500 anganwadis for city

US not-for-profit organisation United Way Worldwide is looking at setting up 500 parallel anganwadis across Bangalore over the next three years, in areas where government run anganwadis do not currently exist.

The NGO at present runs 9 anganwadis around the Hennur area with each catering to 25 kids of quarry workers who are dropped at the centres at 9 in the morning and stay till 3 in the afternoon. Every anganwadihas 2 teachers and a cook apart from a nutritionist who regularly visits.

“Our goal is to raise the number of anganwadis to 500 across thecity and its outskirts like Anekal, Chikballapur etc,” said Suresh Nair, executive director, United Way of Bengaluru.

There are approximately 63,000 anganwadis in Karnataka run by the government.
According to Sabu Thomas, chairman, United Way of Bengaluru, the organisation which primarily works in the areas of health, education and livelihood realised that there are several kids in the under 6 age group who are not currently covered under any government initiative.

“Often kids of quarry workers are left out in the open and they fail to get necessary food or basic learning that helps develop their cognition and thinking. That is when we felt that parallel anganwadis could be set up.”

The Bangalore chapter of the 125 year old US NGO, which is one of the largest globally,  started in 2008  with support from city based corporates including Deloitte, iGate, HP, Manipal etc.

Moreover the NGO is also starting its ‘Lake Plus’ campaign that will cover 12 lakes in the city and work towards creating an atmosphere inthe lake environs that is conducive for activities like reading, doing yoga or jogging.

Thomas said there is a pressing requirement for people to use a lake beyond its water requirement. “Currently many lakes do not have safe and clean environments where people can relax.”

United Way works with resident welfare associations (RWAs) by providing them with funding, advice and hand-holding support to then undertake the lake refurbishment initiatives.

Brian A Gallagher, United Way’s global president says though the group started in the US as a result of the industrial revolution and the movement of people from rural parts to the cities in search of jobs, it soon realised that in countries like India such problems are widely prevalent.

@priya3014