SEWA - Campaigns

Home-based Workers' Campaign	Vendors' Campaign
Forest Workers' Campaign	Construction Workers' Campaign
The Water Campaign	Food Security Campaign
Campaign for our Right to Child Care	Clean Ahmedabad Campaign
Campaign for Recognition of Midwives	Minimum Wages Campaign
Recognition of Unorganised Sector workers

 

 

Food Security Campaign

Our members recognize that their aim of full employment cannot be achieved without food security. For poor women their bodies are all they have, so that they can work and earn. Without adequate nutrition, they and their families cannot be healthy, nor can they work.

The 1997 malaria epidemic in Banskantha district brought out the urgent need for improving the nutritional status of our members and their families. Because of low nutrition and health levels, this epidemic took a heavy toll in this area.

In 1998, our food security campaign focussed on nutrition education and awareness and also on getting foodgrains and other essentials to our members. We studied our members nutrition patterns and food habits and suggested ways to improve nutrition, both protein and calories, based on age, occupation, tastes and the household food budget. The emphasis was on simple, nutritious, locally-available food but in the required quantities and prepared in a way to enhance food value.

At the same time, through our "Shakti Packet Scheme" a decentralised foodgrain distribution system devised and managed by women, recommended quantities of coarse grains and other essentials of a standard quality reached our members, especially in remote areas of Gujarat.

In 1999, local SEWA leaders in Kheda, Banaskantha and Surendranagar districits ran their Shakti Packet Programme, thus ensuring that women an their families obtained food security. In addition, the importance of simple, nutritious food, planned to fit members, budgets were stressed in the trainings and organising. In all internal SEWA meetings, simple but nutritious food was served to illustrate the point of food security and to start with ourselves and amend our food habits.

Nutritious food and snacks were provided at our child care centres and food preparation demonstration were also organised at mother’s meetings. These efforts are all part of our campaign for food security for our members. Our member’s say "Nutritious food and in proper quantity is our right".

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