Anganwadi

Introduction: Regular  Growth monitoring can aid in early detection and appropriate actions for
growth faltering. It is therefore important that regular practices pertaining to Growth Monitoring is
done, which will lead to improved skills of the AWWs. Efficacy in practices is also affected with the
availability and functionality of logistics related to Growth Monitoring at the AWC.
Objectives: 1. To assess the improvement in practices related to growth monitoring by Anganwadi
workers after the planned intervention.
2.  To assess  the  effect  of  availability  and  Functionality  of  logistics  on  the  practices  related  to
Growth monitoring by AWWs
Methodology: It was a field based interventional study, which was conducted on 66 AWWs each
from Chiraigaon (intervention) and Cholapur (control) community development blocks of Varanasi
district. AWWs were interviewed with the help of a predesigned and pretested interview schedule.
Availability and  functionality of  logistics at the Anganwadi  Centers  were  verified  and  practices
related to Growth Monitoring by AWWs were cross examined during Village health and Nutrition
day.
Results: Practicing  correct  methods  for  ‘date  of  birth’  confirmation  was  significantly  (p<0.05)
improved post intervention. The proportion of respondents practicing complete filling of the growth
chart increased from less than 50% to 72.7% in intervention block during endline (p<0.05). The uses
of equipments (weighing machines, infantometer etc.) were higher in proportions as compared to
their availability and functionality.
Conclusion: Intervention was found effective in improving the practices of AWWs in regard with
growth  monitoring  and  availability  and  functionality  of  logistic  support  required  for  growth
monitoring was found affecting their related practices.

Despite universalization of ICDS and introduction of various policies like ECCE policy 2013 and Poshan Abhiyaan 2018, yet malnutrition in children continues to be a significant problem in India. Malnutrition or any illness is not merely illness rather it affects the whole life in respect to multiple social determinants. ICDS was restructured in 2013 despite researches states that there is a lacuna and lack of quality ICDS service. Anganwadi workers are the pillars of the ICDS programme as they are the frontline worker but rarely their voices are being heard. India’s malnutrition status is at an adverse rate. Low birth rate, child mortality, lack of health and care policies and lack of social policies. The State cannot leave the care of children on family solely. It is a responsibility of the society collectively hence interventions must include empowering of parents, caretakers and the community. It is a role of Anganwadi Workers to empower the mother by imparting them health and nutrition education to them; they provide services to children related to health and nutrition. Researches have highlighted that there is a lack of awareness in workers about the health and nutrition of children. As of now, there are limited qualitative studies on Anganwadi worker’s perception, beliefs, knowledge, and what challenges they face while working. Thus, it becomes very important to understand the perception and understanding of Anganwadi workers on the health and nutrition of children as it will help to understand and see if there are gaps and where those gaps are (Manhas and Dogra, 2012).

This article discusses the ‘Indianisation’, ‘nationalisation’, and ‘ruralisation’ of the Montessori method in India at the eve, and in the aftermath of the country’s political independence (1947). From 1914 onwards, Indian nationalists received Montessori’s ideas through publications, the networks of the new education movement, and the Theosophical Society. While innovative pre-schools for elite children worked closely with the ‘original’ method, the Nutan Bal Shikshan Sangh (‘New Child Education Society’, NBSS) adapted it to local conditions (‘Indianisation’). The NBSS aimed to universalise Montessori-based child education, as a contribution to nation-building (‘nationalisation’). With the establishment of the Gram Bal Shiksha Kendra (Rural Child Education Centre), in 1945, the NBSS brought the country’s most marginalised into the modernising reach of the new state, furthering Gandhi’s vision of ‘rural reconstruction’ (‘ruralisation’). From these experiments, the institutional model of the Anganwadi emerged, through which today millions of Indian children receive integrated child development services.

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This is a report to Sida, evaluating their support to ICDS in three districts in Tamil Nadu. Sida introduced a number of innovations that the Indian state and national governments seemed to like. These included an adolescent girl project which gave them food and training in sewing and such things to make money from. The anganwadi workers were given a little stipend to use in planting a garden at the AWC and using the surplus to add to the supplemental foods given to the children. Improving the quality of the preschool part was the main issue Sida gave attention to.

This ICDS project received about half of its funding from the state and national governments, and Sida added about half that total for work on these innovations. It appeared that the decline in malnutrition occurred at a rate of about 3% per year, about double the rate of decline in non-Sida supported areas.