UNIT OF HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY (UNHEDS)

Integrated Community-Based Work Aligned with Government Schemes & SDGs

Organizational Approach

UNIT OF HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY (UNHEDS) is a grassroots civil society organization based in India, working at the community level to strengthen health, nutrition and education outcomes through awareness generation, community mobilization, volunteer engagement and localization of public systems.

UNHEDS does not duplicate government service delivery. Instead, it functions as a community interface and implementation support partner, helping bridge gaps between beneficiaries and existing Government of India programs.

1. Nutrition & POSHAN Interventions

UNHEDS’ Work

UNHEDS conducts community-based nutrition awareness and behavior change activities, particularly targeting:

• Pregnant and lactating women

• Mothers of young children

• Adolescent girls

Activities include:

• Nutrition awareness sessions at anganwadi and community level

• Promotion of diet diversity and locally available nutritious foods

• Sensitization on anemia prevention and child nutrition

• Community discussions aligned with life-cycle nutrition needs

Government Scheme Alignment

• POSHAN Abhiyaan

• Saksham Anganwadi & POSHAN 2.0

• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)

• Anemia Mukt Bharat

SDG Alignment:

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)
SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

UNHEDS supports improved utilization, awareness and community ownership of government nutrition services.

2. Community Health Awareness & Preventive Health

UNHEDS’ Work

UNHEDS focuses on preventive and promotive health awareness rather than clinical service delivery. Activities include:

• Community sensitization on maternal and child health

• Awareness on immunization, institutional delivery and preventive care

• Linking communities with public health facilities

• Coordination and support to frontline workers such as ASHAs and ANMs

Government Scheme Alignment

• National Health Mission (NHM)

• Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres

• Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)

• Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK)

SDG Alignment:

SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

UNHEDS acts as a community bridge between public health systems and last-mile beneficiaries.

3. Education Support & Community Engagement

UNHEDS’ Work

UNHEDS supports education outcomes through community engagement and parental awareness rather than formal teaching. Key activities include:

• Strengthening school–community linkages

• Parental counseling to promote education continuity

• Awareness on foundational literacy and numeracy

• Sensitization on the nutritional and educational value of school meals

Government Scheme Alignment

• Samagra Shiksha

• NIPUN Bharat Mission

• PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal Scheme)

SDG Alignment:

SDG 4 (Quality Education)
SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

UNHEDS strengthens the social and community ecosystem that supports children’s learning.

4. School Health, Hygiene & WASH

UNHEDS’ Work

UNHEDS integrates health, hygiene and education through:

• Handwashing and sanitation awareness in schools

• Menstrual hygiene education for adolescent girls

• Safe drinking water and hygiene behavior promotion

• School-level awareness campaigns and community sessions

Government Scheme Alignment

• Swachh Bharat Mission

• Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan

• Jal Jeevan Mission

SDG Alignment:

SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
SDG 4 (Quality Education)

These interventions promote healthy learning environments and long-term behavior change.

5. Adolescent Girls & Women-Centered Interventions

UNHEDS’ Work

UNHEDS places strong emphasis on adolescents and women through:

• Health and nutrition awareness sessions for adolescent girls

• Menstrual health and hygiene education

• Counseling to prevent school dropouts

• Life skills and self-care awareness

Government Scheme Alignment

• Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK)

• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

• Mission Shakti

SDG Alignment:

SDG 5 (Gender Equality)
SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
SDG 4 (Quality Education)

6. Volunteer Engagement & Community Capacity Building

UNHEDS’ Work

UNHEDS builds sustainable community systems by:

• Training local youth and community volunteers

• Strengthening community leadership and participation

• Promoting ownership of health, nutrition and education initiatives

• Supporting grassroots implementation capacity

Government Framework Alignment

• Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS)

• National Service Scheme (NSS)

• Local governance and community institutions

SDG Alignment:

SDG 16 (Strong Institutions)
SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

7. Documentation, Learning & Partnerships

UNHEDS’ Work

UNHEDS emphasizes learning and knowledge-sharing through:

• Documentation of field experiences and best practices

• Outcome tracking and community-level insights

• SDG-aligned reporting and communication

• Engagement with national and international stakeholders

SDG Alignment:

SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

UNHEDS Value Proposition Statement:

UNHEDS works as a grassroots implementation and awareness partner, strengthening Government of India health, nutrition and education schemes through community mobilization, preventive awareness, volunteer engagement and SDG-aligned localization.