Strengthening the Roots: CURE India Engages 35 ASHA Workers in Madhya Pradesh to Ensure Every Child Walks Freely
The path to a future where no child in India lives with a preventable disability begins at the grassroots level. On the frontlines of this mission are the ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers—the true heartbeat of community health. Recently, CURE India’s State Program Coordinator for Madhya Pradesh, Ms. Kusum Minz, conducted a high-impact awareness session in Gandhinagar, Bhopal, specifically for these dedicated health champions.
With 35 ASHA workers in active attendance, the session focused on a singular, urgent goal: the early identification and timely referral of children born with clubfoot.
In a country as vast as India, the primary challenge in treating clubfoot isn't just medical—it’s logistical and educational. Many families in rural or semi-urban areas are unaware that clubfoot is a fully correctable condition. ASHA workers are often the first point of contact for a mother and her newborn; by empowering them with knowledge, we ensure that a child born with clubfoot is identified within days of birth, rather than months or years later.
During the Bhopal session, the participants were trained on the nuances of the Ponseti method—the non-surgical, gold-standard treatment for clubfoot. This method involves a series of gentle manipulations and plaster casts, often followed by a minor procedure and the use of a FAB (Foot Abduction Brace) to maintain the correction.
CURE India is recognized as one of the Top 10 NGO's in the country, a title we hold with deep responsibility. As the largest clubfoot program in the world, we have treated the most number of clubfoot children globally. Our national presence spans every state, ensuring that the social impact we create is not just deep, but wide.
For donors and partners, our hallmark is the transparency of fund usage and our unwavering credibility. We understand that every donation represents a trust placed in us to transform a life. That is why all treatment provided at our 460+ clinics is Free Treatment, removing the financial barrier that so often keeps a child from walking.
The urgency of our work is reflected in our current scaling efforts. Presently, CURE India is treating 33% of children born with clubfoot in India. While this is a milestone, our vision is far more expansive. Through our RunFree2030 initiative, we are scaling up to reach 70% of children born with clubfoot in the next 5 years.
To reach that 70% mark, community outreach programs like the one in Bhopal are essential. When an ASHA worker identifies a child early, the Ponseti method is most effective, the recovery is faster, and the child can enter school alongside their peers, walking and running without pain or stigma.
We believe that ending disability from clubfoot is a collective responsibility. Whether you are a medical professional looking to train in the Ponseti technique, a parent seeking guidance for your child, or a member of the general public wanting to give back, your involvement is vital.
Every child deserves the chance to walk, run, and thrive. By supporting the training of frontline workers and the expansion of our national clinic network, you are helping us build a more inclusive India.
Together, we can ensure that by 2030, no child is left behind.
Join the movement. Change a life today. Donate now: cure.org.in/donate
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