JEEVIKA Marathon: Run to eradicate malnutrition!@12th Sept at Khandwa

With vast forests and several of India’s famous game parks, Madhya Pradesh is geographically the second largest state in India and has a population of about 72 million (provisional figure, Census 2011). There are a large number of tribal communities here and almost 40 per cent of the state’s inhabitants live below the poverty line, many in rural areas where they subsist on tiny farm plots. It’s estimated that two thirds of children in Madhya Pradesh are malnourished. In fact, malnutrition rates for children under five are higher here than in most countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Inextricably linked with high rates of child malnutrition is the large number of new mothers and infants who die shortly after birth. The state’s maternal mortality rate of 335 per 100,000 live births is higher than the national average and ranks fourth in India.

With the objective to address above concern seriously and sincerely Caritas India under her innovative development initiative Caritas JEEVIKA in Madhya Pradesh has organized a mini marathon in Khandwa district on 12th Sept 2014. Purpose of Marathon was to generate public awareness on issue Malnutrition and accentuating basic practices to zero down Malnutrition in Khandwa. Fr. Simon (DSSS Director, IDSSS-Indore) did flag of for the marathon.

Winners of Caritas India JEEVIKA Marathon: Run to eradicate malnutrition @Khandwa!

Women: 1st : Resham (Khandwa); 2nd: Prakash (Ujjain)

Men: 1st: Anil (Jhabua); 2nd: Shukhram (Khandwa); 3rd:Rajendera (Ujjain)

In marathon people from 8 districts of Madhya Pradesh , Caritas Team members from New Delhi-Mumbai, Staff of Don Bosco Reasearch center-Mumbai, Sraff of Drishti Organisation-MP, and communities from 14 villages have participated.

With CARITAS JEEVIKA in 7 tribal pockets of Madhya Pradesh Caritas India is strengthening options for local sustainable livelihood through means of addressing ‘food security’. JEEVIKA has started in Oct 2012 with 100% baseline survey and in last 19 months able to address food security needs of more than 8000 farming families and 90% reduced malnutrition deaths amongst Korku tribes in JEEVIKA project villages of Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.