An Indian health worker caring for her community - in pictures

Sangeeta Kumari, 27, is a community health volunteer in Sanjay Colony, on the outskirts of Delhi, where 11,000 people live. Part of her work is to educate mothers about their health and how to keep their children healthy. About 20% of deaths of children under five occur in India – 2 million each year. Kumari explains: "If we don’t raise awareness of healthcare and hygiene then deaths of mothers and children will only increase"
Photograph: Rachel Palmer/Save the Children

Sanjay Colony is next to a waste site that is also a communal toilet and children’s playground. Many children here suffer from diarrhoea and vomiting. "It really bothers me that people aren’t aware of basic health and hygiene," says Kumari. "There are widespread cases of vomiting and diarrhoea"
Photograph: Rachel Palmer/Save the Children

Kumari feeds one-year-old Shivam. Each day she knocks on 40 to 50 doors to meet and advise pregnant women and mothers of small children about keeping healthy. Kumari is not paid a wage for her work, but she does receive some money for expenses
Photograph: Rachel Palmer/Save the Children

Sanjay has no health clinic or trained doctors. Many mothers like Sita struggle to get their children treated for common illnesses, such as diarrohea and pneumonia. Two of Sita’s children died of pneumonia before their fifth birthday
Photograph: Rachel Palmer/Save the Children

Save the Children supports a mobile health clinic that visits communities once a week. "I inform the community before the mobile clinic comes so that people who are sick can get treated," Kumari says
Photograph: Lana Slezic/Save the Children

Kumari holds baby Deepak while his mother gives him vitamins prescribed by the mobile clinic. Kumari has a special relationship with the community. "Everywhere I go, they call me and say 'madam stop, tell us about my child'. Everyone knows me"
Photograph: Rachel Palmer/Save the Children

Raising awareness of health and hygiene is the key to increasing children’s chances of survival, says Kumari. "If people around here don’t get the right kind of information about healthcare, these illnesses will spread. It's simple things like boiling water before giving it to the children," she says
Photograph: Tom Pietrasik/Save the Children

In India, fewer than half of all children are vaccinated against illnesses like measles, diptheria and polio. Health workers like Kumari encourage mothers to take their children to be vaccinated
Photograph: Rachel Palmer/Save the Children

Community health workers make a huge difference in reducing child deaths, says Kumari. "On one of my visits a mother told me her child was seriously ill. I told her, you’ve been going to the traditional doctor and spending money, so at least come to the clinic for free treatment"
Photograph: Rachel Palmer/Save the Children

Kumari enjoys her job. "It’s really great to give people information that leads them on the right path. They are going to the mobile clinic for treatment, they’re getting their kids proper treatment. It’s no longer the lack of money that's stopping them"
Photograph: Rachel Palmer/Save the Children