Nagpur: When Neha Atram was detected with triplets in her womb, she and her husband Harshal were disturbed. They were worried they may not be able to afford the expenses for three babies. But thanks to preliminary counselling by the Jangoraitad Adivasi Vikas Sanstha (JAVS), the family decided to continue the pregnancy and the babies (two girls and a boy) were delivered safely on April 5.
JAVS is an NGO that helps economically poor women sustain pregnancies by providing them medical and logistics support throughout the term and three months after delivery free of cost. “I am now very happy we didn’t abort the babies. It will be difficult for us to raise them due our economic background. I work in a hotel and my earnings are not enough to make the two ends meet. I am grateful to JAVS volunteers for helping us in difficult times. My wife has been in the hospital for last two and half months,” said Harshal Atram.
Harshal was running around on Monday to ensure his son gets the best treatment as he had developed an infection and was shifted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Government Medical College and Hospital.
JAVS in last two years has borne the delivery expenses of 28 women in the last two years. “There are no pre-conditions for pregnant women seeking help from us. Whether the woman is married or not, we support child’s development throughout the pregnancy if they can’t afford the expenses. We run a project called ‘vatsalyam’ through which we offer such help. We generate money from donations,” said Prabodh Vekhande, the president of the organization.
The donors are connected with the couple using the donations. Even doctors’ numbers are shared. Deepak Trivedi, a project member, told TOI the women were first examined by a physician Dr Smita Chaturvedi and then referred to GMCH, Daga Hospital or the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College. “We provide food supplements, fruits and nutritious food to the mother so the child is born with good birth weight,” he said.
Dr Chaturvedi said that in one case the child was born with club feet and the NGO got it operated in a private hospital bearing all the expenses. The boy is doing well now. “Women from poor background are not aware of their nutritional needs. Even if they are, they have no money for it. So the organization supports women with iron, calcium and proteins etc. A 38-year-old woman whose husband was alcoholic and who herself didn’t bother about her diet gave birth to a 3.5kg child due to our support,” said Dr Chaturvedi.
Want to help?
Any poor families who need medical and logistics support during pregnancy can contact the JAVS President Prabodh Vekhande on Phone 9225220895. Donors can also contact the same number. They can seek all details of the family they are supporting. Minimum donations range from 20-25,000 per woman.
