Bringing Care Closer in Bihar, India: How Divya is Transforming Adolescent Health in Her Community

As a Community Health Officer in a small town in Bihar, India, Divya saw that distance kept many young people from getting the care they needed. With mentorship from EngenderHealth’s TARUNYA project, she changed that—bringing health services closer to home and building a space where adolescents feel safe, heard, and supported.

Bringing Counseling Closer to Adolescents

Divya Singh serves as a Community Health Officer (CHO) at the Health and Wellness Centre (HWC) in Shadipur, operating under the Community Health Centre in Manpur, Gaya. She quickly recognized that adolescence is a pivotal stage of life—one that shapes lifelong health, habits, and well-being.

While Adolescent-Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs), or “Yuva Clinics,” provided counseling at the block level, their distance from many villages meant that adolescents often couldn’t access the services they needed. With mentorship from EngenderHealth India and local partner MAMTA-HMIC, Divya decided to take action to bring these services closer to home.

She expanded her clinic’s reach by introducing adolescent counseling directly at the HWC, so young people no longer had to travel long distances to seek guidance and support.

Creating Safe Spaces for Young People

Divya began offering one-on-one and group counseling sessions, ensuring that adolescents had accurate, age-appropriate, and complete information about their health. Each month, her center now welcomes 80–100 adolescents to discuss topics such as menstruation, puberty, mental health, nutrition, and personal hygiene.

Divya’s approachable and friendly nature helps adolescents feel comfortable sharing their questions and concerns.

As she explains:

“No one should need to think twice before discussing their problems with us.” 

Her open-door approach has built trust within the community and is helping establish a culture of openness around health and well-being.

Inspiring Change Beyond Shadipur 

Under Divya’s leadership, the Shadipur HWC has become a model site for adolescent health counseling. Her sessions include anemia testing, distribution of iron supplements, and discussions on sensitive issues such as stress, depression, menstruation, and sexual desire.

By offering both clinical and counseling services in one accessible space, Divya has reduced financial and logistical barriers for young people—ensuring that care is available close to home.

A Role Model Across the Region 

Through EngenderHealth’s training and support, 53 Community Health Officers now provide adolescent counseling across three intervention districts, reaching more than 21,000 young people in just two years. Among them, leaders like Divya are showing that when health workers are supported to lead with compassion and creativity, they can transform access to care and build healthier, more confident communities.

Divya’s journey is a testament to the power of innovation and dedication in advancing adolescent health. With the right mentorship and resources, she not only closed a critical gap in services but also became a role model for other Community Health Officers. Her story proves that when frontline workers are empowered to act, they can break barriers, create safe spaces for adolescents, and inspire lasting, system-wide change.

Learn more about other inspiring youth leaders in Tarunya’s Legacy: 14 Portraits of Health, Hope and Change for Bihar’s Adolescents.