Amri’s Story: A Journey of Strength and Survival in Rural Rajasthan
Amri lives in School Fala, a small hamlet under Bedawal Panchayat in Salumber district, Rajasthan. She shares her modest home with her husband, Khana, and their five children—two daughters and three sons. Life in this remote tribal region is challenging, with limited access to services and support. Like many other women in the area, Amri’s daily life is marked by hard physical labor and the constant balancing act of caring for her children and household.
Her family structure reflects the kind of care burden many rural women carry. Her eldest daughter, aged 8, is in Class 3, while her second daughter, aged 5, is yet to start school. Her third child is a boy who is 1 year and 7 months old and stays with her at home. On 2nd July 2025, Amri gave birth to twins during a highly stressful situation—her labor started on the way to the hospital, and she ended up delivering in the vehicle before reaching any medical facility. She was later admitted to the Pahada Primary Health Centre for observation and postnatal care. At birth, one baby weighed 2.2 kg and the other 2 kg—both slightly underweight and requiring careful attention.
Amri’s husband works as an agricultural laborer and frequently migrates for work. Yet, he plays a vital role at home. Aware of the immense pressure on Amri, he contributes by cooking meals, tending to livestock, and assisting with other household chores. However, the major responsibility of childcare and domestic work still falls on Amri’s shoulders. Even during her postnatal recovery, she continued to manage tasks such as feeding the children, getting them ready for school, preparing food, and disposing of cow dung—a physically taxing activity that requires her to walk long distances from her home.
Due to the overwhelming workload and the challenge of breastfeeding two newborns, Amri began feeding them buffalo milk. She worried that her breastmilk alone would not be sufficient for both babies. At the same time, the care needs of her older children did not decrease. With no one else to support her, Amri started relying on her daughters for help. Her 8-year-old daughter began helping with cleaning and fetching water, while the 5-year-old learned to feed fodder to the animals and look after her younger brother. This early involvement in domestic chores not only reflects the level of strain on the household but also highlights the kind of responsibilities rural children—especially girls—are forced to shoulder from a young age.
Amri’s case came to light through a Swasthya Kiran (community health worker) who identified her situation during routine outreach work. Realizing the urgency, she informed the Amrit Clinic team. In response, a team comprising a nurse, doctor, and nurse mentor visited Amri as part of the first postnatal care (PNC) visit. During this home visit, they conducted a thorough check-up of Amri and the newborns and also initiated a detailed conversation with her about her health, family responsibilities, and newborn care practices.
The medical team noted that both babies were underweight and that Amri had already begun supplementing with buffalo milk. They explained the risks of early introduction of animal milk and emphasized the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, especially for low-birth-weight infants. To support her better, they introduced Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), a simple yet effective method where the newborn is kept skin-to-skin on the caregiver’s chest to regulate body temperature, promote breastfeeding, and improve weight gain. Both Amri and her husband were encouraged to practice KMC, taking turns during the day and night whenever possible.
Understanding the overwhelming demands on Amri, the team also advised that her 1-year 7-month-old children could be enrolled in the Phulwari. This would allow the child to receive basic care and early education, while also giving Amri more time and space to care for the newborn twins. In addition, the team provided nutritional counseling to Amri and discussed the importance of self-care, particularly during the postpartum period.
The visit was not limited to medical checks—it served as a critical moment of emotional and educational support. Counseling was provided to both Amri and her husband to ensure they understood their roles in caregiving and how to share responsibilities more equitably. The intervention gave the couple practical tools and information to better manage the situation, reinforcing the idea that maternal and newborn health is not the sole responsibility of the mother but a shared task.
Amri’s story is a powerful reflection of the intersection between poverty, gender roles, and healthcare access. It demonstrates how timely intervention and community-based outreach can play a vital role in safeguarding the well-being of mothers and children. Her experience also reminds us of the unseen labor that women in rural India undertake daily, and the importance of building support systems—both at home and within the community—that recognize and respond to these realities.
Written by Priyanka (Executive-MNCH)