Communication

  2. Communication

Education Communication

Information Education Communication (IEC) Awareness Activities

In ICDS, the IEC activities were planned and conducted to create awareness by disseminating various Nutrition, Health and Child development messages to the mothers, care givers, adolescent girls and the community, to bring attitudinal and positive behavioral changes in nutrition and health practices.

A variety of IEC programmes like “Samuthaya Valaikappu”, “Breast feeding Week Celebration”, Infant Young Child Practices, Nutrition Week Celebration, Advertisement in T.V Channels and FM Radio are planned regularly to create awareness on ante natal and post natal care, child rearing, nutrition and health practices and to elicit and sustain community participation.

A number of IEC materials like Posters, Folders, Dangler kit etc., on Health, Nutrition and Child Development were also printed and supplied to the Anganwadi centres, Health centres, CDPO and P.O offices.

“Chittu Kuruvi Sedhi Theriyuma” a Bi monthly news letter is being published and supplied to all the Anganwadi centres to spread latest information about the scheme.

Various IEC programmes, campaigns and drives for the promotion of Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices will be conducted at District and Project level.




IEC Objectives

Information, Education and Communication

Information, Education and Communication Strategies & activities of the ICDS Project aim to create demand, attitudinal change and bring about positive behaviour changes among individuals, family and community and thereby contributing towards reduction of malnutrition in the community. In ICDS communication forms an integral part of the Project. It is implemented in close coordination with the activities of other components of the Project. It precedes, interlinks and succeeds with every activities of the Projects.




IEC Objectives


  • To promote individual services and all other interventions of the project by creating demand, acceptance and adaptation among target groups
  • To bring about desirable behavioral changes in the household level maternal, child care and feeding practices
  • To mobilize community participation and support for various project activities
  • To empower the communities to plan and implement sustainable interventions to reduce malnutrition among adolescent girls, women and children and improve health and nutrition status of the community.



IEC Strategies and Programme Activitiess


IEC Strategies :

  • Strengthening Interpersonal Communication and supportive Counseling by field functionaries
  • Improving the knowledge and skill and sustaining the support of community groups (viz. Women Working Groups, Adolescent Girls Working Groups and Children Working Groups) in communication activities.
  • Involving formal and informal leaders in maintenance and upkeep of Anganwadi centres.
  • Use of traditional folk media
  • Mobilizing community resources and support for successful implementation of all services.
  • Decentralized, need based area specific and target oriented educational approaches.
  • Strengthening mass media support for Interpersonal communication and Group communication activities
  • Sensitizing and involving influencing groups like a) in-laws and elders in the family b) Panchayat raj members c) traditional medical practitioners d) other opinion leaders, Self Help Groups and NGOs
  • Organizing exhibitions in fairs and festivals.
  • Developing IEC materials and training support materials like modules and manuals
  • Updating information and improving knowledge and skill of field functionaries through Bi-monthly newsletter, "CHITTU KURUVI" (sparrow).


IEC Programme Activities :

Communication programme activities were planned in such a way that it should disseminate all the project messages to bring attitudinal changes. A number of Communication programmes were planned and conducted in the field:

  • "Community Baby Shower programme" for Antenatal Mothers.
  • Workshop for "Newly Married Couple".
  • "Traditional Food Festival"
  • Broadcasting Radio Jingles in FM Radio Station.
  • Conducting cooking demonstration in Anganwadi Centres on preparation of low cost nutritious recipes.
  • Periodical educational sessions for community working groups such as (Women's Working Group, Adolescent Girls Working Group and Children's Working Group).
  • Production of IEC support materials.
  • Publication of Bi-monthly newsletter "Chittukuruvi".
  • Area specific, need based IEC activities
  • Community Based Events (CBE) towards propagating POSHAN Abhiyaan


Impact of IEC Activities :

  • Reduction in severe and moderate malnutrition among children.
  • Improved Nutrition and Health status of antenatal and postnatal mother
  • Awarness generation has been increased among the adolescent girls in the components of Nutrition, Health, Life skills education and empowerment as a whole.
  • Community Participation has been augmented manifold.
  • Area Specific, Need-Based IEC activities.



Community Particapation and Social Mobilization

People's / Community Participation and Mobilisation Gaining Momentum in Tamilnadu ICDS

People's participation in ICDS lead to successful implementation of the Programme. It has created awareness and stimulated the people for demanding various services of ICDS.

This demand increases the utilization of services, extension of coverage of beneficiaries and leads to attitudinal changes in child care practices at household level.

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