TCI Supports Government-Led Family Planning Workshop for Kanpur Factory Workers

The Challenge Initiative (TCI) provides technical support to the Government of Uttar Pradesh to help reduce preventable maternal and neonatal mortality among the urban poor population by increasing the accessibility and availability of modern contraceptives. As part of this government-led initiative, TCI India recently joined forces with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in an effort to engage the corporate sector to improve the quality of life of vulnerable populations living in UP slums and daily wage workers in large and small factories.

In April 2022, TCI India supported the Chief Medical Officer in Kanpur, CII’s Northern Region and the Shubham Goldiee Masale group ( an Indian spice manufacturer) in holding a sensitization workshop at a Goldiee Masale factory in Kanpur. Forty female factory workers attended the workshop to learn more about reproductive and family planning needs and services, and how to access those services.

Dr. Kanchan Mala Gupta – a TCI master coach who is also the Medical Officer In-Charge of the Dharipurwa Urban Primary Health Center, Arjun, and Divisional FPLMIS Consultant for the National Health Mission in Kanpur – facilitated the workshop and explained the benefits of family planning.

Family planning enables women to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health. Having small families allows parents to invest more in each child. Children with fewer siblings tend to stay in school longer than those with many siblings.”

She detailed the advantages, effectiveness and side effects of each modern contraceptive method. She also made workers aware of the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) in the community who can provide information and counseling services, and the various service delivery points (UPHCs, district hospitals, medical colleges, accredited private facilities, UHNDs) where they can get the method of their choice.

Sarita, a Goldiee Masale factory worker in Kanpur, attended the workshop:

This was the first time I attended an orientation session in the factory which was for the benefit of my health. I never took services from government facilities but now I would like to avail family planning service from a UPHC near to my place because now I know it provide range of and quality family planning services.”

Due to the overwhelming positive response to this government-led workshop – supported by TCI in collaboration with CII – the government plans more such family planning orientation workshops in other cities of the state, in collaboration with industry organizations.