Jaynagar Day Care Centre

Friends of Kolkata has committed to funding a day care centre in Jaynagar for children aged six to 10 belonging to agricultural and other daily labourers’ families. This is an important development in the area, and will provide a safe and hygienic space for children to play and learn while their parents are at work.

The concept of childcare is new in India, as the joint family system traditionally meant that at least one adult would be home during the day to look after the children. However, with more and more women entering the workforce, there is an increasing need for childcare centres to take over these duties. This is particularly an issue for families living in poverty- when both parents must work in order to provide basic living standards, the children are often left alone during the day, or are put into labour themselves.

The ISW day care centre aims to prepare children for admission into formal school. Education is an important step towards improving the socio-economic position of the community, opening up greater opportunities for children and their families. The centre teaches a range of subjects, including English as per the capacity of each student.

As well as lessons, the children receive breakfast and lunch each day at the centre, engage in extracurricular activities, and receive health-check ups, including vaccinations and growth and nutrition checks.