🥗 Nutrition Kits — For Women & Children Living with HIV

Our Nutrition Kits are designed to support the nutritional needs of women and children living with HIV, complementing medical treatment and improving overall health outcomes. Each kit is curated to provide balanced macro- and micronutrients, easy-to-prepare items, and age-appropriate supplements that support immunity, growth, and treatment adherence.

🎯 Kit Objectives

• 🧴 Provide energy-dense, nutrient-rich food to prevent weight loss and malnutrition
• 💊 Support immune function through fortified foods and micronutrients
• 🧑‍⚕️ Complement ART (antiretroviral therapy) by addressing nutrition-related side effects
• 👩‍👧 Improve maternal nutrition, child growth and developmental outcomes
• 📚 Offer practical nutrition guidance for caregivers and beneficiaries

📦 Standard Kit Contents (Household Kit)

Contents below are scalable by beneficiary size and procurement budgets. Per-kit contents can be adjusted for local availability and cultural preferences.

• 🍚 5 kg Fortified Rice or Energy-dense cereal mix
• 🥜 1–2 kg Pulses (lentils/beans) — protein source
• 🧈 1 Litre Cooking Oil (or 1 kg ghee) — energy & fat
• 🥫 2–4 packets of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic/Supplementary Food (RUTF/RUSF) or energy bars (as per age)
• 🥛 1–2 kg Fortified Milk Powder or locally appropriate alternative (for children)
• 🍯 500g Nutritive spread (peanut paste / tahini) — high-calorie nutrient-dense
• 🍅 1 packet of Fortified Flour (wheat/maize) or millet flour
• 💊 Micronutrient Supplement Pack — iron, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc (as per protocol)
• 🧼 Hygiene Pack — soap, ORS sachets, water purification tablets
• 📘 Nutrition & Food Safety Leaflet — simple pictorial guidance for meal planning, safe food prep and ART-nutrition tips

👶 Child-Focused Additions (for children under 5)

• 🍼 Ready-to-Use Infant Supplement (where needed and age-appropriate)
• 🧊 Small reusable food containers / spoons for hygiene and feeding
• 📏 Growth monitoring card & caregiver counselling session voucher

🩺 Delivery & Complementary Services

Kits are most effective when combined with supportive services:

• 🔁 Regular follow-up: weight checks and nutrition counselling every 4–8 weeks
• 🤝 Linkage with ART centres and community health workers for integrated care
• 👩‍🏫 Caregiver training: meal demonstrations, breastfeeding support, safe storage
• 📦 Refill plan: scheduled top-ups and emergency kits during crisis

✅ Selection Criteria & Prioritization

We prioritise distribution based on vulnerability and clinical need:

• 🔸 Pregnant and lactating women living with HIV
• 🔸 Children under 5 living with HIV or in HIV-affected households
• 🔸 Underweight or clinically malnourished beneficiaries
• 🔸 Households with food insecurity and no reliable income source

📋 Monitoring & Indicators

• ⚖️ Weight gain and MUAC improvement (monthly)
• 💊 ART adherence rates among kit recipients
• 🥗 Dietary diversity score improvements
• 🏥 Linkage and retention in care (referral completions)

💰 Indicative Costs (estimate)

• 📦 Basic Household Kit – approx. ₹1,200–₹2,500 (depends on local prices & scale)
• 👶 Child Add-on Pack – approx. ₹400–₹900 per child
• 🔁 Monthly top-up (small) – approx. ₹300–₹700 per household

*Costs vary by procurement mode, seasonal prices and whether supplements are donated or purchased.

🧾 Safety & Clinical Notes

• ⚠️ Ensure micronutrient supplements follow national guidelines and clinician prescriptions.
• 🔬 Coordinate with ART clinics before introducing fortified foods that may interact with medicines or dietary advice.
• 🧑‍⚕️ Refer severely malnourished children or symptomatic beneficiaries to clinical care immediately.

🗣️ Beneficiary Feedback

"The nutrition kit helped my baby gain weight and I felt stronger during my clinic visits."
– Kit Recipient

📞 How to Request Kits

Location: Swecha Mahila Sangam (local office / outreach location)
Phone / WhatsApp: +91 863 928 2611
Email: support@swetchamahilasangam.org
What to share: beneficiary count, ages of children, clinical notes (if any), and preferred delivery location — our team will prepare a kit plan and budget estimate.