This program aims to transform Anganwadis (Government preschool centers) into vibrant spaces of quality pre-school learning through an ecosystem approach to bring about school-readiness in children 3-6 years of age from the poor and marginalized communities.

Background - Why is this important:

Evidence from neuroscience reveals that over 90% of a child’s cumulative brain development occurs before the age of 6, showing the critical importance of preschool education to promote sustained and healthy brain development and growth. Studies tracking student learning outcomes demonstrate that children who start learning late tend to lag during their school years. Recognizing the need to provide quality pre- primary programs, many constitutional and policy provisions have been made.

Despite the recognition of the importance of ECCE by the Government of India, the challenges in implementation remain. By strengthening and empowering the Anganwadis, it is possible to significantly improve the quality of pre-school learning for a majority of children, who generally lack access to private pre-school and to enable them to make a smooth transition into school.

Our Solution:

We have impacted close to 300+ Anganwadis in Bangalore urban and rural, catering to the essential needs of stimulation and learning for children in the 3-6 years age group. Our ECCE program is based on a holistic approach that focuses on the fine & gross motor, socio-emotional, language, creative, and cognitive developmental needs of children. Our sustainable approach looks at empowering various stakeholders of the Anganwadi system such as Anganwadi workers, helpers, parents, caregivers, and local communities through well-designed capacity-building programs.

We have been successful in changing the perception about an Anganwadi from a day-care center to a space of effective pre-school learning with strong support and ownership of the local community. The Anganwadi worker has now truly become an Anganwadi ' Teacher' fully equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitude required to impart quality pre-school learning focused on a holistic learning approach.

Program Objectives:

1. Enhancing the Learning Environment: To ensure access to a safe, attractive, and conducive learning environment for children in the Anganwadis
2. Enhancing the knowledge, skills, and Practices in Preschool Learning. To enhance the pre-school learning in the Anganwadis for children (3-6 years old) to bring about school readiness in them by empowering and equipping Anganwadi teachers and other stakeholders on the knowledge, skills, and Practices related to Pre-school Learning
3. Community involvement: To engage and involve actively the community stakeholders, specifically- the parent groups in the development process of the child.

Outcomes witnessed:

• Increase in the knowledge, attitude, and skills of Anganwadi teachers and helpers w.r.t Early learning
• Parents and the community are more aware and more involved in the early the learning process of children
• Time spent on quality pre-school learning increased from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours per day.
• Anganwadis transformed into vibrant spaces of early learning.

Unique features of this project include:

• Ecosystem approach involving all stakeholders thus making the intervention sustainable beyond the project period.

Innovations in the project include :

• A toy library in every Anganwadi for parents to borrow toys
• ECCE festival or Anganwadi Habba to spread awareness about the importance of early years
• Empowering parents through parents meetings, workshops, and video content for parents to make them involved partners in the early learning process of the children.