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“Awareness can be conducted anywhere and by means. Not just a closed room, not just an open field, even a mobile van can become a means of awareness for the people ……. It’s all about thinking out of the box, just thinking isn’t enough!!!”
Bad menstrual health, child marriage, teenage pregnancy – these are not just terms. These are the labels of the dark facets of our society that is prevalent even today.
Even today, women and girls are subjected to the ills of the society, and issues negligence of menstrual health, child marriage, teenage pregnancy are some of the burning issues. Especially in the extensive rural areas of the state where the existence of the ills and taboos are way more prominent than the urban counterparts, these dark facets of our society keeping burning like a fresh wound with each new pregnancy, each early marriage and with each woman subjected to the negligence and taboo associated with menstrual health and hygiene.
The remedy is not just rescuing these girls, taking a stand after something wrong happens but acting to make sure that these things never happen. And for that, what is most important is awareness. People need to be made aware on the importance of menstrual health and hygiene, and the ills of child marriage and teenage pregnancy.
That is exactly the motive with which Afflatus Foundation launched its newest venture on 26th June 2025 – AWARENESS ON WHEELS.
A first-of-its-kind venture that includes awareness presented to the people – not through some closed room session, not through some open field orientation, but through a mobile van which itself becomes the very vessel of awareness for the people.
The "Awareness on Wheels" van is a state-of-the-art mobile unit equipped with essential tools, including a power supply system, projector, screen, sound system, and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials. Designed with impactful visuals depicting menstrual hygiene, child marriage, and adolescent pregnancy, the van is set to traverse every village and school in all blocks of South 24 Parganas. It is a first-of-its-kind vehicle with visuals painted all over its body depicting strong messages against child marriage and teenage pregnancy and supporting talks on menstrual health and hygiene.
But why is this project so significant?
•From 2015 to 2020, child marriage has increased substantially in 10 districts.
• Teenage pregnancy between 15 to 19 years of age has increased substantially in 7 districts.
• East Medinipur, East Bardhaman, Hugli and Kolkata are some of the major districts with rising child marriages.
•Menstrual health issues are still significant in many of the rural areas of Bengal.
Hence, the goal is to foster awareness, initiate conversations, and empower communities with knowledge. The van shall itself reach out door-to-door all over the district of South 24 Parganas covering all its blocks, and dispersing the message of healthy community and an able society where women and children shall be safe. This venture is very unique in itself standing on the milestone that this is the first time in the country where a vehicle is been used in this aspect associated with the said taboos.
The van shall traverse from school to school and from village to village all across the district of South 24 Parganas spreading awareness through mobile demonstration and orientation sessions.
The launching ceremony on 26th June at M.R. Bangur Hospital was an extremely successful one which was decorated by the presence of Dr. Muktisadhan Maiti, Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), South 24 parganas and Smt. Tulika Das, Chairperson, WBCPCR, who officially launched the program.
There were other esteemed guests as well,
•Dr. Joybrata Deb, Deputy CMOH-1
• Dr. Atreyi Chakraborty, Deputy CMOH-2
• Dr. Swati Pramanik, Deputy CMOH-3
• Dr. Sayan Das, District Maternal and Child Health Officer (DMCHO)
• Ms. Yashabanti Shreemani, Member, WBCPCR
The launch event witnessed Dr. Muktisadhan Maiti shed light on the current scenario of the society focusing on aspects like child marriage, taboos related with menstruation and menstrual health, teenage pregnancy, pornography, masturbation and other psychological aspects which need to be tackled sensitively if we aim for a healthy and strong society.
Smt. Tulika Das also gave a speech shedding light on the psychosocial aspect of child marriages and the importance of looking into the psyches of little children who tend to run away with someone barely met online under the influence of puberty,online distractions and a society which at some point fails to provide them with the necessary safe space and secure environment leading them to take such wrong decisions under momentary infatuations.
Ms. Yashabanti Shreemani also provided her viewpoint on the scenario, especially applauding the idea of this venture and appreciating the dedication and efforts of Afflatus Foundation and our prized member Sobhan Mukherjee who is well familiar to all as the Padman of Bengal.
The launch event had a very promising and active communication session with the media people as well, concluding with our chief guests hoisting the green flags and signalling the kickoff to a project with the high hopes and strong enthusiasm to mark a change in the lives of the children and the society.
With the vision to venture out many more such vehicles covering the whole of Bengal very soon in the near future, the program saw a enthusiastic and optimistic start to a campaign filled with hopes, values, ideas and the thirst to make a change for the greater good. As they said, all good things take time, but it always starts with that one single effort. Isn’t it?