Our projects
Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI)
“In the journey towards a tobacco free future”
In India 28.6% of adults (15+ age group) use tobacco causing 13.5 lac tobacco-related deaths per annum. As per GYTS (2019) 8% of the 13-15 year olds are users with 5,500 children (13+ age group) initiating tobacco use daily. It is very difficult to quit tobacco, quit rates of less than 5%. The best prevention strategy is to stop initiation.
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India issued revised Guidelines on Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) requiring every educational institution to do 11 anti-tobacco activities each academic year.
Using our Digital Program Implementation (DPI) methodology, Sambandh has, since 2020, activated 2.3 lac schools to do 8+ lac on-ground activities in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, and Uttar Pradesh, covering 10 lac teachers and 2.3 crore students.
School Health & Wellness Ambassadors Program (SHWP)
“ A Unified Effort for Public Health”
The School Health & Wellness Program (SHWP) is a key national program by the Government of India for the holistic development of India’s 253 million adolescent population. It involves health promotion on 11 topics by 2 trained teachers in each school.
- Currently, SHF is rolling out the program in 3,000 Upper Primary and higher schools of Meghalaya. It expanded its scope from a pilot project in 5 districts in 2022 to a comprehensive digital implementation across all 11 districts in 2023.
- Sambandh Health Foundation incorporates Advocacy, Behavioral Insights, Communications, Data Analysis, Training, and Utilization of current technology in implementing the School Health and Wellness Program (SHWP).
- In addition to SHWP sessions, Sambandh monitors the distribution of Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS), deworming tablet distribution, and referrals to Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC).
Cigarettes and other Tobacco products act (COTPA)
“ A Unified Effort for Public Health”
The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) is a comprehensive law enacted in India to regulate the production, sale, distribution, and consumption of tobacco products. Enforced since 2003, COTPA aims to reduce tobacco-related health hazards and protect citizens from the harmful effects of tobacco. It encompasses provisions like prohibiting smoking in public places, selling tobacco products to the miners, prohibiting sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of any educational institution, also regulating tobacco product advertisements, and mandating pictorial health warnings on packaging. The Act empowers law enforcement agencies to take action against violations, contributing to public health initiatives and anti-tobacco campaigns. COTPA is crucial in creating a tobacco-free environment and promoting general well-being.
Tobacco is the largest preventable cause of death in the world and in India. SHF has been working for tobacco control since 2016 in different states like Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh & Meghalaya with the police on implementation of COTPA. Sambandh Health Foundation using physical and Digital Program Implementation (DPI) methodology.
Weekly Iron Folic Supplementation (WIFS)
“Beating Anemia, Boosting Health”
With 253 million adolescents, every fifth person in India is aged 10 to 19. The nation can thrive socially, politically, and economically only by ensuring their safety, health, education, and equipping them with essential life skills. This empowers the youth as crucial contributors to India’s sustained growth and development.
However, anemia is a major health crisis in India with rates among women and children remaining 20% and 15% more than the world average, resp. Anemia in children and adolescents results in poor intellectual ability, school performance and physical development. A key intervention is the Weekly Iron Folic Supplementation (WIFS) – a tablet to school going children weekly. However, distribution in schools is far below requirement due to lack of coordination of supplies or due to resistance by students & parents.
Sambandh is testing it’s Digital Program Implementation methodology to increase distribution levels by running a pilot in 5 districts of Meghalaya – Ribhoi, East Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills , South Garo Hills.