Assam govt, ITC join hands for early childhood development

Guwahati: The Assam government's Directorate of Women and Child Development (WCD) has partnered with ITC Limited to strengthen Early Childhood Care, Education, Development, and Nutrition (ECCED&N) across 11 districts in the state.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Wednesday solidifying this collaborative effort.

The initiative will focus on seven aspirational districts – Hailakandi, Goalpara, Dhubri, Barpeta, Baksa, Udalguri, and Darrang – alongside Nalbari, Morigaon, Kamrup Metro, and Kamrup district.

The partnership aims to benefit approximately fourteen lakh women and children through a comprehensive approach, ITC Limited said in a statement.

Key components of the collaboration include cascading training programs for Anganwadi Workers. These trainings will emphasize home-based responsive caregiving practices and the integration of play-based learning methodologies, aligning with the National Framework for children from birth to six years.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Gauri Sankar Sarmah, Director of the Women and Child Development Department, highlighted the importance of integrating the public and private sectors to effectively combat malnutrition and foster the holistic development of children under the age of five.

He expressed his gratitude to ITC Limited for their consistent support to the WCD department in its various programs related to Nutrition and ECCED&N.

The event witnessed the presence of several dignitaries, including senior officials from the Directorate of Women & Child Development, representatives from ITC Limited, YouthInvest Foundation, and Vikramshila.

The collaboration is expected to bring about positive and lasting changes in the lives of vulnerable women and children across the targeted districts, said an official.