Restoring Hope: The Story of Little Aayesha

10/03/25

Success Stories

“When I see my daughter playing and smiling, I feel immense relief and gratitude. This team not only saved her life but gave us hope. Now, we help spread awareness so no child in our village suffers like this again.”, mentions a gleeful Saniya, little Soni Kumari’s mother, Saniyan (name changed)

Introduction

Born on December 31, 2022, in the ANM Center Devra, little Aayesha (name changed) weighed 2.7 kg at birth. She belongs to Dodiganw in the Jamunaha block of Shravasti. Her father Gafoor Ahmed (name changed), a hardworking man dependent on agriculture and daily wages, struggles to support the family. Despite these challenges, their story became one of resilience, hope and community support.

A Persevering Start

When Aayesha was brought by Bhaanu Partaap the Poshan Saarthi, to the Anganwadi Center (AWC) as part of Bal Raksha Bharat’s Block Advancement Program (BAP) under NITI Aayog, it was evident that she needed urgent attention. Her mother expressed concern, saying, “She does not gain weight or eat anything. We cannot leave our home responsibilities to seek treatment far away.”

During the visit, Aayesha’s measurements revealed that she was severely underweight and categorized as a Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) case. The Anganwadi team immediately consulted the ANM, who confirmed the diagnosis and initiated treatment with six essential medicines.

Continuous Care and Follow-Up

From May 16, 2024, regular follow-ups began, with visits scheduled every 15 days to monitor her progress. With each check-up, the results were promising. After months of intensive follow-up and counselling little Aayesha’s weighed 8.350 kg with Height: 76 cm as she stepped into her eighth month.

Through these follow-ups, her weight and height steadily increased, showing significant improvement. By the sixth visit, Aayesha was thriving, walking around and bringing joy to her family.
Through persistent follow-ups, medical intervention and dedicated support, Aayesha is now a healthy and happy child. This success story demonstrates the transformative impact of community-based programs like Bal Raksha Bharat’s BAP initiative, fostering awareness and promoting collective action for child health in close coordination with the government departments like Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).

Gaurav Sharma

Content Reviewer

“I am an editor and technical specialist at Bal Raksha Bharat, responsible for publishing articles and posts. My role involves evaluating content for consistency, and ensuring a positive user experience across the website."