Ekjut India

05/06/2026

Happy to be a part of this initiative

05/06/2026

19/05/2026

19/05/2026

A state-level launch of the 'Sashakt' program was done on Monday at Ranchi under the joint auspices of the National Health Mission (NHM), Jharkhand, Ekjut and Piramal Swasthya, focusing on the health, nutrition, and empowerment of tribal adolescent girls.

It was attended by many dignitaries including :
* Mission Director, NHM Jharkhand – Shri Shashi Prakash Jha
* Deputy Director – State Nodel office, SPMU unit – Dr. Kamlesh
* Asst. Director, WCD – Smt. Krishna
* State Nodal Officer (SNO) RKSK, Dr. Vijay Kishor Razak
* SNO, CM cell, Dr. Mukesh Kumar Mishra
* SNO, IEC cell, Dr. R. K. Singh
* SNO, IDSP & PCPNDT, Dr. Pradeep
* SNO, Maternal health Trg., Dr. Pushpa
* SNO, Mental health, Dr. Lal Manjhi
* SNO, School health & wellness program, JCERT, Mr. Rajnikant Mishra
* State Program Manager NHM Jharkhand Ms.Anima Kisku
* State Prgram Coordinator, NHM Jharkhand - Ms. Akay Minz
* State Consultant, Jharkhand RKSK - Ms., Rafat Farzana
* Peer educators from West Singhbhum DPM and DPC [- 5 District]
* Media
* Development partners
* Representatives from Ekjut and Piramal Swasthya

Ms. Rafat shared the achievement and key milestones of Rastriya Kishore Swasthya Karyakram, RKSK Jharkhand.

​Inaugurating the program, NHM Jharkhand Mission Director Shashi Prakash Jha stated that there is a need to make people aware in order to break the cycle of malnutrition, early marriage, and poor health among tribal adolescent girls. He mentioned that tribal adolescent girls will be made healthy, empowered, and self-reliant.
Ms. Suchitra fron Ekjut shared the key points of the initiative which included the following:
​In the first phase of the program, it will being in five priority districts of Jharkhand: Pakur, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Khunti, and Gumla.
​In the second phase, under the scale-up plan, it will be expanded to 93 blocks across 9 RKSK (Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram) districts of Jharkhand.
​In the third phase, it will be expanded statewide to cover the remaining 15 districts.
Peer educators who came from West Singhbhum district also shared their views during the program.
Ms. Sudha from Piramal Swasthya moderated a panel diacussion where Ms. Akai stressed on the involvement of adolescents in such programs and appreciated the same in this program. The programs' linkages to education was stressed. Dr. Padma from Piramal focussed on skill development and quality interraction between parents and children.
Mr. Rajkumar from Ekjut gave the vote of thanks.
The program was possible due to the joint effort of Piramal and Ekjut with the collagues from Sashakt initiatives taking the lead.
The efforts of Mr Tarun, Mr Naushad, Mr.Rajkumar Tiwary , Ms. Rebati, Mr. Mahavir, Mr. Pariskit and others were appreciated along with the guidance from Ms. Sudha and Ms. Suchitra.

15/05/2026

The first leadership training of CII Women Exemplars 2026 was not about teaching women how to become leaders. It was about helping them recognise the leader they already are.
Through conversations, reflection, laughter, and honest questions, women challenged common myths around leadership - beyond stereotypes and the usual assumptions we grow up with.
One of the most powerful moments of the session was when the women wrote letters to themselves, pausing to appreciate their own strength, resilience, journeys, and impact. In a world where women are often taught to be self-critical before self-compassionate, the activity became a quiet but important reminder to acknowledge themselves with the same kindness and encouragement they so freely give to others.

The women also created mini podcasts in pairs, capturing each other’s stories, turning points, and leadership journeys. In listening to one another, they didn’t just document stories. They celebrated courage, and community leadership.

Another special moment came when the women came together to build a symbolic bridge, reflecting on how individual journeys, when connected, create the collective strength of .

We at Ekjut are proud to share that Ms. Poonam Kumari and Ms. Lakshmi Say were among the finalists this year

09/05/2026

Learning across movements, not just institutions.
Last week, we had the privilege of hosting a 15-member team from SEARCH Gadchiroli for a 3-day learning exchange on community mental health, addiction, and youth wellbeing. SEARCH, founded by Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang, has shown the world how community-led health approaches can transform neonatal and tribal health in Gadchiroli. Their pioneering Home-Based Newborn Care model influenced global public health practice.
This visit focused on learning community mental health initiatives among Adivasi Communities in Jharkhand, the Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) meeting cycle approach for Youth Mental Health and the MADAD intervention for addressing common mental health problems. Over three intensive days, the SEARCH team engaged in discussions on PLA cycles, support groups, EASE-based psychosocial approaches, and community ownership in mental health wellbeing. They also joined field visits to observe dukhu-sukhu Baithaki(support group meeting)and community meetings in villages.
One of the most meaningful parts of the exchange was hearing reflections from the SEARCH team.Their observations reinforced something often ignored in mainstream mental health systems: communities are not “beneficiaries”; they are knowledge holders and co-creators of care.These exchanges remind us that public health innovation does not only emerge from universities or policy rooms. Sometimes it grows in village meetings, under school verandahs, in songs sung before support groups begin, and in the courage of people who decide that dignity must be part of care and wellbeing.

PS:Dr.Ojas Krishnani, who leads mental health OPD and IPD services at SEARCH expressed on this visit through this short video.

07/05/2026

A creche workers/didi Sammellan was organised for the 156 ceche didis of Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh where 78 creches are being managed by Ekjut with support from Azim Premji Foundation (APF). It was a day to celebrate their regular and continous efforts for managing children in the age group of 6-36 months where they are given 1 hot cooked meals and 3 hot cooked snacks throughout the 7 hours that they stay in the creche, along with play and stimulation activities.
In the sammellan, Mr. Jyotisman from APF shared different milestones achieved by the didis. Mr. Malaya and Mr. Kalyan from Ekjut explained and appreciated the wonderful work by the didis along woth data showing improvement in nutritional status of children. Mr. Yusuf from APF stressed the importance of creches for this age group and praised the effort of didis for responsibly managing the children.
There were representatives from the ICDS (Supervisor and Anganwadi workers), Health (Mitanins/ASHA), Chirayu team members (mobile health unit of Rastrtiya Bal Surakhya Karyakram) and Elected Representatives (Sarpanch). All of them emphasised the role.of creches (called Laika Ghar in the local language) and the impact it is having in improvong the health of children along with being a big support for parents. The Mitanins and Anganwadi workers said that it helps their work such as immunuzation and giving other services at one point and they are happy to see healthy and joyful kids being taken care by didis and mostly the food component , "bacche naram aur garam khate hain" (children eat soft and hot (fresh) food).
Some creche didis shared their experience and feelings of managing the young ones and the how good they feel when they see happy parents.
The event was very well managed by all the members of Jashpur - Ramshila, Sujoy, Neha and Nutan managed the stage; while Durga, Satish, Sahid, Navita, Vidya, Nikita, Savitri, Mukul and Om managed the well planned event
The didis enjoyed the day with songs, dance and games and aprreciated the gifts given to them as a gesture of appreciation of their good work.

06/05/2026

Creche workers of Jashpur, Chhatisgarh performing during Creche workers Sammelan at Jashpur...

01/05/2026

MADAD Study State Dissemination — Ranchi, Jharkhand (21 April 2026)

On 21 April 2026 we hosted a state-level dissemination of the MADAD (Mobilising Adolescents for Depression and Anxiety Disorders) a community mental health research study in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The event brought together young people, caregivers, facilitators, Mental Health Professionals,CBOs and key system-level stakeholders to share findings, reflect on practice, and plan next steps for adolescent mental health in the state. The event marked a significant step in translating research into real-world action for adolescent mental health in India.

This collaborative study involved University College London, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, King’s College London, and Sangath India (Goa). The research demonstrates that culturally adapted, community-led interventions are both feasible and effective, particularly for adolescents in 'Ho' and other Adivasi communities.

Key findings

Standard screening tools such as Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Adolescnets(PHQ-9A) and Generalised Anxiety Disorders(GAD-7) can be used in Adivasi contexts after careful cultural adaptation and validation to screen for symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in community settings.
EASE(Early Adolescents Skills for Emotions) manual an evidence based group psychological sessions developed by World Health Organization(WHO)proved useful in helping adolescents build psychological skills based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy(CBT) including emotional regulation, stress management, behavioral activation, and problem-solving.
Impact: Measurable reductions in symptoms of Depression and Anxiety were observed in 110 out of 140 participants.
What made the work effective

Improved relationships and listening caregivers who provide consistent emotional support.
Facilitators creating safe spaces where adolescents can speak openly.
Peer support models where young people support one another.
As one of the event’s memorable framings, Padmashree Mukund Nayak described MADAD as an “Akhada” — a community space that fosters solidarity and collective care.

Experts’ voices across domains of expertise

a)Dr. Prachi Sharda,a former consultant with WHO for Adoelscnets Mental Health shared about concerns with digital tools and mental health

b)Dr. Varun Mehta, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist & Professor at Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi talked about bridging the care gap through an accessible community mental health approach for comprehensive care.

c)Abhijeet Barse, CEO, Slum Soccer emphasized on sports and mental health giving an intersectional stand point dismantling gender stereotypes and a potential opportunity of wellbeing for all.

The dissemination also surfaced important questions about the balance between digital tools and human connection, and the role of sports, culture, and community spaces in promoting mental wellbeing.

The Path Forward:

A)Community-based, non-specialist models that expand access where specialists are scarce.

B)Stronger referral systems linking community programs with clinical care.

C)Integration of families and peer networks into prevention and recovery pathways.

D)Centering young people’s lived experiences in program design and evaluation.

This means co-creating interventions with adolescents, listening to their priorities, and ensuring their voices shape decisions at every stage. Our operational strategy was simple and non‑negotiable: “Nothing about us, without us.”

30/04/2026

Our collague Ms. Lakshmi Say is amongst the proud finalists of this year's Women Exemplar award in the Health category, given by CII.
We wish her All the Best