Why I Care: Women, Health, and the Work Ahead

At first, I signed up to volunteer with Jeevika because I thought that I would be able to use my skills to help out in some way. But after a while, I realized that I was gaining so much more from my volunteer work than I was giving.

As someone who is interested in women’s empowerment, I think that two very basic things need to be provided to women all over the world: access to education and an understanding of their own health.

There is still so much that we do not know about women’s health, and menstrual health is one of the most neglected areas of health. What we do know is changing all the time, as new data and studies are released. This is an area I am very passionate about because so much remains unknown.

I am particularly drawn to Jeevika’s work with SNAPs, a project on menstrual hygiene and reproductive health awareness in rural and tribal communities in Odisha. The project has been designed with much thought and is being implemented in a very careful manner. It deals with the issue of menstrual health in a very dignified manner and looks at it from the perspective of education and well-being.

My role is mainly to do data analysis. I find numbers really interesting, and they tell so many stories. What girls and women know, what they are missing out on, and where more support is needed. I also write social media posts for Jeevika. This is more creative work, and I try to come up with ideas for how to share the work of Jeevika and the stories of the people we are working with on social media.

I really appreciate the culture of Jeevika. There is no distinction made between the volunteers and the staff. Everyone is treated with equal respect, and there is great emphasis on improving the lives and livelihoods of the people in the rural areas of India.

I am really grateful for the trust that Jeevika has placed in me and for giving me the opportunity to contribute to their mission in India. I hope to be able to do more and inspire others to find a cause that they are passionate about and bring their skills to it.

Thanks and Regards 

Nandita Paruthi