DIYUN, 14 Oct: The department of women and child development (WCD), Changlang, in collaboration with the India Foundation For Education Transformation (IFET) and Ugam Education Foundation, organised the first two-day capacity-building training for Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme in Diyun on 13 and 14 October.
The training marked the beginning of a structured, multi-year capacity-building programme designed to strengthen the knowledge, skills and classroom practices of Anganwadi workers so that Anganwadi Centres become more responsive, engaging and developmentally appropriate learning spaces for young children.
The first training focused on "Understanding the Young Child and Domains of Development," along with practical approaches to language, literacy and numeracy, physical development, socio-emotional learning, role clarity and reflective practice.
The training was designed to be highly participatory and activity-based. Anganwadi workers engaged in discussions, group activities, demonstrations, storytelling, songs and rhymes, movement activities, pre-mathematical activities and socio-emotional learning exercises. They also reflected on their existing roles and daily routines and explored how greater attention could be given to the 3-6-year-old age group and school readiness.
An important focus of the training was helping Anganwadi Workers move from a deficit-based understanding of children towards recognising their strengths, capabilities, interests and developmental needs.
Participants also explored practical activities that can be implemented using locally available materials.
The second day focused on language and early literacy, pre-mathematical concepts, socio-emotional learning and designing an integrated daily routine for young children.
Participants worked in groups to design a model Anganwadi day integrating stories, songs, movement, mathematics, socio-emotional learning and free play.
Speaking about the initiative, the organisers emphasised that strengthening ECCE requires sustained investment in the people who work directly with young children. The capacity-building programme therefore goes beyond one-time training and is intended to provide Anganwadi workers with continued opportunities for learning, reflection, practice and improvement.
The initiative covers all 69 Anganwadi Centres in Diyun Block, including the development of model demonstration centres, and forms part of the broader effort to ensure that every child enters school with stronger foundational skills and greater readiness to learn.
A total of 69 Anganwadi workers representing all 69 Anganwadi Centres in Diyun Block participated in the training.
The training was facilitated by Ugam Education Foundation CEO Lopa Gandhi, its COO Sanjay Jha and India Foundation For Education Transformation (IFET) CEO Prahlad C.
The initiative recognises that the Anganwadi is not only a space for nutrition and care, but also an important foundation for children's cognitive, language, physical and socio-emotional development before they enter formal schooling.
The partnership between the WCD department and IFET seeks to provide sustained support to Anganwadi workers, particularly in strengthening the ECCE component and school readiness of children aged 3-6 years.
The programme is being implemented under the guidance of the WCD department, Changlang, headed by Changlang ICDS deputy director Onyok Panyang, and is being monitored at the project level by Bordumsa-Diyun CDPO K.T Tungkhang.
The two-day programme was conducted at two venues-the Community Hall, Circuit House, Diyun, and the NALC (Circle Library), Diyun.
