India has made significant progress in maternal health outcomes and institutional deliveries, but a critical gap remains: birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR). Only 49% of women in India are aware of BPCR, with awareness plummeting to 15% in more remote regions. Health facilities, too, often fall short-lacking the infrastructure, staff sensitivity, or hygienic conditions for a safe birth. Aanchal: A Birthing Kit designed by Centre for Catalyzing Change (C3), aims to bridge these persistent gaps– especially for women from rural and low-income communities. Each Aanchal Kit comprises of clean bed sheets, reusable waterproof sheets, maternity gowns, maternity pads, soap, and sanitizer-essentials for a hygienic delivery. It also pairs these essentials with multi-lingual, visually engaging informational booklets on birth preparedness, nutrition, pregnancy danger signs, birth companions, prenatal and postnatal care, family planning, and their rights around respectful maternity care. Developed through extensive field consultations and expert review, Aanchal integrates behavioral communication principles with user-centered design, enabling women to make informed choices during pregnancy and childbirth. Beyond providing supplies, Aanchal reframes BPCR from a concept into an everyday, tangible, repeatable practice-bringing dignity, agency, and safety to women's birthing experiences. Its scalable, low-literacy-friendly design offers a practical model for SBC-driven innovations that can transform maternal health in resource-poor contexts.
India has made significant progress in maternal health outcomes and institutional deliveries, but a critical gap remains: birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR). Only 49% of women in India are aware of BPCR, with awareness plummeting to 15% in more remote regions. Health facilities, too, often fall short-lacking the infrastructure, staff sensitivity, or hygienic conditions for a safe birth. Aanchal: A Birthing Kit designed by Centre for Catalyzing Change (C3), aims to bridge these persistent gaps– especially for women from rural and low-income communities. Each Aanchal Kit comprises of clean bed sheets, reusable waterproof sheets, maternity gowns, maternity pads, soap, and sanitizer-essentials for a hygienic delivery. It also pairs these essentials with multi-lingual, visually engaging informational booklets on birth preparedness, nutrition, pregnancy danger signs, birth companions, prenatal and postnatal care, family planning, and their rights around respectful maternity care. Developed through extensive field consultations and expert review, Aanchal integrates behavioral communication principles with user-centered design, enabling women to make informed choices during pregnancy and childbirth. Beyond providing supplies, Aanchal reframes BPCR from a concept into an everyday, tangible, repeatable practice-bringing dignity, agency, and safety to women's birthing experiences. Its scalable, low-literacy-friendly design offers a practical model for SBC-driven innovations that can transform maternal health in resource-poor contexts.
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