Advancing Women’s Health and Mental Well-Being in Mumbai with PUKAR

Khushi Jain and Pooja Shah’s project took them to Mumbai, where they partnered with the nonprofit PUKAR to engage with communities in urban informal settlements. Their Leadership-in-Action work focused on mental health research and community initiatives aimed at improving the lives of slum dwellers.
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Khushi Jain and Pooja Shah’s Leadership-in-Action project focused on improving mental health and women’s health in the informal settlements of Mumbai, India. Collaborating with PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action, and Research), the duo worked on initiatives aimed at addressing health disparities in slum communities, where nearly half of Mumbai’s population resides. PUKAR employs a unique "barefoot research" model, which empowers local residents to conduct research and help implement health programs in their communities. This approach allows for deeper engagement and understanding, as it is led by those who experience the challenges firsthand.

Khushi and Pooja's work spanned multiple projects during their time in Mumbai. One major focus was on supporting PUKAR’s Youth Fellowship Program, which enables young people from the local community to conduct year-long research projects on issues that affect their daily lives. Khushi and Pooja assisted with mentoring and provided feedback on research methodologies, helping participants refine their projects. In one standout case, they worked with young women researching the impact of community bathroom blocks on gender violence and menstrual health, an issue that affects access to basic sanitation for many women in slums.

In addition to mentoring the youth fellows, Khushi and Pooja participated in the development of mental health awareness programs. With the guidance of the PUKAR team, they helped design and translate surveys related to depression, anxiety, and PTSD into Hindi, ensuring the tools were culturally relevant. They also trained barefoot researchers on identifying mental health issues and conducting surveys in the community, ensuring the data collected would be both comprehensive and sensitive to local needs.

Khushi and Pooja also observed and contributed to the 1,000 Days Project, an initiative that tracks the growth and development of newborns during the first 1,000 days of life, and the Journey to Dignity Program, which offers educational sessions to empower adolescent girls in slums with knowledge about reproductive health, gender violence, and puberty.

Come hear how Khushi and Pooja’s work with PUKAR helped bring critical health initiatives to life, supporting marginalized communities in Mumbai’s slums. Their experience highlights the power of grassroots research and community-led health interventions in addressing systemic health challenges.

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