For many rural
women and children, an Anganwadi is one of the important sources of nutrition
and awareness. They frequently visit the centre for immunisation, health check-ups,
awareness classes, and to receive guidance on health, nutrition and education-related
matters. These centres provide much-needed support and assistance to rural
communities.
What is the Anganwadi
system?
The word “Anganwadi”
is formed from two Hindi words, “Angan”
meaning courtyard and “wadi” meaning
“shelter.” Together, the term translates to “courtyard shelter.” In rural
households, courtyards are a common area where families interact, children play
and communities connect. Symbolically, an Anganwadi represents a welcoming
community space where care, nutrition, learning and social interaction come
together to support children and mothers.
Anganwadi – Building Healthier Futures
Anganwadis play a
major role in shaping early childhood development. On 2 October 1975, the
Government of India launched the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
for the well-being of mothers and children, especially in rural areas. The Anganwadi
Services Scheme comes under ICDS, benefitting crores of people across the
country.
Objectives
of Anganwadi Scheme
- Enhance the nutritional status of children and mothers
- Support the proper physical, social and psychological development of children
- Reduce mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and dropout
- Strengthen policy coordination and implementation with various departments
- Empower mothers to take care of their children’s nutritional needs and their own health
Several studies have shown that the Anganwadi system has helped
address various healthcare and nutrition-related concerns.
Main Services of Anganwadi under ICDS
There are mainly six services that Anganwadis implement under ICDS. They are:
- Supplementary Nutrition - To reduce malnutrition and improve the nutritional status of children, pregnant and lactating mothers and adolescent girls, supplementary nutrition is provided based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and Average Daily Intake (ADI). This support is delivered through home ration, morning snacks and cooked, nutritious meals.
- Pre-school non-formal education - Through play-based learning methods, children are prepared for formal education. These activities promote cognitive, social and emotional growth. This also acts as substitute care for younger siblings, thus freeing the older ones, especially girl children, to attend school. These early learning activities strongly support education for children in rural communities.
- Nutrition and Health Education - One of the primary aims of Anganwadis is to promote basic healthcare awareness for all. The nutrition and education classes create awareness among women and families about a balanced diet, breastfeeding, childcare practices, contraceptive counselling and family welfare.
- Immunisation - Children and pregnant women are provided essential vaccines at scheduled times to protect from six vaccine-preventable diseases such as poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, tuberculosis and measles. Tetanus vaccination during pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of maternal and neonatal mortality.
- Health check-ups - Regular health check-ups are conducted to monitor growth through height and weight measurements. This includes healthcare for children below six years of age, antenatal care of expectant mothers and postnatal care of nursing mothers, treatment of diarrhoea, de-worming and distribution of simple medicines, etc.
-
Referral services
Children
identified as sick or malnourished during health check-ups and growth
monitoring are promptly referred to the Primary Health Centre or sub-centre for
treatment.
Basic Functionaries of ICDS
Anganwadi workers
(AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) are the grassroots functionaries of this system
that comes under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
Roles and Responsibilities of Anganwadi Workers
- Organise supplementary nutrition programmes for children (0-6 years)
- Ensure proper preparation, distribution and delivery of meals
- Identify malnourished or sick children and refer them to health centres
- Coordinate with health workers (ANM or ASHA) for nutrition and health activities
Roles and Responsibilities of Anganwadi Helpers
- Prepare and serve nutritious food to beneficiaries
- Maintain the cleanliness of the Anganwadi premises
- Ensure hygiene and cleanliness among young children
- Inspire parents to send their children to Anganwadi centres
- Assist the Anganwadi worker (AWWs) in the smooth discharge of her duties
- In the absence of AWWs, carry out her functions and discharge assigned responsibilities
Pivotal Role of NGO in India in
the Anganwadi System
Today, the
Anganwadi system continues to be one of the strongest pillars of rural child
welfare and maternal healthcare in India. There are many NGOs in India, like Akshaya Patra, that partner with
the Government of India for the effective implementation of child and maternal
welfare programmes. By serving cooked, culturally localised, nutritious food to
children, pregnant and lactating mothers in more than 2,400 anganwadi centres,
Akshaya Patra aims to ensure a healthy start for new mothers and children. Once
children reach school, the organisation continues the care by implementing morning nutrition programme, through which it provides
healthy snacks such as chikkis,
roasted peanuts, etc. Another initiative is implementing the Mid-Day Meal Programme in schools and thus supports
the government in serving nutritious meals, thereby promoting education for children.
At present, Akshaya
Patra serves 2.35 million children across 16 states and 3 UTs. Their mission is to serve mid-day meals to 3 million children every day and 3
million servings of morning nutrition. Support the endeavour to create a future free
from malnutrition. Donate online.
Contribute to
Anganwadi feeding/ Morning Nutrition/ Mid-Day Meal/ Homeless Mothers Feeding
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