Community-led creches transform early childhood development in rural Odisha
Bhubaneswar(05/03/2025): To support early childhood development and address the childcare challenges faced by rural families, Gram Vikas, with support from the Azim Premji Foundation, launched the Shishu Ghar initiative in February 2024.
This community-owned creche program now operates across 61 villages in Odisha’s Kandhamal, Gajapati, and Kalahandi districts, providing essential care and nutrition to 421 children between the ages of 7 months and 3 years. The first few years of life, especially the initial 1,000 days, are critical for a child’s physical and cognitive growth.
Many rural families, particularly those involved in agriculture and daily wage labor, struggle to balance childcare with work, often resorting to informal care arrangements.
Shishu Ghar addresses these challenges by offering a safe, clean, and nurturing environment where young children receive supervised nutrition, healthcare, and early learning opportunities. In Balipadara village, Kandhamal district, the Village Development Committee (VDC), along with Self-Help Groups (SHGs), collaborated with Gram Vikas to establish a Shishu Ghar.
“We realized how important it is for our children to get a strong start.
Every household in our village supported the initiative,” says Prashant Mallik, President of the VDC. The centers operate six days a week, providing structured care from 8 AM to 3 PM.
Locally recruited caregivers ensure hygiene, proper nutrition, and engagement for children.
The diet includes nutritious meals like sattu, rice with dal, eggs, and millet-based dishes, sourced partly from kitchen gardens maintained at the centers.
Regular health check-ups, conducted by ASHA and Anganwadi workers, help monitor growth and identify any signs of malnutrition or illness. Parents have already seen significant improvements.
Rashmimala Mallik, a mother of four, says, “My youngest daughter now receives balanced meals and care at Shishu Ghar, something I couldn’t always provide at home.” Similarly, Swetalin Mallik, a 10-year-old girl, can now attend school regularly instead of caring for her younger sibling. The initiative also strengthens community involvement.
The Matru committee, comprising SHG members, VDC representatives, and health workers, oversees operations, ensuring accountability and efficiency.
The centers also promote hygiene education, encouraging handwashing and personal cleanliness among young children. With continued collaboration between communities, local governance, and development organizations, Shishu Ghar is making a meaningful difference in the lives of rural children and their families, setting a foundation for a healthier and brighter future.
