Strengthening Ties, Protecting Children: Stakeholder Engagement in Gangasagar

Lasting change begins with strong partnerships at the grassroots level. On 19th August 2026, the Tribal Community Development and Empowerment Project (TCDEP) engaged with key local stakeholders in Gangasagar through two coordinated sessions; a school-level meeting and a broader Advocacy and Networking Meeting; to strengthen collaboration around child protection and community health.

The day began with a meeting between Mary Ward staff and the Head Teacher of Beguakhali Gyandamayee Primary School, who was already familiar with the organisation's work from prior interactions. Discussions covered school dropout trends, with the Head Teacher confirming no current dropouts and comparatively high enrolment at the school, as well as health and hygiene concerns and plans for an upcoming Nutrition Day programme. During the visit, the team observed unclean school premises due to a lack of outdoor dustbins and waste disposal facilities, a concern that will be followed up as part of continued engagement.

Later, an Advocacy and Networking Meeting was held at the Beguakhali Sub-Health Centre, bringing together 14 participants – ASHA workers, ICDS workers, and school teachers. The session opened with an introduction to KMWSC's work, followed by discussions on child protection, with particular focus on preventing child marriage, child abuse, and school dropout, and clear guidance on reporting concerns through the Police, school authorities, or Child Helpline 1098.

Participants also discussed maternal and child health priorities, including timely vaccination for five-year-olds and healthcare access for pregnant mothers, along with common misconceptions around HPV vaccination among adolescent girls and the importance of home-visit follow-ups to correct them. Menstrual hygiene and safe sanitary practices for adolescent girls rounded out the discussion.

Through such coordinated stakeholder engagement, TCDEP continues to build the trust and cooperation needed to protect children and strengthen health outcomes in Gangasagar.

"Stronger partnerships, safer childhoods."

 

***