This summer, I’ll be working for the Government of Meghalaya on the State Capability Enhancement Project in Shillong. The SCEP is an initiative developed by the state leadership in Meghalaya to employ an adaptive approach for addressing complex problems in the health and economic sectors. I will be working across multiple projects that aim to strengthen the public health system in Meghalaya.
The main projects I will be working on focus on health governance and women’s leadership and agency. The health governance project looks to implement systemic reforms such as improving quality of care in public health facilities, strengthening block level coordination of health and nutrition services as well as establishing community institutions to help improve key human development outcomes. I will be using mixed methods to work on the successful implementation of these projects. This includes program evaluation, process tracing with actors involved in developing health systems policies, as well as key informant interviews with beneficiaries of the public health facilities.
The Women’s Leadership and Agency project aims to implement several different measures to increase women’s participation in decision making processes.. These measures include the creation of women’s self-help groups as well as reserving leadership positions for women in local institutions such as community health centers. This project is especially important in Meghalaya as it is one of the few existing matrilineal societies in the world. Therefore, empowering women is crucial as it can translate into improved health and educational outcomes for both women and children.
This internship is an exciting opportunity for me as it as it allows me to apply my theoretical training and research in health systems to an applied setting that has tangible outcomes. With this work, I hope to prioritize the voice of care-seekers (specifically women) and how they believe the system should be reformed to better suit their needs.
On a more personal note, I'm so excited to be working in Northeast India. My parents are from Assam and many childhood summers have been spent in the hills of Guwahati and Shillong. I look forward to immersing myself in the local culture of Meghalaya, taking in the splendors of nature and indulging in Momos!
Even growing up in the United States, I have experienced the ignorance of other Indians who fail to recognize the Northeast as an essential thread of India's fabric. I have been met with statements such as "Wow, your parents are from Assam. That's exotic for even us Indians." Statements such as these have always left me with a sense of anger and helplessness. It has been my personal goal to work in Northeast India, a region neglected by the national government of India and subject to taunting remarks by fellow citizens. I hope that with my time in Meghalaya, I'm able to contribute to the efforts in improving the health system of the state. I also hope to share the beauty of this state and region with all of you! I fly to India at the end of May and will update this blog regularly to share my work, interactions and cultural immersion.
See you soon.......
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