Rukshana Bano Manihar is the mother of two children from Gulariya, Bardiya. She belongs to traditional Muslim community. She had no formal education and knows little about women’s reproductive health and benefits. It is difficult for her to bring any changes in her traditional life style. Her knowledge about women reproductive health increased while she was pregnant. During one of the field visit by our CCAs in Bardiya, she expressed her thoughts -  

“CRS’s Remote Area Initiative [RAI] program helped to save my life! We have a culture of giving home-birth. My first child was born in home. In our community we have misconception and distrust towards the health care system. However, for the birth of my second child, I was rushed to the hospital with the support from CRS’s Community Change Agent [CCA] of RAI program. The right guidance from the CCA saved my life as I was in terrible pain and nobody was bothered to take me to the hospital. Fortunately at the very time, arrival of CCA in my home encouraged my husband to take me to the hospital. It helped me, my husband and my community women to change our perception about visiting the doctor and health institution on regular basis. I am thankful to RAI program and hope that these CCA could reach to other women like me and change their behavior for better health.”

Under the USAID funded RAI program, CRS has conducted 18,523 session in three districts of Jumla, Bardiya and Bajhang with a focus on four core components of RAI intervention - use of modern family planning methods, importance of antenatal check-up/ institutional delivery, health and hygiene and prevention of uterine prolapsed.

Through the program, from 2014-2017, RAI program have oriented 325,685 women and 5,530 men on Behavior Change Communication (BCC) activities.