Through small, consistent changes in daily habits, rural women are addressing malnutrition, improving family health, fostering a culture of well-being, and building healthier homes. This transformation is not the result of sweeping reforms but of grassroots initiatives that empower women with knowledge, resources, and a supportive community.
The nutritional landscape
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children should regularly consume at least four out of seven recommended food groups to ensure proper nutrition. These groups include grains, legumes, dairy, flesh foods, eggs, vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables, and other fruits and vegetables. However, recent statistics reveal that about 77% of children aged between six and twenty-three months do not meet this dietary recommendation.
Globally, undernutrition is associated with 45% of child deaths, and in 2022, 149 million children under five were estimated to be stunted, 45 million wasted, and 37 million overweight or obese .(World Health Organization)
Empowering women through community support
In rural areas, women often face isolation due to limited access to resources, transportation, and educational opportunities. Traditional roles have confined them to domestic responsibilities, restricting their exposure to health education and personal growth. However, shared experiences and challenges have become a foundation for unity. Through community support, women are finding strength, confidence, and knowledge.
Smile Foundation’s Swabhiman programme exemplifies this approach. Launched in 2005, Swabhiman reaches out to marginalised and socially excluded women, educating them through two models:
- Nutrition, healthcare, and reproductive health
- Digital literacy and entrepreneurship.
In its first model, through community practices, over 190,000 women have been impacted, and more than 76,000 women sensitised on reproductive and child health.
Promoting nutrition and well-being: Building healthier homes
Nutrition is not solely about food. It’s about awareness, access, and informed choices. While traditional knowledge passed down through generations holds value, evolving health challenges necessitate updated practices. Grassroots initiatives are educating rural women on balanced diets, hygiene, child feeding practices, and maternal health.
In 2024, Smile Foundation provided nutrition enhancement support to over 32,000 women and children through more than 1,000 peer educators, community health volunteers, and change agents. The programme focuses on creating awareness, sharing knowledge, and strengthening physical infrastructure and government initiatives to ensure vulnerable populations have access to adequate and nutritious food.
Leading change through everyday practices
Change often begins in the kitchen. Incorporating locally available vegetables and fruits, iron-rich foods, and maintaining hygiene are small yet impactful steps. When one woman adopts a new habit and shares it with others, it sparks a cycle of learning and leadership. Communities evolve through the lived experiences of their members, with each healthy habit becoming a building block for a better future.
Smile Foundation supports this by helping women establish community and individual kitchen gardens, ensuring access to high-quality seasonal vegetables. Inter-village recipe contests showcase how healthy meals can be prepared using affordable local ingredients, promoting practical nutrition among villagers .
Educating the next generation for healthier homes
Building healthier homes extends to educating the next generation. When children observe their mothers making informed decisions, participating in community programmes, or growing their own food, they learn the value of independence and knowledge. This creates a cycle of empowerment, where each generation builds on the strength of the one before.
By investing in the health and education of their children, rural women are also investing in the future of their communities. A healthy child grows into a productive adult, and a well-informed youth becomes a change-maker.
Challenges in building healthier homes
Despite progress, rural women still face significant challenges:
- Cultural and gender norms: Deep-rooted gender norms often limit women’s roles to caregiving, restricting their decision-making power.
- Workload and time poverty: Balancing multiple roles leaves women with little time or energy to focus on their well-being or learn new practices.
- Financial constraints: Limited financial resources make it difficult to afford healthy foods, hygienic products, and healthcare services.
- Limited access to health education: Many women have had limited schooling, and public health messages often fail to reach them effectively.
- Poor health infrastructure: Underdeveloped healthcare systems and long distances to clinics prevent timely access to care.
Steps taken to overcome the challenges
Collaborative efforts between the government and development organisations are addressing these challenges. Our initiatives include refurbishing Anganwadi centres, conducting competency strengthening workshops for workers, establishing kitchen gardens, and conducting knowledge-building sessions for women.
In the year 2023-24, Smile Foundation sensitised over 75,000 people on health hygiene through Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities, and more than 80,000 people benefited from telemedicine projects. Overall, more than 1.05 million individuals—75% of them women and children—have benefited from our health programmes.
Leading healthier lives by building healthier homes is a challenging endeavor for rural women. However, through small, everyday actions and the support of community initiatives, they are driving significant change. Empowering women with the right tools, knowledge, and resources has the potential to uplift not only their families but entire communities.
As we reflect on these efforts, it’s clear that the path to healthier homes and communities lies in empowering the women at their heart.
Sources:
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- On recommended dietary diversity for children:
WHO – Infant and Young Child Feeding - On child undernutrition, stunting, wasting, and obesity (2022):
WHO – Malnutrition
- On recommended dietary diversity for children:
- UNICEF – State of the World’s Children Report 2021 – UNICEF – Nutrition
