Community Crèche Initiative (Shishu Ghar), Rawali Mahdood — Monthly Progress Report, October 2026

Reporting Period: 1 – 31 October 2026
Project Area: Gram Panchayat Rawali Mahdood, Block Bahadrabad, District Haridwar, Uttarakhand
Supported by: Azim Premji Foundation (APF)
Implemented by: Shri Bhuvneshwari Mahila Ashram (SBMA)

Executive summary

October 2026 was an important phase in the establishment and routine operation of the community-based Shishu Ghar centres. The two centres in Ward 12 were inaugurated on 1 October and began operating on 2 October. The Ward 14 centre, inaugurated on 30 September, began operations on 1 October, and the fourth centre, in Ward 13 (Brahmpuri), was inaugurated on 26 October and became operational on 27 October. The month’s priorities were safe childcare, nutrition, growth monitoring, family engagement, caregiver support and preparation for expansion.

October at a glance

1. Shishu Ghar dashboard — October 2026

The programme dashboard for October shows four operational centres, 241 currently eligible children and 68 enrolled children. All 68 enrolments took place in October and no child exits were recorded.

• Enrolment coverage: 68 of 241 eligible children (28.2%); the remaining 173 are not currently enrolled. The eligible population is a household-listing denominator, not a target for immediate enrolment in all four centres.
• Attendance: average daily attendance of 8.6 children, a maximum of 45 children on a single day, and an average of 18 days open per crèche.
• Growth monitoring: data submitted for all 4 crèches; measurements recorded for 60 of 68 enrolled children (88.2%), with 8 children (11.8%) pending.
• Special Nutrition Care: 6 children are flagged on the dashboard for follow-up.

Among the 60 children measured, 13 were moderately and 5 severely underweight; 9 moderately and 4 severely wasted; and 14 moderately and 5 severely stunted. These describe different measurements and should not be added together as unique children; the figures show measurement coverage, not nutritional improvement.

Management priorities: complete the pending measurements, verify nutrition flags and follow up with families, improve completeness of attendance entries, and track enrolment, attendance and nutrition trends centre by centre.

2. Centre establishment and inauguration

2.1 Ward 12 A and Ward 12 B — 1 October 2026

The two Shishu Ghar centres in Ward 12, housed in the same building, were inaugurated by the Gram Pradhan. The programme included ribbon cutting, an introduction to the purpose of community-based childcare, and remarks from local and programme representatives, including the ASHA worker, the SBMA Secretary and an APF representative, followed by a vote of thanks.

Ward 12 — inauguration and ribbon-cutting ceremony, 1 October 2026

Ward 12 — families and community representatives at the inauguration

2.2 Ward 13, Brahmpuri — fourth Shishu Ghar, 26 October 2026

The fourth Shishu Ghar was inaugurated at Brahmpuri, Ward 13, with the Gram Pradhan, local representatives, the APF and SBMA teams, caregivers and community members taking part. The programme introduced the centre’s role in safe childcare, nutrition, protection and early childhood development. In all, 51 people attended: 16 parents and community members, 26 children and 9 staff.

The MIS Coordinator welcomed participants, the Cluster Coordinator set out the programme context and the Crèche Supervisor explained the services offered. The APF representative stressed regular attendance and community ownership, the Gram Pradhan highlighted local participation, and an SBMA representative spoke about safe childcare and support for working families.

Ward 13 — welcome ceremony at the inauguration

Ward 13 — representatives assembled for the opening

Ward 13 — programme interaction inside the centre

3. Programme review with Azim Premji Foundation

APF and SBMA teams held weekly reviews of centre readiness, attendance, nutrition, infrastructure, budgets, safety and expansion. On 22 October, members of the APF Central Team visited the Shishu Ghar centres in Ward 14 and Ward 12 A/B, reviewed centre operations and interacted with the programme team. Discussions covered caregiver mentoring, practical demonstrations, advance ration planning, food quality, monthly growth measurement and MIS challenges.

APF and SBMA teams during the October programme review visit

MIS follow-up included checking app data, preparing lists of children with pending measurements or low attendance, and supporting enrolment in Ward 13 after a mismatch between the dashboard status and the supervisor’s app. Stock documentation, procurement and vendor comparisons were also supported.

4. Field visits, safety and expansion planning

• 27 October: shoe-rack options were explored and a gas-cylinder leakage at Ward 13 was addressed by replacing the cylinder. A prospective site in Ward 10 was visited.
• 28 October: sooji was delivered to Ward 12 A/B for halwa preparation, enrolment support was provided at Ward 13, and Ward 14 monitoring and site exploration continued.
• Household listing in Ward 10 identified 7 eligible children in 7 households. A Ward 14 property with only two rooms and no independent ground-floor portion was considered unsuitable.
• Readiness work continued on repairs, window and entrance safety, cleaning, water and electrical provision, and routine safety checks.

5. Attendance, nutrition and growth monitoring

Supervisors reviewed daily attendance and made household follow-up visits for children with irregular attendance, including those needing special nutritional care. Fever and illness were reported as reasons for some absences. Growth measurement and nutrition counselling remained priorities.

Daily attendance snapshots on the dates shown.

6. Crèche Management Committee (CMC) meetings

CMC meetings give families and the programme team a structured way to review service quality, share concerns and agree on follow-up.

6.1 Ward 14, Pawanputra Colony — 26 October 2026

The meeting was facilitated by the Crèche Supervisor and an APF representative, with 18 parents participating. Discussions covered changes in children’s height and weight, nutrition, centre hours, regular attendance, illness-related absences, child safety and parent feedback. One child was reported to have moved outside the state.

• Review attendance and health status of absent children and follow up with families.
• Update the record for the child who has migrated.
• Document parents’ suggestions on safety, nutrition and timings for review at the next meeting.

Ward 14 — parents and children at the CMC meeting, 26 October 2026

6.2 Ward 12 A and Ward 12 B — 27 October 2026

A joint CMC meeting for both Ward 12 centres was held with 28 parents participating. Themes included regular attendance and follow-up of absent children, nutritious meals and growth, hygiene and safe daily routines, centre timing and operational arrangements, and parents’ experiences, concerns and suggestions. Families were encouraged to stay actively involved in both centres.

Follow-up: supervisors will document attendance concerns, discuss nutrition and growth observations with individual families, record parent feedback and review unresolved matters at the next CMC meeting.

Ward 12 A & B — joint CMC meeting with parents and community members, 27 October 2026

7. Monthly caregivers’ review and winter preparedness — 31 October 2026

The monthly caregivers’ review meeting, held at the SBMA office in Shivalik Nagar, brought programme staff and caregivers together to reflect on the first month of service delivery: children’s adjustment, feeding practices, handwashing, cleanliness, safety, daily routines and operational challenges. The improvements described below are qualitative observations by caregivers and parents, not independently measured outcomes.

• Child adjustment and attendance: children who initially cried or hesitated had become more comfortable with the routines, and household visits and conversations with parents were reported to support better attendance.
• Nutrition and feeding: better acceptance of meals and more children eating independently. Challenges remain with acceptance of suji and sattu, age-appropriate portions, menu variety and timely replenishment of food stocks.
• Early learning and positive habits: progress in handwashing, greeting others, independent eating, play and daily routines; some parents also reported reduced mobile-phone use among children.
• Family benefits: reliable childcare is helping parents attend to work and household responsibilities, and some older siblings are reportedly less often missing school to care for younger children.
• Hygiene, supervision and safety: handwashing before meals and after toilet use, regular cleaning of kitchens, toilets, play spaces and materials, continuous supervision, safe entry and exit, and routine checks of electrical points, furniture and play materials.
• Winter preparedness: suitable warm clothing and bedding, safe lukewarm drinking water, protection from cold drafts, attention to individual needs, and prompt communication with parents when a child shows cold, cough, fever or other health concerns.
• Parent engagement and management: keeping guardian contact details updated, sharing attendance and progress with parents, coordinating with supervisors, and reviewing the display of CMC member details at the centres.

Monthly caregivers’ review — participants, 31 October 2026

Caregivers sharing operational experiences and challenges

8. Priorities for November 2026

• Validate centre-wise enrolment, attendance, growth-measurement and nutrition records.
• Follow up children with low attendance or special nutritional-care needs.
• Confirm stable enrolment in the Ward 13 app and close open technical issues.
• Complete documented winter-readiness and safety checks at all centres.
• Maintain regular CMC meetings, caregiver mentoring and stock review.
• Shortlist suitable new premises based on child eligibility, safety, access, space and budget.