Born Learning Campaign to impact 50,000 children.

Born Learning Campaign is currently reaching out to 250 children in 10 anganwadi centres.

Goals of Born Learning Campaign:

1. Equip children with tools to learn better
2. Working with mothers to ensure healthy growth of the children
3. Provide conducive learning Environment to the children

A parent who volunteered her services at a center said, “I extended my services to the Ambedkar Colony anganwadi center located under the Marathahalli Zone when one of the assistant teachers was unwell and was not able to teach for one month. It was extremely satisfying that I was able to help out at the center by teaching the little children and ensuring that their studies weren’t affected.”

 Updates on Born Learning Campaign:

New activities were introduced to assess Language, Intellectual, Physical, Emotional, Creative & Social skills in children such as:

• Common prayer has been introduced in all centres – To improve social and language skills
• Welcoming activity by children - To improve social and language skills
• Studying the weather chart - To improve Intellectual and language skills
• Date & day chart - To improve intellectual and language skills
• Class leader selected and designated responsibilities -  To improve social & Emotional skills
• Studying Colour & Number Charts - To improve Physical and language skills
• Walking with Bean Bags on head - To improve Physical skills
• Building of Wooden shapes blocks – To improve creative and Physical Skills

List of new play materials introduced to improve the gross motor skills development of children as a follows:

• Day & Date Chart
• Leadership Caps
• Bean Bags
• Wooden Shapes Blocks
• Library Kit
• Height & Weight Chart
• Colour & Number Chart

Mother’s committee meetings:

We are glad to inform that Mother’s committee meetingshave been streamlined. Earlier, the mother’s committees meetings were not been held regularly. Presently, the meetings are conducted once in a month. 

 In the meeting the mothers were also motivated to take care of the anganwadi centers and volunteer their time once or twice in a week.

Project has completed a base line study to assess children:

The initial assessment was completed to assess the progress of the 250 children in all 10 anganwadi centers. Presently, we are looking for volunteers support to analyse the data.

Improving the greenery at anganwadi centers:

To make anganwadi centres eco – friendly sapling were planted across seven anganwadi centers during the month of March. The plants introduced have medical values, it would also provide an opportunity to the children to understand the life cycle of plants.

Parents have taken the responsibility of maintaining the plants here by undertaking watering and de-weeding tasks.

Community Contribution:

• There were few antisocial activities taking place close to a anganwadi centre, this was affecting the children. Born Learning campaign staff approached the local police and they helped in sorting out the issues. They ensure regular visit to the centre to keep a check.

• The local elected representative helped in getting the electricity line drawn to the centre. This help to provide lighting at the centre.

Call for action:

• Volunteer with Born Learning, write to info@uwbengaluru.org
• Help us raise more funds from your friends and relatives to scale up the campaign
• Share the updates on your social media accounts to spread awareness about the Born Learning campaign.

United Way Bengaluru 

Links:

• Read more about Born Learning Campaign

Born Learning Campaign Goals, 2016 

Campaign Highlights:

• We are pleased to share that we have initiated our partnership with Women and Child Development Department, Government of Karnataka to work with Anganwadi (Government run day care) centres. 

• Makala Habba (Children's Carvinal) was organised on Children's Day in partnership of Government of Karnataka.

United Way Bengaluru launched Born Learning Campaign in 2012 to address the issue of Holistic Childhood Development for children under six years of age. The campaign concentrates on addressing the issue of malnutrition and early learning development requirements of children from the lower economic section of our community. 

Working on this campaign for three years has helped United Way Bengaluru to develop a model around holistic early childhood learnings. In 2015, United Way Bengaluru partnered with the Government of Karnataka to scale-up the Born Learning Campaign. Under the new strategy, 10 Government run day care (called as Anganwadis) centers were identified after creating detailed project reports. Gaps were identified in the Anganwadis and the following steps are being taken to address these issues.

Improving Infrstructure of Anganwadis

United Way Bengaluru undertook the infrastructure improvement as a first step to ensure that children feel happy at the centre. The following activities were undertaken to improve the infrasturcture:

1. Painted the Anganwadis.
2. Build new shelves in the kitchen to stack and store various food provisions
3. Refurbished the latrines and replaced old water taps and pipes with new ones
4. Provided rice cookers, plates and drinking cups to the centers
5. Provided new story books and charts

Mothers Groups Formation

A total of 10 mothers groups are being formed, in each group there are 20 - 25 mothers. The mothers groups meet on a monthly basis at the centre to discuss issues about child development. During the meetings the mother are also oriented and trained about best partices to take care of thier young toddlers. 

Makkala Habba – 2015 (Children’s carnival)

This year United Way Bengaluru joined hands with the Government of Karnataka, the Department of Women and Child Development and one of the city’s leading NGO to organize Makkala Habba-2015. This unique children’s carnival aimed to reconnect youngsters to the traditional and leisure lifestyle of their parents in the form of games, activities and cuisine. People from all walks of life and all ages eagerly participated in this event. Our Born Learning Campaign Stall was promoted here and we are pleased to say that it was the most visited stall over the two day event. Identification of colours and shapes, block building, checking growth charts and charts, painting on dry leaves were some of the activities conducted here. Click here to read more.

Our Journey in 2016

United Way Bengaluru will scout and identify new Anganwadis to work with in order to reach out to more underprivileged children. We want to reach out to an additional of 50 Anganwadi centers in Bengaluru thereby bringing more than 1300 children under our Campaign.

We would like to thank Global Giving and our donors for their support towards are Born Learning Campaign. These centres which have been given a facelift in terms of infrastructure, educational materials and most importantly moral support have uplifted the spirits of the many children studying here. We hope you will continue to support their early learning development so that they witness tremendous growth and accomplishments in their future lives.

UNITED WAY BENGALURU

Links:

• Report on Makkala Habba (Children's Festival).