On the auspicious occasion of Bihar Diwas 2025, the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change (CSBC), in collaboration with the Bihar Behavioural Insights Unit (Bihar BIU) and Mithila Gyan Sagar, launched the Muzaffarpur Health Mission—a behavioural science initiative aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes through simple, scalable tools like pledging, public commitment devices, and informed engagement.
This event was publicly documented through photography and videography. Participants, including parents and guardians, were informed in advance that visual documentation would take place as part of the programme.
Held at the Utsav Mahal in Muzaffarpur, the inaugural event featured a large-scale health camp, community gathering, and collective pledging ceremony. Mothers, caregivers, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, volunteers, and officials came together in a shared commitment to strengthen newborn nutrition and maternal well-being.
We are deeply grateful to Dr Kanchan Mala, Director and Consultant Obstetrician at Aadarsh Hospital, Samastipur, who joined us as Chief Guest. Her words underscored our collective responsibility for safeguarding maternal and child health. Leading the pledging ceremony with empathy and conviction, Dr Kanchan reminded us that behind every healthy child stands an empowered family and a supportive community.
This event was publicly documented through photography and videography. Participants, including parents and guardians, were informed in advance that visual documentation would take place as part of the programme.
We also thank Dr. Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Hon'ble Minister of State, Jal Shakti and Member of Parliament from Muzaffarpur, whose visionary support made this mission possible. His dedication to community health, nutrition, and local engagement has been instrumental in guiding our work.
CSBC's behavioural approach integrates nudges, commitment devices, and community-led engagement to address key maternal and child nutrition barriers. One such tool is the pledge—a behavioural commitment that transforms passive awareness into active participation.
This event was publicly documented through photography and videography. Participants, including parents and guardians, were informed in advance that visual documentation would take place as part of the programme.
At the Muzaffarpur event, hundreds of mothers received general health kits and made public pledges by imprinting their babies’ palms on certificates and wearing commitment bands—symbolising their dedication to exclusive breastfeeding, appropriate complementary feeding, and following health guidance from ASHA and Anganwadi workers.
Over the next three months, our team will continue door-to-door outreach across Muzaffarpur and neighbouring districts, distributing 600 general health kits, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) kits and 1200 complementary feeding (CF) kits. We aim to normalise and strengthen positive caregiving practices through community interactions and behavioural messaging.
The event was made possible through the tireless efforts of the CSBC team, Mithila Gyan Sagar, local volunteers, and the warmth of the Muzaffarpur community. Special thanks to Anand Ji, Anay Ji, and the team at Mithila Gyan Sagar for their leadership in local coordination and facilitation.
This event was publicly documented through photography and videography. Participants, including parents and guardians, were informed in advance that visual documentation would take place as part of the programme.
This mission is not just about health kits or ceremonies. It is about trust, empathy, and belief that behavioural science—when rooted in the realities of people’s lives—can create lasting change.
