The basic purpose of anganwadi (child care) centres across India is to tackle the problem of malnutrition in children under six. Their purpose seems defeated as many such centres have been running from dilapidated makeshift structures with no amenities.
One such Anganwadi centre in Bihar’s Gaya district, Harijan Tola village has been running without a building for the past 6 years. Basic amenities like drinking water, toilets and power supply are missing. VV-PACS Community Correspondent Amit Kumar from Gaya reports.
‘Wherever the classes are conducted, at the same place we prepare meals for the children’ says Sarika Kumari, Anganwadi Sevika. The administration has been lukewarm to the appeals for construction of a permanent building adds Sarika.
There are many laws and schemes by the government, but there is a clear lack of execution by the authorities. Amit finds himself wondering if the this lackadaisical attitude has anything to do with the fact that the residents of the village belong to the Dalit Caste.
Call to Action: Please call the Child Development Program Officer, Sudha Sharma, Gaya district, Bihar on 9431005178 and ask the authorities to build an Anganwadi centre for the children of Harijan Tola village.
About the Partnership: The Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) Programme and Video Volunteers have come together to create the Community Correspondents Network. The videos generated by the network will be able to highlight voices from the margins, providing skills to social communicators to provide advocacy tools to community based organisations.
