Nua Maa

The Nua Maa project was a community media prototype on Infant and young Child Nutrition (IYCN) and Wanted And Sanitation (WASH) being piloted by KISS in two blocks of Rayagada district with funding support from APPI and implementation support by SAKHA, a CBO of transgender network. KISS is providing technical support and knowledge management to the program, which is the first of its kind to engage in mainstream activity of behavioral change communication in the areas of health and nutrition. These fields pose big challenges for the state, country and the world as a whole. Through ‘Nua Maa’, Transgender women are trained to perform plays on key messages like early registration of pregnancy, IFA and calcium consumption, exclusive breast feeding, complementary feeding and washing at community followed by home visits to pregnant and lactating mothers to help transmit knowledge into practice. The programme is currently in its first phase of training, featuring performances on early registration and IFA consumption.