Nutrition, and education are very important factors that determine a child’s life. Our country has been known for malnutrition, impoverishment, and high rates of deaths among children. The infant mortality rate in India on the whole stands at 27.695 per 1000 live births. It is 20 in Madhya Pradesh, which is the highest, and it is about 17 in Tamil Nadu.
The efforts of the Tamil Nadu state government over the decades following independence can be credited to the slow decline in Infant Mortality Rate in the state. The Under 5 Mortality Rate stands at 38 per 1000 live births for the whole of India. In Tamil Nadu, the numbers are showing a steady decline largely due to the growing emphasis on the nutritional needs of children. But, a lot has to be done for the whole country.
Improper nutrition is also causing other problems like stunted growth, malnutrition, and allied diseases, etc. in largely populated states like Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. This is why there is a need for us to concentrate on improving the nutritional needs of children in both rural and urban areas.
Common Problems & Diseases in Children
Mortality on one side, there are a lot of diseases and problems children face as they grow up. Some of the most common diseases children face due to malnutrition are, calcium deficiency leading to osteoporosis, rickets, and tetany, iron deficiency leading to anaemia, growth retardation due to zinc deficiency, goitre due to iodine deficiency, marasmus due to macronutrients deficiency, and more. The unavailability of proper and nutritious food is causing a lot of problems for children. This condition is particularly prevalent in slums in cities, where children have very little access to good food and care.
Impact on the Life of the Person & Economy of the Country
The state governments are responsible for the upliftment of children from impoverishment and only states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Mizoram, Nagaland, etc. are actively working towards it. In many northern states, the societies are still remaining backward and generation after generation is facing troubles because of that. The caste system, and religious bigotry are creating social divides, but children of all castes and classes face the same survival issue. The long-term effects of this problem is that our country could lose a healthy population in the near future. Children may not grow up into healthy individuals and contribute towards society. Everything from their personal lives to social participation stands to question.
How to Ensure Proper Access to Nutrition
What is needed is an active plan to help children gain the nutrition they need on a daily basis. We need to ensure all children have access to good food, either from their homes, or from their places of education. In that regard, we need to appreciate Tamil Nadu Government’s Morning meals, and mid-day meals programs. The programs are very helpful for children across all the villages, and districts. The government’s active steps towards feeding children must be supported by the people and us, the civil society groups that aim towards a better society.
From the CSK Global Foundation, we have also come up with a simple but effective plan to assist children in rural areas. One of our pilot programs include planting fruit bearing trees in the homes of children in rural areas.
Our Programme – Providing Fruit Tree Saplings to Children
Trees that bear fruits like oranges, lemons, sapotas, guavas, etc. can be grown in every home’s backyard. We have distributed over 10,000 saplings to children studying in various panchayats of the Pudukkottai District. This exercise will help the children gain nutrition from the fruits, and also teach them the value of growing trees.
We will be expanding our efforts to all the villages in the state, and then progress towards covering the entire country. With our sapling distribution program, we hope to bring in awareness among the public about the innovative ways we can use to end malnutrition in our country. Also, we hope to create a greener country by promoting the practice of tree and plant growth among children.
We request you to provide your valuable support to our cause and share the word to the world about our programs and plans.