Aneel Brar. Aneel is the co-founder and Chief Executive of the maternal health clinic Mata Jai Kaur in Rajastan, India. Mata Jai Kaur provides free pre- and post-natal health care for poor women in rural India who would otherwise have no access to medical support throughout their pregnancies. I spoke to Aneel for Season 1 of this podcast, and in Season 2 we are returning to the clinic to hear how it has changed and grown since we first spoke in 2018.
Our conversation touches on some difficult and painful issues, including the significance of domestic abuse suffered by many of the women who visit the clinic. Aneel shares how Mata Jai Kaur is training young local women as counselors to tackle the overwhelming impact that depression and anxiety are having on many women of childbearing age. We also discuss the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on his work, how he is experiencing the Black Lives Matter movement – both in his work and personally –, and the vision he has for the Mata Jai Kaur clinic.
This was a moving, uplifting and at times deeply personal conversation. If you are interested in women’s health and empowerment and if you are curious to hear how Aneel’s work is adapting and evolving, then I am sure you will enjoy this episode.
Resources and links mentioned in this episode
- Website of Mata Jai Kaur Maternal and Child Health Centre
- Mata Jai Kaur on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
- Get in touch with Aneel via Twitter
- The Kushee Mamta Mental Health Program
Angelika Love 