANO) has brought significant changes in the lives of rural people in the Rangpur region.
JANO has launched different programmes including technological intervention in 64 unions at seven upazilas of Rangpur and Nilphamari districts to facilitate the government services for sustainable development of the rural people, said local sources.
The project works with the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and the private sector at the national, regional and local levels, to support the effective implementation of the National Plan of Action for Nutrition 2 (NPAN 2). CARE Bangladesh, a technical partner of the project is leading the implementation of the technological tool- talking books, along with Plan International Bangladesh and Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO).
Officials said ICT-based tools have ensured better coordination among the multi-sectoral government departments and enhanced knowledge and awareness of community people for their reproductive health, nutrition, physical and mental development.
Talking book is an informative audio content in the form of songs and general messages that are useful for adolescent girls and boys, farmers, pregnant mothers, lactating mothers and others. It also plays a significant role in connecting and messaging people in hard-to-reach areas for their social and behavioural change communication.
''I have developed a homestead vegetable garden inspired by our climate-smart resilience vegetable garden in the school. I learnt a lot about how to grow vegetables, nutritious food, cultivation seasons, climate crisis, food security and biodiversity through the messages and information of the talking books,” said Sabina Yeasmin, a tenth grader of Ramnagar High School in Nilphamari Sadar.
She has also developed knowledge of physical and mental change and reproductive health by listening to the audio content of the tool, counselling sessions and watching videos at the adolescent corner in the school. She uses a hygiene kit during her menstrual period and takes a balanced diet. She knows the bad effects and severe risks of early marriage.
Wahidul Islam, head teacher of Ramnagar High School, said the outcome of working with the JANO project is great which is very far-reaching and goal-oriented.
Ramnagar UP Chairman Md Obaidul Islam said the ICT intervention has enriched the villagers’ knowledge of Smart Climate Agriculture (CSA) which is an integrated approach to address the challenges of food security and climate change. Some 28,732 people in the union have benefited from the technology.
Maternal health and child mortality have improved significantly in the union. The messages received from the device keep the rural women active in the workforce providing required nutritional requirements for the next generation. School education is running well. Moreover, the Union Parishad services for the people have become more effective with the assistance of the Union Development Coordination Committee of the project.
“I have learned a lot of information about taking nutritious food and becoming aware of health and hygiene during my pregnancy through the messages of the talking book, it makes me knowledgeable on -- how to take care of the baby by breastfeeding and providing enough nutrition’’, said Shefali Begum of Ramnagar village.
Sharmin Sultana, a community volunteer said, earlier it was tough for them to convey all nutrition-related information to the community people and school kids during the session. The device has reduced their talk time during sessions.
‘’I, along with my husband, have developed a smart climate agriculture homestead garden where I planted different vegetables and fruits plants. The garden proves economically viable as the produce of the garden meets the family’s nutritional demand,” said Taslima Begum of Hazirpara village.
Dr ABM Abu Hanif, director of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS)’s Rangpur divisional office, said JANO has brought system-level changes through its ICT interventions that imply a significant contribution in the nutrition governance and socio-economic landscape of Bangladesh.
Rangpur Divisional Deputy Director of Secondary Education, Shafiqul Islam, said the project is doing a great job in school education. Some 4,98,881 adolescent school boys and girls aged between 10-18 from 331 educational institutes have developed knowledge of skill-based education including reproductive health, nutrition, physical and mental development through ICT interventions.
Rangpur Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Deputy Director Abdullah Al Mamun said, “The technological intervention of the project has helped the rural farmers of the districts to adopt climate-smart agriculture.”
