The program operates primarily in rural areas in Hambanthota District where there over 64000 families in the district population are below the poverty level and where most of the people have limited access to healthy food and medicine due to their poverty and ignorance. This program is initially going to implement with 2000 pregnant mothers who are registered with government maternity clinics with the contribution and donations from various parties in the world, Global Vision Foundation is planning to introduce this program for other districts in Sri Lanka as well.

The allocated budget of 60 million Sri Lanka rupees will be unitized to distribute for Essential Food Pack and Awareness for the identified 2000 numbers of Pregnant women The Foundations in targeting to get generous contributions from donors so that they can introduce this to the 2nd year with the new Pregnant Mothers and with the same infants or with new set of infants, likewise it is planning to give away these donation packs and awareness session continuously.

These pregnant women will be selected from very poor families who cannot afford their basic needs fully. These children tend to face malnutritional issues and due to the weak health of the mothers it will lead to low weight child births, death births, mentally and physically imbalanced future generation.

The health cost of pregnant women are considerably high compared with the others in the society. This is mainly that they need additional nutrition, healthy food, vitamins, periodic monitoring of health conditions etc. some of the unique costs involved with this selected segment are for healthy and well-balanced meals, vitamins and minerals, regular health checkups etc. Though most of the mothers has the knowledge of well-balanced meals some face difficulties to obtain it for themselves and their infants due the very low-income level of their families. GVF strongly believes that the best start always leads to the best end and end results. So, if focus the children who are not born yet and the children who are just born so that if we strengthen their diets and health in the long run our nation will be able to have healthy citizens and it will be benefited to the world at large.

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries: 2000 pregnant mothers from disadvantaged family backgrounds who are in urgent need of foods with nutritional value and other awareness and directions to maintain high quality physical health.

What mode the benefit goes: The benefit of the program, will go to them as a financial aid on monthly basis so that they can utilize them to get following facilities and materials:

• Purchase essential nutritarian food for daily meals
• If they have known or unknown health issues solutions and proper directions for them to overcome those complications.
• Special mobile and other clinic facilities to discuss their unique health and diet issues and get proper solutions and guidance

In addition to the above assistance, in the event of a crisis or special need: such as a unique health issue or any special treatment requirement, for the infants and pregnant women, the GVF will be considered after few years of project implementation and will expand the program with to assist them in future. This activity line will implement in few years after the actual project implantations. Hopefully after 5 years of current project implementation by allocating a separate budget line for that.

• Overall benefit for the direct beneficiaries and the society at large:
• Donate an essential nutritional pack for the pregnant mothers those who have nutritional issues
• Conduct Mobile Health Clinics periodically for Pregnant Mothers and Infants in the selected areas
• Proper directions and guidance for those identified complications to overcome those issue
• Link relevant authorities with the mothers and pregnant mothers who need other assistance with regard to nutrition, health or social related
• Arrange a periodically Nutrition pack for the selected infants who are below 4 years of age
• Assist mothers to improve their children’s nutritional issues by way of financially or through consultation

Expected Outcome

As we all probably know, when someone is expecting a body, she goes through lots of physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy. To fuel herself and for her growing baby, she needs to make great food choices from a variety of sources. Eating a healthy, balanced diet together with the proper guidance she will be able to deliver a healthy baby to the society. By doing so it will reduce the long-run medical cost that the government and family members need to bear for the unhealthy children.

Implementation

The inaugural program was held on 21st September 2022 at Sooriyawewa Town Hall for 500 mothers in Sooriyawewa division with the participation of Hon. Matsushita Shinpei (Chief Guest), Japan Parliament member, Mr. Inoue Kenji – First secretary, Public Relations and Cultural Exchange Affairs in Japanese Embassy in Sri Lanka, Mr. Raja Gunaratne, Director General of the National NGO Secretariat. Sumith Shantha, Additional District Secretary-Hambantota Ms. M. K. A. Anjala Amali, Divisional Secretary – Sooriyawewa and MOH officers representing Sooriyawewa division.

The 2nd Stage of donations, was held on 05th January 2023 at Ambalantota AGA Office for 500 mothers in Ambalantota division with the participation of Mr. Tetsuro Roy Yoshida and Mrs. Yoshida who were the main donors of this event.