A Research Study on Menstrual Health and Hygiene
A Research Study on Menstrual Health and Hygiene
Client
Welspun Health Foundation
Locations – 150 Villages from Vapi & Anjaar - Gujarat
Good menstrual hygiene is fundamental to health, hygiene, education, work and wellbeing of women and girls everywhere. Menstruation is a natural part of human existence. Yet it has been neglected and under-researched by the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector as well as the health and education sectors.
Some cultural beliefs around menstruation reinforce gender inequities and have negative impact on the dignity, health and education of women and girls. Hence, menstruation is not just a sub-topic within the WASH sector but a Human Rights issue that affects the lives of approximately 26 % of the world’s population (i.e. female population of reproductive health) every month. Menstruation remains a taboo in many societies and various negative cultural attitudes and beliefs are still associated with it.
ARCH Foundation has been awarded a research study to be carried out in 150 villages from Vapi and Anjaar region by Welspun Health Foundation with the following objectives –
- Profiling of the village based on five capital model viz. – Social, Human, Financial, Physical and natural capital
- To find out the level of awareness, mind-sets, myths, practices and behaviour of women and girls towards menstrual health and hygiene management, reproductive health, and preventive and curative health care (anaemia, nutrition, cervical and breast cancer)
- To find out the availability, accessibility, affordability of health infrastructure, facilities and services for women and girls
- To find out economic status of women, and their involvement in income generation activities
- To find out the possibilities of women livelihood interventions farm / non-farm products and their sustainability
The findings of the study will be used to build upon a very extensive and focused program on MHM in both the regions. Moreover, programs milestones will be set based on the quantitative and qualitative finding of the study.
Key stakeholders covered for the study are Women, adolescent girls, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, PHC, local doctors, Panchayat, Schools and local shop keepers.
Soon we will be publishing an abstract of the report which may help other organizations to think and ponder on a sensitive but much needed subject.
Need Assessment Study – Collaboration, Comprehension & Action
Need Assessment Study – Collaboration, Comprehension & Action
Client
Transpek Industry Ltd.
Locations – Padra - Vadodara - Gujarat
ARCH undertook a need assessment study in 8 villages of Padra town in Vadodara district of Gujarat for Transpek Industry Limited. With a view to find out the scope of CSR activities that can be done in the villages of Padra, Transpek approached ARCH to conduct a need assessment in the villages of Padra and to prepare a report on the same.
The need assessment was carried out keeping in mind the following objectives:
- Profiling of all the villages based on 5 capital model (Human Capital, Social Capital, Natural Capital, Manufactured Capital, Financial Capital)
- To identify the actual needs against the perceived needs of the community and try to bridge the gap
- To determine the outcome of various interventions executed by Transpek in identified villages
- To recognise the community’s challenges and strengths
- To identify and assess available resources and opportunities for carrying out development work in the community
- Design a CSR strategy based on the mapped social issues and challenges faced by the local community and aligning the same with the CSR policy of Transpek.
In order to conduct a need assessment in the community it is important to study the role and importance of each stakeholder as all of them have a pivotal role in developing the community. Interviews were conducted of all the stakeholders to study their perception. The stakeholders were categorized into following three types based on their roles and responsibilities:
1) Implementers: Over the years, Transpek has collaborated with a number of agencies to execute various initiatives. All these agencies who partner in such social change initiatives are referred as the “Implementers”. The Implementer group is one of the key stakeholders as they work at the ground level closely with the community and hence they understand the community dynamics better and the field reality as an external organization. Through close interaction, the Implementers get a clear picture of the various aspects of the community.
2) Influencers: “Influencers” are those people who have an important role in the process of decision making. As need assessment is to be done in the rural areas, the Village Committee, Panchayat, Sarpanch are deemed to influence the decisions taken for any planned activity, as these activities will be for the community and so it is a matter of concern for all the village level authorities.
3) Beneficiaries: In past years, Transpek has taken a number of initiatives under the banner of CSR to bring about a change in the community. Every individual or group of people who get the direct benefit of such initiatives and projects are referred as the “Beneficiaries”.
RAPID ASSESSMENT STUDY AT GREATER NOIDA
RAPID ASSESSMENT STUDY AT GREATER NOIDA
Client
Covestro (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Locations – Greater Noida
We at ARCH, conducted a rapid assessment for Covestro (India) in 8 villages at Greater Noida location.
The objective was to identify the macro and micro needs of the surrounding community around the plant and determine and prioritize potential problems that could be addressed through the CSR interventions thereby assisting Covestro to create positive footprints of local development and sustainability.
The Assessment study was carried out focusing on five capitals viz. Human, Natural, Financial, Social and Infrastructure. The outcome of the study was linked with the current status of Sustainable Development Goals in the area and put in a framework which highlighted the probable contribution of proposed CSR interventions to the SDGs.
Documentation of 10 year perspective plan for Essar Foundation
Documentation of 10 year perspective plan for Essar Foundation
Locations – Jamnagar, Gujarat
Monitoring & Evaluation – Rubamin Ltd. Gujarat
Monitoring & Evaluation – Rubamin Ltd. Gujarat Rubamin Industries is a recognized, compliant and responsible recycler in India
CLIENT
Rubamin Ltd. - Vadodara
Locations – Halol, Gujarat
Rubamin Industries is a recognized, compliant and responsible recycler in India, transforming hazardous industrial wastes into useful chemicals in operations for more than 30 years.
As a part of their CSR initiative Rubamin runs a long -term education programme called “Read Panchmahal” in association with with PRatham Education Foundation to provide primary education and teacher skill building in thirty villages in Panchmahal district benefitting over 400 children.
ARCH is Rubamin’s preferred CSR consultants since 2015 for
facilitating strategic planning of Project Read Panchmahal. We work towards setting realistic goals, mobilising resources, executing, monitoring and evaluating the program to assess the overall progress and achievement of each project component against the expected target. We identify bottlenecks and challenges in turn laying our recommendations to improve the program. Our involvement has greatly boosted the success of Project “Read Panchmahal” and we are leaving no stones unturned to ensure that every child gets his right to basic education.
Social Audit
Social Audit New Lift Charitable Trust (NLCT) is an organization devoted to the upliftment of the destitute community and preservation of sacred cows.
Locations – Chennai, Tamilnadu
Impact Study
Impact Study STEM Learning Pvt. Ltd - Maharashtra
Client
STEM LEARNING PVT. LTD
Locations – Gujarat and Maharashtra
STEM runs an initiative called Mini Science Center (M.S.C.) for students from the under privileged section to help build interest and curiosity in the field of maths and science through hands on experiments. ARCH conducted a quantitative and qualitative study to assess the impact of M.S.C. keeping in mind all important stakeholders.
Information was gathered from the 2000 beneficiary students, teachers and school management teams across three states - Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Numbers were analyzed, case studies were reported and all relevant data needed to record the impact of the intervention were assessed.
Post the study, ARCH worked closely with STEM as a consultant for strategic planning of their program for a year. It created a long term perspective for the organization; establishing a system to monitor development on the ground, developing a mobile app as tracking tool, documenting progress of the project and evaluating the project based on the defined outcome indicators on a quarterly basis.
Research on Menstrual Health Management - A new CSR opportunity
Research on Menstrual Health Management - A new CSR opportunity ARCH is always on the lookout for a new spectrum of CSR
Locations – Jamnagar & Vadodara
ARCH is always on the lookout for a new spectrum of CSR opportunity. All our services right from comprehensive consultation to implementation of initiatives for our clients are customised and need based. Such designs are backed by our first hand primary research on the subject at hand.
The ‘Girl Child’ has been a popular area of CSR study and programs. We, at ARCH, too are in the midst of conducting an independent study to take the issue of the Girl Child forward.
We have been associated with a large number of projects around adolescent girls and over time, through educational interventions, it has come to our notice that majority of girls during their menstruation cycle remain absent in the school.
On enquiring for the reason for absence we encountered a number of explanations; fear of spotting, lack of proper facility at school level, restriction at household to name a few. Therefore, ARCH has taken up the study to understand the challenges, issues and problems an adolescent girl faces during her period.
Our study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, cultural and social practices and perceptions of adolescent girls and family in relation to menstrual hygiene management (MHM). We are in the process of identifying physical, social, economic and environmental barriers to good MHM among adolescent girls and women and the current state of MHM-related practices and behaviours prevalent. Further, we are identifying good practices that encourage good menstrual hygiene and taking into account the current health and sanitation infrastructure at schools and community level.
The outcome of this research will help us design applied programs and interventions to help the young adolescent girls to overcome this monthly roadblock in her development, improve the facilities in schools and community to aid in better MHM practises and also learn to maintain high
CSR strategic Planning
CSR strategic Planning Euroflex Transmission India Pvt. Ltd. - Hyderabad
Locations – Hyderabad - Telangana
Euroflex serves global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from Hyderabad, India. Being a leading supplier of high performance disc couplings used in power generation, gas compression and industrial process machinery applications its base has been in Balanagar, Hyderabad for many decades now.
Keen on doing more than supporting local NGOs in adhoc charity and donations, it wanted create a strong mark on the local population and community at large through focused CSR initiatives in the area of its operation. Seeking professional help to put matters in order, it beckoned ARCH to identify and create a holistic CSR plan aligned with the local need that served long-term sustainability. We were happy to get onboard!
Right from the calculation of the company’s CSR spending for the year 2016-17 to conducting bench marking of CSR activities in the same area ARCH got on the mission in no time. Prior to our involvement the CSR constitution was simply on paper. There was no team or process in place. We designed a unique CSR strategy after the need based assessment and situation analysis study.
We gathered the needs and expectations from the local community, gauged their problems and everyday challenges and drew up an effective CSR program where Euroflex Transmission would help in the upliftment and betterment of the local community’s life.
Further, we created the constitution and conducted orientation of the company’s CSR committee and re-invented the CSR strategy into a CSR policy document as per Section 135 of the Companies Act 2013.
ARCH understands that there are various organisations committed to doing well for their society but lack the vision and skill to make a continuous and sustainable difference to the community just like Euro Transmission. We cater to such enterprises in serving to be their strongest ARCH for sturdiest CSR development.
Impact Study CEE - Gujarat
Impact Study CEE - Gujarat The Gramshilpi is partnership program of Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
Locations – Gujarat State
The Gramshilpi is partnership program of Centre for Environment Education (CEE) and Gujarat Vidyapeeth where volunteer youth are trained to work in remote villages and backward areas of the country to create development and an avenue for simple sustainability. However, the program which was developed a few years ago was losing momentum and impact with high number of drop-outs of volunteer youth.
ARCH was enabled the task of evaluating Gramshilpi with the objective of critically analyzing the concept of the program, bottleneck and challenges associated with it, the impact of the work already done and progress and achievement in relation to targets.
With a comprehensive study involving all stakeholders, over a period of 3 months a complete project report was created with all the reasons associated with the deteriorating impact of Gramshilpi and the hurdles faced by volunteers.
We’re happy and proud to see that the management team, on the basis of our report and recommendations, made quick changes in the outlook of the program concept, altered the style of operations, reviewed past practices and made them more relevant in today’s time.
It’s endearing to see how our role as an arch brought about small changes in perspective and have landed new vigor, passion and higher levels of commitment in everyone associated with Gramshilpi!
Research Study – Tool to settle in school - Gujarat
Research Study – Tool to settle in school - Gujarat While primary school enrolment has achieved a status of 96.9% children enrolled (ASER 2016)
Locations – Vadodara, Gujarat
While primary school enrolment has achieved a status of 96.9% children enrolled (ASER 2016), it’s a long road ahead to say that these children are well-educated. Under pressure for a good result elementary schools continue to promote children to the next class overlooking their undeveloped capacity to grasp the curriculum.
In order to address this rampant problem ARCH has undertaken a research study to understand the current learning level assessment of students using tools developed by experts from the educational field.
Our study aims to collect quantitative data on learning level of students for language and mathematic skills, comparing learning level of rural and urban students, gathering challenges and reasons for low learning level of students and using this data to design interesting interventions to improve the learning.
So far more than 40 government aided and corporation schools have been covered where students from 1st to 5th grade are enrolled and studied upon. Students who are found to be weak in studies and below the class average are given special training and tutoring in a fun and play-way method to help improve their skills.
Impact Assessment Study - Dubai Port World - Gujarat
Impact Assessment Study - Dubai Port World - Gujarat Mundra International Container Terminal Pvt. Ltd. (MICT) is one of the most technically advanced port facilities in the Indian subcontinent.
Locations – Mundra, gujarat
Mundra International Container Terminal Pvt. Ltd. (MICT) is one of the most technically advanced port facilities in the Indian subcontinent. The CSR interventions by MICT are in accordance of 4 quadrants viz. Market Place, Environment, People and Safety and Community Development. Since past 2 years, MICT has made deep inroads in the field of education, health and environment for sustainable transformation in the target area of the project activities.
We at ARCH undertook an evaluation study for following interventions
- Science on wheel by Agastya Foundation
- Adolescent health by CHETNA
- Gyansetu by CEE (Centre for Environment Studies)
- Medical mobile van by Tai Foundation and
- Infrastructural support to Mundra Institute for Medical support
Assessment of all the projects was carried out by using social accounting and impact matrix by defining outcome and impact indicator for each and every stakeholder of the program. We covered more than 1500 sample size for the study conducted over a period of two months. The outcome of was very fruitful. We highlighted the tangible and measurable results achieved by the organisation under these programs and its contribution to strengthening old programs. We also laid the groundwork and framework for future interventions and next year’s proposed plan of CSR initiatives.