By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 3: The Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), Shillong, on Friday organised awareness programmes at Rongmesek (Pahamingding) and Pahambirlum villages in Ri-Bhoi district to promote health and nutrition as part of the national Poshan Pakhwada 2025 campaign.
According to a statement here, the events witnessed enthusiastic participation from the local communities and focused on the integration of traditional food wisdom with modern nutritional practices, particularly for women, children and adolescents.
“A key focus of Poshan Pakhwada 2025 is the first 1,000 days of life—from conception to a child’s second birthday—recognized as a vital window for ensuring lifelong health through proper nutrition and care,” it said.
O. Sumer from the Health Department led the central sessions at both venues, delivering an insightful talk on the significance of traditional Khasi diets.
She emphasised starting the day with nutrient-rich local foods like maize, tapioca, sweet potatoes and yam, prepared in ways that retain their nutritional value and enhance immunity.
Sumer also encouraged the inclusion of traditional salads such as Muli Khleh and Jhur Khleh, herbs like coriander and pudina, seasonal fruits and stressed breastfeeding and proper infant nutrition. Her session also addressed dietary strategies to combat anaemia and manage lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
A cultural highlight was a skit by the Private Registered Troupe (PRT) from CBC Guwahati, blending folk storytelling with humour to deliver powerful messages about healthy eating and the dangers of excessive junk food consumption.
During the event, Rongmesek headman, Bithius Taro, commended the initiative and called upon the community to uphold traditional food practices. He appreciated the work of anganwadi workers in promoting nutrition at the grassroots level.
On the other hand, Wanrishisha Pde, female supervisor at ICDS, Umling Block, spoke about early childhood nutrition and the importance of regular growth monitoring, while Dianghun Lyngdoh, ICDS supervisor, advocated for community engagement through participatory education and the use of culturally relevant communication methods.
Similarly, CBC Shillong’s Assistant Director, Gopajit Das, lauded the dedication of ICDS staff and stressed the need for ongoing collaboration between communities and service providers to fulfil the objectives of Poshan Abhiyaan.
As part of the events, interactive activities such as drawing competitions for schoolchildren and quiz contests for mothers were held. Whilst the drawing competitions encouraged the schoolchildren to express the theme of healthy food and balanced diets through art, the quiz competitions focused on topics such as child care, local nutrition, breastfeeding and hygiene.
“The quiz served as a fun yet educational tool to reinforce key messages shared during the programme and to celebrate the knowledge of mothers as key nutrition influencers in the household,” the statement said.
Awards and certificates of appreciation were distributed at the end of the programmes.
Meanwhile, the programmes concluded with a collective pledge from the villagers to adopt healthy, locally sourced foods and become ambassadors of nutrition and wellness in their communities.