Reporting Period: 01 July – 30 September 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

The first quarter of implementation moved in a logical sequence: team induction and field familiarisation in July; community mobilisation, site selection and caregiver recruitment in August; and infrastructure preparation, quality-checked procurement, staff capacity building and the first crèche inauguration in September. On 30 September 2026 the first Shishu Ghar was inaugurated at Pawanputra Colony, Ward 14. The programme provides safe, responsive care, nutrition, growth monitoring and early learning for children of about 7 months to 3 years.

The quarter at a glance

MilestoneStatus
Gram Panchayat permissionRecorded on 3 August
Premises secured (rent agreements)3 centres — 2 in Ward 12 (Brahmpuri), 1 in Ward 14 (Pawanputra Colony)
Caregiver candidates interviewed15 (26 August)
Households visited/listed (cumulative, by 2 September)129
Caregiver pre-service training5 days, 21–25 September
First Shishu Ghar inaugurated30 September, Ward 14

July 2026 — Programme initiation and groundwork

1. Team induction and organisational orientation

The quarter began with orientation of the SBMA implementation team on the crèche initiative, team responsibilities, field coordination and organisational procedures, creating a shared understanding of the programme before field engagement.

2. Initial field visits and community familiarisation

From 6 July, field visits in Rawali Mahdood introduced the programme to local institutions and community members. The team visited government schools and Anganwadi centres, spoke with families and explored the local context and possible crèche locations. Participation in the Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day on 8 July supported coordination with health workers.

Programme team induction and orientation with APF representatives, July 2026
Programme team induction and orientation with APF representatives, July 2026
Visit to an early-learning centre during field familiarisation
Visit to an early-learning centre during field familiarisation

3. Panchayat, ward and health-system coordination

Meetings with the Gram Pradhan, ward representatives, ASHAs, Anganwadi workers and community health personnel explained the objectives of the initiative and identified local needs. These relationships laid the foundation for household listing, centre selection and community participation.

4. Learning exposure visit to Raipur — 23–24 July

SBMA and APF representatives visited operational crèches supported by Chetna Child & Women Welfare Society in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The team observed child-centred daily routines, nutrition, hygiene, play, supervision, caregiver roles and monitoring practices, and brought the learning back into local centre planning.

Discussion with local representatives during community outreach
Discussion with local representatives during community outreach
SBMA–APF exposure team at the Chetna project office, Raipur
SBMA–APF exposure team at the Chetna project office, Raipur

July outcome: induction completed, institutional and community engagement begun, site familiarisation under way, and practical learning gained from operational crèches.

August 2026 — Community mobilisation and centre establishment

5. Panchayat permission and ward-level engagement

Formal Gram Panchayat permission for implementation was recorded on 3 August. Community meetings — including Ward 14 on 9 August and Ward 12 on 19 August — built awareness, discussed the needs of working families and helped identify caregivers and potential premises.

6. Premises identification and rent agreements

On 13 August, rent agreements were completed for the first three planned centres: two in Ward 12 (Brahmpuri) and one in Ward 14 (Pawanputra Colony). Site assessment addressed child safety, ventilation, hygiene, water access and space organisation.

7. Household listing and caregiver selection

Door-to-door household listing through the Shishughar App advanced beneficiary identification in Wards 12 and 14. On 26 August, 15 caregiver candidates were interviewed across the two wards; recruitment and community engagement continued into September.

8. Procurement planning and readiness

The team surveyed vendors and collected quotations for toys, bedding, utensils, electrical materials, groceries, safety items and other centre requirements, preparing specifications for site renovation and centre set-up.

August outcome: formal local permission, three secured premises, identified caregivers, ongoing household listing and procurement groundwork.

September 2026 — Readiness, capacity building and inauguration

9. Household listing

Household visits and listings in Wards 12 and 14 reached a cumulative 129 by 2 September, with data validation and ward-wise coverage planning continuing.

10. Infrastructure development and safety review

APF and SBMA teams reviewed the first three crèche sites, covering child-safety gates, doors, windows, wiring, plumbing, handwashing and drinking-water arrangements. Fabrication measurements were taken on 5 September, with follow-up assessments on 7 September.

11. Procurement inspection and quality checks

Quotations were compared and toys, electrical items and steel utensils were physically verified with APF on 4 September, with attention to age-appropriateness and prescribed material quality. A weighing machine was collected on 3 September for growth monitoring.

Inspection of age-appropriate toys during procurement quality review
Inspection of age-appropriate toys during procurement quality review
Physical verification of steel utensils during procurement
Physical verification of steel utensils during procurement

12. Staff selection and Shishughar App orientation

Cluster Coordinator interviews were held on 7 September. On 10 September, APF organised a Shishughar App training at its Kankhal office covering centre profiles, staff check-in/check-out, child enrolment, attendance, growth monitoring, safety and dashboard-based MIS validation. Routine data entry was assigned to Crèche Supervisors.

13. Caregiver pre-service training — 21–25 September

A caregiver exposure visit to operational crèches in Dehradun took place on 18 September. The five-day pre-service training from 21 to 25 September used group discussions, role play, demonstrations and practical exercises on child needs, caregiver responsibilities, safe and nurturing environments, food preparation, hygiene, play and daily centre routines.

Shishughar App orientation and MIS training at the APF office, Kankhal
Shishughar App orientation and MIS training at the APF office, Kankhal
Caregivers participating in group learning during pre-service training
Caregivers participating in group learning during pre-service training

14. Inauguration of the first Shishu Ghar — 30 September

The quarter culminated in the inauguration of the first Shishu Ghar at Pawanputra Colony, Ward 14, Rawali Mahdood, by the Gram Pradhan. The programme included a welcome of guests, ribbon cutting, an introduction to the Shishu Ghar initiative and its importance, and addresses by the Gram Pradhan, the Ward 12 representative, the SBMA Secretary and APF representatives, followed by a vote of thanks. It was implemented by SBMA with support from APF.

Caregivers and programme team at the pre-service training
Caregivers and programme team at the pre-service training
Ribbon cutting at the inauguration of the first Shishu Ghar, Ward 14
Ribbon cutting at the inauguration of the first Shishu Ghar, Ward 14
Welcome of guests at the inauguration
Welcome of guests at the inauguration
Community and programme representatives at the newly inaugurated centre
Community and programme representatives at the newly inaugurated centre

September outcome: stronger infrastructure, procurement, staffing and digital-system readiness, completed caregiver training, and the first centre inaugurated.

Quarterly achievements

The quarter established an implementation team and institutional linkages, secured three initial crèche premises, advanced caregiver recruitment and household listing, strengthened procurement quality checks, introduced digital monitoring and delivered practical caregiver training. The Ward 14 inauguration was the major quarter-end milestone; a further rent agreement in Ward 13 was reported on 17 September.

Priorities for October–December 2026

Complete readiness checks for the remaining centres; maintain safety and hygiene standards at Ward 14; validate eligible-child, enrolment and household data; update procurement and stock records; support caregivers through supervision; and monitor attendance, nutrition, growth, referral needs and parent engagement through the Shishughar App.