Health Mothers’ Group (HMG) is a community-level platform supported through the Government of Nepal’s health system and facilitated mainly by health institutions and Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs). HMG meetings are conducted regularly at the community level to provide mothers and caregivers with health and nutrition information, discuss local health issues, promote healthy practices, and encourage the use of available health services.
Under the Girls Standing Strong (GSS) Project, SDRC supported the existing government-led HMG mechanism in the project areas of Bideha Municipality and Janaknandini Rural Municipality. The respective health institutions and health workers remained responsible for conducting the actual HMG sessions, while SDRC provided complementary technical and facilitation support, including coordination, relevant discussion topics, awareness materials, and orientation/support to FCHVs and other community-level actors.
Different topics were discussed according to government health priorities, project objectives, and local community needs, including maternal and child health, nutrition, breastfeeding, immunization, hygiene and sanitation, adolescent health, SRHR, GESI, child protection, early child marriage, and other emerging health and social issues.
Through this approach, SDRC contributed to strengthening the existing government health mechanism rather than creating a parallel structure, while supporting health institutions and communities to improve knowledge, healthy practices, health-seeking behavior, and access to essential health and nutrition services.
