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Crèche Initiative – Nurturing Healthy Beginnings The Crèche Initiative is a community-based early childhood care program designed to ensure a healthy, safe, and stimulating environment for young children during their most critical years of growth. The initiative focuses on improving the nutritional status and early childhood development of children aged 7 months to 3 years, laying a strong foundation for their physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being.

Early childhood is a decisive phase in a child’s life, where adequate nutrition, care, and stimulation play a vital role in shaping future outcomes. Recognizing this, the Crèche Initiative provides a structured space where young children receive age-appropriate care, nutritious supplementary food, and opportunities for early learning, while also supporting families—especially working parents—in the community.

Program Scale and Reach In the initial phase, 20 creches will be established to serve young children in selected communities. As a significant milestone, Jewargi and Yadrami talukas are the first locations in Karnataka where these crèches have been initiated, marking the beginning of a focused effort to strengthen early childhood care services in the state.

Objectives of the Crèche Initiative
The key objectives of the Crèche Initiative are:
1. UniversalAccess: To enable access to quality crèche services for all children aged 7 months to 3 years in the selected geographical area.
2. Nutrition and Early Childhood Development: To ensure regular supplementary feeding, promote early childhood development activities, and facilitate access to relevant government entitlements and services for children and their families.
3. Early Identification and Referral: To identify children with growth faltering, underweight, or wasting at an early stage, refer them to appropriate health facilities, and ensure regular follow-up for improved health outcomes.

Through these objectives, the program aims to reduce malnutrition, promote healthy growth, and support holistic development during the formative years of life. Program Area and Support The Crèche Initiative is implemented in Yadrami Taluka of Kalaburagi District, addressing the needs of vulnerable and marginalized communities in the region. The program is run by Seva Sangama Development Society, Kalaburagi, an organization committed to community development and child welfare.

The initiative is supported by the Azim Premji Foundation, whose partnership strengthens the program’s focus on quality, sustainability, and impact. By combining nutrition, care, early learning, and health linkages, the Crèche Initiative strives to give every child a healthy start and the opportunity to thrive, contributing to stronger families and resilient communities.