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Meet the heroes leading transformation

Home / News / Meet the heroes leading transformation

This month, we are delighted to bring to you the story of Anithalakshmi, Srikanth Biradar, and Anandhi – all of them are from different regions, doing different things.

What is it that they have in common? How is it that they are part of one story? Read on to find out more.

Anithalakshmi: Leading the Way in Early Childhood Education

Anithalakshmi is an ICDS Supervisor overseeing 27 Anganwadis. Despite being loaded with umpteen tasks, she has started a journey of transformation. She has reorganized her monthly meetings with Anganwadi teachers to bring focus on preschool activities and made sure these gatherings are productive. She has created Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs) and ensured their integration into daily lessons by Anganwadi teachers, which has made learning more engaging for children.

As an ICDS Anganwadi supervisor, Anithalakshmi has become a driving force behind improving early childhood education in the circle of Anganwadis she oversees. Through her initiative and dedication, she has truly transformed the centers into spaces of quality preschool learning. Working hand-in-hand with Makkala Jagriti, Anithalakshmi has embraced new methods and tools, refining classroom setups and empowering teachers with child-centered practices. Anithalakshmi’s vision and hard work have sparked change that will benefit generations to come.

Anithalakshmi conducting a session on “Domains of development” during one of her monthly meetings with the Anganwadi teachers in her circle.

Srikanth Biradar: Bringing Empathy and Care to CCIs

Srikanth Biradar, a Counsellor at the Observation Home in Vijayapura embodies the spirit of commitment and dedication to children. A passionate individual with a Master’s Degree in Social Work, Srikanth draws energy from being part of children’s life-changing moments. He believes that these children, who come from difficult circumstances are an integral part of our society, and is proud to play a role in shaping their futures.

Through the Hosa Chiguru sessions (an online training program designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of the staff working in Child Care Institutions), Srikanth has gained valuable insights into child-centric practices. He notes that these sessions have helped him better understand the children, encouraging him to look at their needs and challenges in a deeply empathetic manner. With an evolved approach to working with children, he conducts fun activities and life skills sessions that not only engage the children but also contribute to their holistic growth.

Srikanth leads a session at the Observation Home, teaching the children essential tips and practices for maintaining good health.

Srikanth’s journey shows how a single individual, with the right support, can lead a shift in how institutions care for children. His ability to inspire other staff to embrace these new methods demonstrates his leadership and the profound impact he is making in his community.

Anandhi: Mobilizing Parents for Change in VV Giri Colony

Anandhi, a parent and an Anganwadi helper in VV Giri Colony – an underserved area in Bangalore, is a shining example of how local leadership can inspire collective action. As a mother herself, she understands the importance of parental involvement in a child’s education. She took it upon herself to mobilize parents and get them involved in their children’s education. Her persistent efforts to engage the community have led to increased parental participation, creating a stronger foundation for the children’s development.

In her role as an Anganwadi helper, Anandhi has worked closely with Makkala Jagriti and has actively followed-up with parents, make them attend meetings and help them foster child-centered growth in their homes. Anandhi has not only helped others, but has also grown personally through this process. Her engagement with Makkala Jagriti has allowed her to adopt a more empathetic approach in her work with children, becoming a role model for parents and a key figure in her community.

Anandhi (left) talking to a parent in the community.

Anithalakshmi, Srikanth, and Anandhi are proof that real change happens when individuals take the lead in transforming their communities. These individuals are true changemakers, using their leadership to create better futures for children. Makkala Jagriti is proud to be a partner in their journey, providing support and guidance as they rise to the challenge of making a difference.

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anganwadi school near me

How the education of one girl can impact generations ahead

Both of Mercy’s parents worked in the unorganised sector, who could not afford her school fees. She joined Makkala Jagriti Learning Centre at the age of 11, and always found the facilitators to be warm, welcoming and encouraging. Makkala Jagriti also supported her to pursue her education.

“We had a lot of freedom to explore our interests and talents. They taught us life skills and values. It was a new world for me.”

– Mercy

Through the Yuva Jagriti career guidance programme, Mercy received the right kind of insight and encouragement that led her to pursue a degree in Commerce, that too through a merit seat. Being the first girl in her family to study that far, she set an example in her community and made choices that allowed her to move beyond the circumstances that she was born into. Mercy now works in a reputed bank and is among our celebrated many who not only made a difference in their own lives but continue to do so in that of others.

anganwadi centres

Turning a Misguided Youth into a Community Leader

Prabhu was a teenager when the old, dilapidated building in which his family lived collapsed, leaving them without a home. While they were still grappling with the situation, Prabhu lost his father, the sole earning member of the family. Unable to process his difficult circumstances, he found strength in hanging around with his friends, who often indulged in gang wars and all forms of abusive behaviour.

Prabhu was a shy yet playful boy when he joined the Yuva Jagriti centre at the age of 15. He expressed, “I feel I am at crossroads, not sure which road to take”. Following our support and guidance, he decided to pursue an internship at Makkala Jagriti. He was entrusted to work with children from Shelter Homes. Today, Prabhu is a sought-after Creative Facilitator and Coordinator at Makkala Jagriti, managing three Community Centres. A silent yet sound performer, he brings in diverse and highly creative ways to engage children and help them learn and grow.

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From a 10th Std. dropout to a World Taekwondo Champion

Murali lived in Bengaluru with his brother, while his parents lived in a village in Tamil Nadu. After his 10th grade, he lost the interest and inclination to study further. When he joined Yuva Jagriti, he started learning Taekwondo at our centre, which helped him become calmer and more focused. He also showed immense capacity to work with children, especially in the areas of sports and creativity, and this landed him an opportunity to work with Makkala Jagriti. Alongside his work, he pursued Taekwondo and competed at the District, State and National levels. He won a number of Gold Medals.

Today, Murali is an accomplished Taekwondo instructor, teaching at many schools in Bengaluru. He brought great accolades to the Nation when he won two bronze medals at the World Taekwondo Championship in Korea in September 2017.

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Breaking the language barrier for migrant children

Barnalli, a seventh grade student at Government Primary School, Somasundrapalya, is a child of migrant parents from Assam. Unable to speak the local language, Kannada, she found it difficult to adjust to school and struggled to mingle with other children.

“When you are new to a place and don’t know anyone, it is hard to fit in. She didn’t have any friends in school.”

– Barnalli’s mother

Makkala Jagriti’s language development program came to her rescue.

“Although I was in a higher grade, the HDLC facilitator taught me Kannada right from the basics. The different activities and sessions helped me grasp the language easily and quickly. Over time, Kannada moved from being just a new language to my favorite subject. Learning Kannada helped me enjoy school a lot more. I became a class leader and also started representing the school in inter-school competitions!”

– Barnalli

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Equipping parents to become positive influencers

Manoj, a 12-year-old boy, hails from a family of garment workers who had migrated from Andhra Pradesh. On moving to Bengaluru in 2018, he joined the Government Primary School in Ulsoor. The drastic change in his environment and culture left him feeling withdrawn and fearful. He refused to speak or participate in any school activity. Over time, he confided in our HDLC facilitator about feeling neglected by his parents in such difficult circumstances.

Manoj’s mother was invited to participate in Makkala Jagriti’s parents’ workshop. The two-day residential workshop allowed her to reflect on her own mindset, biases and relationship with her son. At the end of it, she made a conscious decision to work on rebuilding and restoring her relationship with Manoj. At school, our facilitator noticed that this had a direct impact on his performance. He became more participative and improved in his academics. Manoj later shared with the facilitator that his relationship had become more harmonious and positive with his mother.

anganwadi school

Nammoora Anganwadi

We have seen great transformation take place when parents and community members are involved in shaping learning spaces for children and understand the importance of preschool education. The Anganwadi at Katamnallur, Bengaluru, transformed from a dull space to a vibrant and colourful learning centre, where children love to visit every day and parents and community members gather to participate in various activities.

“When we started our intervention, we saw that the environment at the Anganwadi was not safe or conducive for children. Although the community could contribute to the Anganwadi’s development, there was a major gap between the community, local leaders and Anganwadi teachers.”

– Gouri, Coordinator

Through community celebrations and fun events, we involved community members in the Anganwadi activities. As their participation grew, their understanding about the significance of early learning and development also increased and they readily contributed to the centre’s development.

“Community involvement in Anganwadi is so important. Inspired by Makkala Jagriti’s work, we saw the community, parents and Bala Vikas Samithi members come together and show greater ownership towards the Anganwadi.”

– Subramanya Swamy, Doddabanahalli Gram Panchayat Member

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A Library with Toys!

In an effort to ensure that every household in the Anganwadi community had access to child-friendly learning materials, we started a novel initiative called ‘Toy Library’, which allowed parents to borrow toys and learning resources for their children.

“The Toy Library has been very useful for children. Whatever we teach at Anganwadi, they can continue learning at home independently. Parents also feel more equipped to engage their children at home. No wonder, within just two months of its launch, over 100 toys were borrowed from our Anganwadi.”

– Bhavya, Anganwadi teacher

The Toy Library concept was welcomed by the community and the time spent on learning at home increased!

“My child always preplans what he’d like to take home from the Toy Library. He has also become very responsible in maintaining the toys because he knows he must return them! In the past 3 months, we have borrowed 20 times already.”

– Shwetha, Parent, Vijayanagara Anganwadi, Doddaballapur

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Empowered Teachers Create Better Learners

To ensure children get quality pre-school learning opportunities in the Anganwadi, we empower the teachers and helpers through enhancing their knowledge, skills and attitude towards early learning and development.

“Through Anganwadi trainings, I have changed in a positive way and gained confidence about myself – especially in terms of catering to all domains of early learning. I have even started making learning materials by myself to teach children”.

– Nirmala, Anganwadi teacher, Rojipura

We train teachers and helpers on experiential learning methods that can be practiced at their centres. We also organise Mothers’ Meetings and regular mentoring visits to provide on-the-job support and guidance to teachers. Anganwadi helpers are empowered to become co-teachers and have an important role in the children’s learning process, thereby not confining them to just cooking and cleaning.

“I was used to just cooking and cleaning in the Anganwadi and did not do much else. However, after I attended the ECCE trainings, I realized I had a lot of potential and could engage and teach the children just like a teacher. Now, when the teacher is absent, I engage children in preschool learning activities.”

– Rukmini, Helper, Jyothinagar Anganwadi

From giving little time to learning, to prioritizing pre-school learning and spending more quality time with children, Anganwadi teachers and helpers have come a long way.