”I was so happy to have a daughter, but I can't even describe the kindness the municipality gave me when I came home,” said Meenmaya, smiling. ”Now my daughter will grow up well.”
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A different scene was seen one morning in Ghamrangbesi, Kholasothar Rural Municipality-8, Lamjung. 20-year-old Meenmaya Nepali and her husband Naveen Nepali were busy taking care of their newborn daughter in the courtyard of their house. At that moment, Rural Municipality Chairman Surya Prasad Gurung arrived at their house, clutching a local rooster.
Along with them were a team of health department chief Trilok Chandra Gurung, Aheb Raju Pariyar and others carrying eggs, ghee, fruits, and hygiene materials.
The joy in Meenmaya's house grew even more. 'I was happy that my daughter was born, but I can't describe the Koseli that the municipality gave me right at home,' said Meenmaya with a smile, 'Now my daughter will grow up well.'
Savitri Bik, 32, of Kholasothar Rural Municipality-9, Gilung Chisapani, also has a similar feeling. She gave birth to her second child, a daughter, at the birthing center of Salme Bhanjyang Health Post and felt happy after receiving the Koseli at home. 'I got government services, I keep getting them. What can I say when they bring Koseli to my house, words are not enough to thank me,' she said.
The rural municipality has launched the ‘Municipal Koseli for Mothers’ program from the current fiscal year. Koseli is distributed to mothers who receive safe delivery services from the birthing center at their homes. According to Raju Pariyar, AHE of the health department, the koseli includes a local rooster, a crate of eggs, fruits, two grams of ghee, cashews, almonds, walnuts, one liter of pure mustard oil, soap, towels and other hygiene items. According to Santosh Subedi, head of the Salme Bhanjyang health post, Koseli has been distributed to three mothers who have received services from the birthing center so far.
Shesh Kumari Gurung, 28, of Qholasothar Rural Municipality-5, Singdi, is one of the recipients of the koseli. ‘It is difficult to get everything together in a village.’ The municipality brought the Koseli at once, I am very happy. What should we give now?,' she said. 27-year-old Onisa Gurung said that the love shown by the municipality towards the pregnant women and newborns will be remembered for a lifetime.
According to Trilok Chandra Gurung, head of the health department, a budget of Rs 400,000 has been allocated for the program in the current fiscal year. 'This year, so far, we have distributed Koseli worth Rs 8,000 per person to 10 pregnant women. We ourselves deliver Koseli to their homes after keeping records of the deliveries,' he said.
All pregnant women receive Rs 800 for transportation expenses and Rs 2,000 as an incentive provided by the federal government. He said that the addition of the municipality's Koseli has made institutional maternity services more attractive.
According to Surya Prasad Gurung, the rural municipality chairman, the program has been implemented by prioritizing the nutrition and health of mothers and children. ‘Some mothers are struggling to afford nutritious food due to the financial situation of their families. Our program is primarily targeted at those with weak financial conditions,’ he said. ‘Healthy mothers and healthy babies are the foundation of a prosperous rural municipality.’
According to Gamimaya Gurung, the rural municipality vice-chairman, a policy has been adopted to provide Koseli equally to mothers who receive safe childbirth services from all birthing centers under the rural municipality. ‘This has spread a positive message about safe childbirth services not only to mothers but to the entire community,’ she said. She said that the Koseli of the rural municipality has brought a smile to the faces of mothers who receive safe childbirth services.’
