Strengthening the Foundation
Ensuring Quality in Anganwadi Centres (AWC) through HUBs
Conference on Early Learning – Status and the Way Forward
25-27 September 2013
Anganwadis in Delhi
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Anganwadi’s provide a range of services which include growth
monitoring, immunization, pre-school education for the 0-6
age group.
They also support pregnant women and lactating mothers.
However the extension services are difficult to provide as
majority of these centers are extremely small (with less than
100 square feet space), inadequate arrangement of drinking
water and toilets and a scarcity of equipment.
The same room is being used as living space by the owner.
There is little play material or any learning activities for
children.
On ‘HUB’
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The Department of Women and Child Development, Delhi Government
describes the concept as – a central place of decent size with 20 small
anganwadi centres as satellites.
Located in the community the centre will have space for
infrastructure, material and human resource to act as a ‘Resource Hub’
for the anganwadis in its catchment area (within 1 to 1.5 km).
10 anganwadi centers would be attached to the ‘HUB’ where everyday
children from two AWC would visit the ‘HUB’ once in a week i.e. from
Monday to Friday. They will be accompanied by the AWW and the
helper.
The HUB Centre staff in turn will visit one anganwadi from the
remaining 10 anganwadis on everyday basis.
The Structure
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It has to be a space in the community – either the MCD or Delhi
government school or a private space on rent, 2 rooms of size 120 square
feet each besides a toilet and store room. .
Capacity to accommodate 100-150 children on weekly basis
The Function
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“Holistic development’ of the child by comprehensively addressing the
need for care, nutrition, health, well-being and early literacy.
To conduct training and demonstration for the attached AWW on a
monthly basis.
All pregnant and lactating mothers registered with the anganwadi
centers visit the ‘HUB’ once a month and counselled on nutrition, child
care etc.
To have a collection of literature on health, education and other
contemporary topics.
Okhla ‘HUB’ Centre
• Starting in 2011, Save the Children initiated the HUB
concept with the AWCs and slum communities in Okhla
(Tehkhand Village and Gol Kuan) in partnership with Hope
Worldwide.
• We recognised the significance of involving parents, family
and community members through awareness meetings and
campaigns particularly the mothers living in the slums,
around health and hygiene and importance of school
readiness skills for children under 6
• Formation and strengthening of Mothers’ Groups
• Build linkages and facilitate transition from AWCs to
adjacent Primary schools
• Hold public hearings on status of Anganwadi Centres
Okhla ‘HUB’ Centre
• Development of training modules and material in
collaboration with DWCD. (HANDBOOK)
• Provision of learning and play material at target
Anganwadi Centres
• A paediatrician and gynaecologist visits the centre
once every month
• OUR AIM
• A stimulating early learning environment within 20
AWC to provide school readiness skills to children
enabling their smooth transition to primary schools
and preventing them from ending up on streets.
Okhla ‘HUB’ Centre
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The HUB centre has supported 2345 children so far.
Out of which 897 children are in the 3-6 age group.
421 children have been mainstreamed into primary schools.
20 mother’s group with 15 mothers in each group, formation and
regular monthly meetings
20 AWW workers directly supported by the centre.
435 children have got fully immunized.
No. of children who have got health check-ups is 1039
No. of pregnant women supported are 630
No. of lactating mothers supported are 655
(Starting in March 2011. As on August 2013)
Evidence from Exemplary Practices
• AWW are leading the mothers group in monthly meetings on
various issues including importance of early literacy skills,
malnutrition, health and sanitaiton.
• Mothers Group leaders are also leading the mothers group
discussions.
• Mothers group have taken the responsibiliy to activate the
anganwadis running in the homes of anganwadi workers
• Mothers group have also supported in community mobilisation
for e.g. nutrition and health days every month.
• Some of them have formed a self-support group for their
members especially for malnutrition cases, referral for
pregnant women and school admissions.
Evidence from Exemplary Practices
• Audio visual aids, Blocks for constructive play, dolls, puppet,
masks, kitchen sets, mirrors, weighting scales, clock etc
• Material to develop Language skills – Books and picture books,
storing telling aid puppets, story cards, sound board,
conversation cards, legos etc
• Material to develop cognitive skills –cards, picture jigsaw and
self correcting puzzles for matching, sorting, arranging,
classifying, problem solving, memory and sequential thinking to
develop cognitive skills.
• Musical and art material for creative expression such as paints,
crayons, sketches
• Indigenous play materials and teacher made learning materials
using available resources
Evidence from Exemplary Practices
• Encourage exploration at home by mothers to utilise the ample
opportunities for incidental early learning arising from daily
activities.
• Discussion on the child’s progress in the mothers group
• There have been regular interactions with MCD schools.
• Facilitators from the HUB Centre have been included in
the School committee.
• The schools have explained the importance of pre literacy
skills to parents and community members.
• Intensive counselling for children and their families.
• Sharing of everyday experiences and free talk with
children.
Key Emergent Literacy Knowledge Areas
Knowing about
the Alphabet
Knowing what
Books are
Understanding
about Words
and Sounds
Understanding
Print
Talking and
Listening
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Key Emergent Math Knowledge Areas
Comparison and
Measurement
Sorting and
Classification
Patterns
Geometry
Numbers and
Counting
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Exit and Sustainability Strategy
• DWCD initiative.
• Community participation to “own” the centre.
• The processes initiated will continue to attract children and
community attention.
• Some of the challenges faced include tracking drop-out children
and keeping a record of children who have migrated from the
community.
• After a successful pilot at Okhla the DWCD is expanding this
concept to open 15 new similar centres in other areas including
Kabool Nagar, Shahdara, Geeta Colony, Karawal Nagar,
Khichripur, Ghonda, Sonia Vihar, Panchal Nagar, and Mandoli.
Anganwadi Centre
HUB Centre
Hope to make immediate and lasting changes….
Thank You!