You might have heard people say, ​“I will just grab this; it worked last time,” or ​“I read online that these antibiotics match my symptoms,” when buying over-the-counter medicine without a prescription. 

In a world where antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is becoming a critical global health issue, it’s imperative to educate communities about the responsible use of antibiotics and the consequences of AMR. AMR occurs when microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist the effects of drugs that once effectively treated them.

In rural Rajasthan, a pioneering outreach initiative addressed the issue of AMR through 14 interactive workshops facilitated by the third IndiaBioscience Outreach Grants (IOG 3). Led by a dedicated team of women co-founded by Neha Jain, Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur, these workshops taught students microbiology, antibiotics, and AMR, through engaging activities like foldscope (paper microscope) assembly and antibiotic mechanism demonstrations. The project fostered awareness about responsible antibiotic use and the consequences of AMR, transcending social barriers and empowering participants to become torchbearers for change. This initiative highlights the transformative power of education in combating AMR, offering hope for healthier communities and a sustainable future.

Against the backdrop of rural Rajasthan, our dedicated team embarked on a mission to tackle this pressing challenge of AMR. Through a series of dynamic and interactive workshops, we aimed to empower local communities, particularly the younger generation, with knowledge about the responsible use of antibiotics and the far-reaching implications of AMR. Conducting 14 workshops across Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Barmer, we focused on hands-on activities and engaging demonstrations to make complex scientific concepts accessible to the participants. This initiative represents a pivotal step towards fostering science awareness and promoting healthier practices in the regions. 

Reaching some of the remote villages presented challenges due to their interior locations. But collaboration with a local NGO, I Love Jaisalmer (ILJ, A Unit of The I Love Foundation), played an instrumental role in conducting all the workshops. Shaheen from ILJ facilitated communication and ensured access to all schools, while ILJ went above and beyond to provide logistic support and generously contributed prizes for the students. 

Sneak-peak of action-filled workshop days

At the beginning of the workshop, the students were initially shy, so we broke the ice with an open discussion about what they understood by terms like ​“microbiology”, the role of microbes in daily life, antibiotic usage, and AMR. Neha uses simplified examples and models to explain complex concepts like biofilms and antibiotic resistance. Emphasising the principle, ​“The more you do yourself, the more you learn,” we encouraged students to assemble foldscopes and observe the fascinating world of microbes. Hygiene awareness, a crucial issue in rural Rajasthan, was addressed through a hands-on experiment. Students pressed their dirty and clean hands-on agar plates, observing first time how microbes grow much more on the plate with dirty hands. This real-time experiment sparked excitement and curiosity among the students. 

Through these workshops, our team aims to sensitise participants about the proper use of antibiotics and the detrimental effects of AMR. 

By distributing educational materials in Hindi and English, such as posters on AMR, we ensure that the knowledge shared during the workshops will have a lasting impact. These workshops foster a sense of unity and collaboration, forging bonds of solidarity among participants. Inspired by a shared purpose, students are encouraged to become protectors of their communities and strong advocates against the growing problem of AMR. 

We chose the workshops locations based on interactions with support staff at IIT Jodhpur, such as guards, cleaners, and house helpers. For many schools, these workshops were a novel experience, sparking a sense of wonder and enrichment among students and teachers. The students displayed remarkable enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. 

Our initial session at Kendriya Vidyalaya, attended by children from diverse backgrounds— including faculty, staff, gardeners, and security guards from neighbouring villages— epitomised the universality of learning. Despite their varying family backgrounds, the students shared a collective spirit of curiosity and determination, united in their pursuit of knowledge. We also conducted a workshop at a residential school in Mandore, where most students had no guardians. Despite their hardships, their unwavering commitment to learning was palpable. 

In a few all-female schools, we addressed menstrual hygiene. With our all-female team, the girls felt comfortable discussing this topic openly, something they often shy away from their family members. More than 250 females benefited from these workshops. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from students reaffirmed the significant impact of our efforts. 

Behind the scenes: Our incredible team

Our dedicated team members — Neha Jain, Shaheen Hasan, and Harshita Agarwal, and volunteers Himadri Ojha, Ayesha Bano, Bhumika Pippal, and Bharat Gurnani — all hail from Rajasthan, which facilitated seamless communication and connection with local communities. The schools warmly received our team, especially as an educated female group, with admiration and respect. Our initiative aimed to provide quality education, promote good health and well-being, and achieve gender equality, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4, SDG 3, and SDG 5, respectively).

Building on the insights from our previous IOG grants, we developed a comprehensive workshop module that can be readily adopted and implemented by school teachers, ensuring the sustainability and scalability of our efforts. Looking ahead, we are filled with optimism and purpose, knowing that we have made a tangible difference in the lives of countless young learners across rural Rajasthan. This outreach also mobilised ILJ to address issues such as clean drinking water and women’s employment programs in the rural communities where we conducted the workshops. ​‘I Love Jaisalmer’ is a coalition of locals who pool their resources and crowdsource funding to tackle systemic issues in their towns.

The success of this outreach initiative demonstrates the power of education in addressing public health challenges such as AMR, even in resource-limited settings. 

The team has laid the foundation for sustainable solutions to combat AMR in rural Rajasthan by empowering young minds with knowledge and practical skills. We are grateful to IndiaBioscience for enabling this outreach initiative.