Case Study of the Day: Anganwadis as Centers of Nutrition in Jharkhand

Context: The Aspirational District Fellows (ADFs) of Chatra district in Jharkhand have refurbished the Anganwadis based on the urban pre-school model.

About Anganwadis as Centres of Nutrition

• The prior situation before implementation of the measure:
  • Jharkhand is among the eight states which have been subjected to the intensive Integrate Child Development Scheme IV (ICDS-IV) due to the high drop-out rates of students from Anganwadi Centers (AWCs).
  • The team of Aspirational District Fellows (ADFs) identified that inadequate infrastructure combined with insufficient education, and healthcare facilities contributed to the low attendance rates among AWCs.
• Hence the Building as a Learning Aid (BaLA) initiative under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Universal Education) was adopted in AWCs across Jharkhand.
• BaLA proposes that the structure and design of any school space should serve as a teaching tool.
  • Under the scheme, painting the walls and ceilings of the AWCs with alphabets, numbers, animals, etc. is undertaken so that the children learn by observing their surroundings.
  • Also, the print rich environment becomes a child-friendly learning space.
  • In turn, the Anganwadi Workers are also benefited by this initiative as they use the visual content to enhance the understanding of the students.
• Nutrition related initiatives taken up in these Anganwadi centres:
  • Meals served at AWCs are a contributing factor in improving attendance rates among students.
  • ‘Kitchen Garden’ has been introduced with an objective to engage AWWs in growing fresh fruits and vegetables to reduce malnutrition among students.
  • Nutri-gardens, along with installation of biogas units have resulted in growing of vitamin rich fruits and vegetables such as spinach and drumstick, to nourish their students.

Conclusion

• Thus, the Anganwadi centres in Jharkhand have tackled the problem of lacking infrastructure, education and healthcare facilities.
• Given the potential of basic Infrastructure available at Anganwadis, there is a need to implement measures as in Jharkhand to compliment their functions as centres of nutrition.

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