Thousands of poor and marginalised families in Haryana’s Mohammadpur Jharsa, were struggling to access basic health, food, and safety needs, especially during the pandemic. The area is home to migrant families, numbering more than a lakh, and living in poverty.

The work done together by Swasti and its flagship partner, Marks & Spencer, has gone a long way in protecting the residents of Gurugram’s Mohammadpur, from the worst cases of COVID-19; creating alternative livelihoods and protecting health and mental well-being. The ICHW (Integrated Community Health and Wellbeing) programme took COVID-19 services online. 

During the first and second wave, the area had the lowest number of people infected with COVID-19, despite having staggeringly poor infrastructure. Today, it is the only community that is 100% fully vaccinated in the district, with the ICHW wellness centre doubling up as the primary health-cum-vaccination centre, officially recognised by local authorities.

The small pilot in Mohammadpur began as a concerted effort to bridge migrant worker populations in their communities to healthcare systems. It followed a rights-based approach to protect the workers and their families.

This partnership showcases how primary health care can be re-designed to work for those it seeks to serve. M&S volunteers serviced the tele-counseling line providing much needed support to those who needed it.

Previously, M&S volunteers have also supported wellness facilitators, participated in immunization drives, provided technical support for audits, conducted workshops, sporting and learning events.