Sesame Workshop India Trust partners with LTIMindtree to develop Anganwadi Centres as Aspirational Pre-Schools

Bhubaneswar, 30 March, 2023: Sesame Workshop India Trust and LTIMindtree have partnered to enhance early childhood education and provide quality education to children aged 3-6 years who are enrolled in the Anganwadi Centres in Odisha. Their joint initiative, “Learn. Play. Grow.,” has already begun in the districts of Kalahandi and Jharsuguda, with the aim of improving Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) delivery in 100 Anganwadi centres. The project will focus on capacity building for Anganwadi workers, using age-appropriate content and curricula, and increasing parental engagement, with the goal of enhancing the quality of early education for young children. The initiative has been introduced in 50 Anganwadi centres in each district over the course of one year.

LTIMindtree aims to turn Anganwadi Centres into desirable preschools that can address various issues like malnutrition, prenatal and postnatal care, immunization, and early childhood education in Odisha. Sesame Workshop India Trust, as technical partner with LTIMindtree, is developing print and digital materials aligned with the State ICDS curriculum and teaching and learning kits with play materials, puzzles, and activity kits in Odia language. The kits are being distributed quarterly benefiting both children and parents.

The kits provided by Sesame Workshop India Trust cover various topics including language, literacy, cognition, science, physical and emotional well-being, self-regulation, task persistence, self-esteem, and social interaction. They contain classroom resources such as floor games, storybooks, posters, charts, and kit bags. The kits also include activity materials such as children’s storybooks, manipulatives, and expression boards to enhance creativity and develop fine motor skills. Sesame Workshop India Trust’s multimedia materials are available in Odia language using funny and furry friends Muppets – Chamki and Elmo to promote joyful learning for children in Odisha.

The training program conducted for the Anganwadi workers has been well-received by the participants, who shared their positive experiences. “Got to learn a lot in this training. My understanding of how children learn has deepened,” said Urmila Pradhan from Karalikili, Bhawanipatna. Kamalini Dei from Ramnagar-1, Bhawanipatna, expressed her satisfaction, saying, “Such a training we attended for the first time where we were taught everything through play. We didn’t get bored at all.” Similarly, Pini Nag from Tal Belagavi, Bhawanipatna, found the training to be a lot of fun and appreciated her trainer Sangeeta for making the content easy to understand.

Paneesh Rao, Global Head Sustainability, LTIMindtree said, “We are committed to providing quality education to all children in Odisha and this partnership with Sesame Workshop India Trust will help us achieve that goal. We are confident that these kits will be a valuable resource for children and their parents, and will help lay the foundation for a brighter future.”

Deepak Prabhu Matti, Head CSR, LTIMindtree said, “Our dedication is to deliver excellent education to every child in Odisha, and we believe that our collaboration with Sesame Workshop India Trust will assist us in accomplishing this objective. ‘Learn. Play. Grow.’ program intends to transform Anganwadi Centres into desirable pre-schools that offer education as well as address concerns such as malnutrition and healthcare. We anticipate that this initiative will have a beneficial influence on the lives of young children in Odisha.”

Sonali Khan, Managing Trustee of Sesame Workshop India Trust, said, “We are excited to partner with the LTIMindtree to support early childhood education in Odisha. We believe that early childhood education is critical to the development of every child and our kits will help children learn in a fun and engaging way, while also developing important skills. SWI’s mission is to help all children, particularly those who need us most, reach their highest potential through the power of media and communication. We are committed to providing access to quality education and life skills to all children, including those in marginalized communities. Our collaboration with LTIMindtree is a step towards strengthening the education component of the ICDS project, and we hope to make a positive impact on the lives of young children in Odisha.”

Sesame Workshop India Trust is undertaking a similar initiative in 244 Anganwadi centres across additional five districts of Orissa.