Tinu Damai of Chhabis Pathibhera Rural Municipality Ward No. 2 in Bajhang district gave birth a month ago. In mid-December, her husband had gone to India in search of jobs but he has not returned home, saying he has not earned enough.

Damai has been facing difficulties to manage nutritious food for herself and her baby due to her poor economic background.

“My body has weakened now. I feel dizzy these days,” she said, adding that she had continued bleeding for 15 days after giving birth to her baby. “I have been surviving on chapattis and rice only, as I have no money to buy other food items.”

But thanks to the rural municipality’s “Deputy Chief with Postpartum Mother” programme, she was provided with some relief. On Friday, Damai received 2kg ghee, one crate eggs and 2kg legumes from the ward office.

“I hope to regain good health now,” she said.

Damai is a case in point. There are many postpartum mothers in the rural municipality who have been deprived of nutritious foods.

“The majority of men in the local unit have gone to India in search of jobs. We don’t have money even to purchase daily essentials,” said Devi Dhami, another postpartum mother.

Postpartum mothers said they have been benefitted by the Deputy Chief with Postpartum Mother programme. According to the data of the rural municipality, they have already distributed nutritious foods to 56 new mothers in the current fiscal year.

The rural municipality aims to achieve the status of ‘malnutrition-free’ within the next two years. Representatives of the rural municipality said that the programme has been launched to reduce the number of malnourished new mothers.

Radhika Kumari Ratala, deputy chief of the rural municipality, said that they have started the Deputy Chief with Postpartum Mother programme to help new mothers regain their good health.

“Health workers and women health volunteers are also raising awareness on sanitation, breastfeeding and the importance of nutritious foods for new mothers,” Ratala said.