Building Engaged Communities
Led by: MSRLM (Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Mission)
in collaboration with MECDM, Sauramandala Foundation & Bernard van Leer Foundation
A good start for a better tomorrow. Engaging communities through sensitisation programs, village events, and collaborative efforts to build awareness and ownership of early childhood development initiatives.
Community Sensitisation Program
The Community Sensitisation Program (CSP) is a comprehensive one-day engagement session designed to raise awareness and build commitment around early childhood development at the village level. The program theme—"A good start for a better tomorrow"—emphasizes the critical importance of investing in children's early years.
Through interactive games, educational videos, group discussions, and reflections, the program helps communities understand ECD's importance, learn about the mission's services, identify local ECD facilitators, and ensure Village Education Committees (VECs) prioritize ECD centers in their planning processes.
Program Structure:
- Registration & Welcome
- Ice-Breaking Games & Energizers
- Early Childhood Development Videos
- Brain Wiring Game & Reflections
- Learning Through Play Demonstrations
- Community Role & Responsibility Sessions
- Block Officials Meeting on Way Forward
Expected Outcomes
Understanding & Awareness
Communities gain clarity on the importance of early childhood development
Service Awareness
Communities become aware of mission services and available support
Local Leadership
Identification of 3 ECD facilitators per village to lead local initiatives
Institutional Support
VECs prioritize ECD centers in planning & resource allocation
Community Participation
Full community participation in ECD initiatives and governance
Community Engagement Approaches
Multiple strategies to engage communities, build awareness, and strengthen local capacity for early childhood development across villages and blocks.
Community Sensitisation Program
One-day structured sessions engaging villages on early childhood development importance. Theme: 'A good start for a better tomorrow' with interactive games, videos, and group discussions.
Ice-breaking and engagement activities
Early Childhood Development videos
Brain Wiring Game sessions
Learning Through Play demonstrations
Group discussions and reflections
Community role and responsibility sessions
ECD facilitator identification (3 per village)
Community Leaders & Cadres
Engaging diverse community members and local leaders in ECD advocacy and implementation. Target participants include village headmen, health workers, education coordinators, and women groups.
Headmen and village leaders
Village Health Committee (VHC) secretaries
Village Organisation (VO) presidents
Village Education Committee (VEC) secretaries
ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists)
AWW (Anganwadi Workers)
SHG and CLF members
ECD Community Fairs
Interactive community events featuring child development domains, nutrition education, developmental milestones, and engagement activities. Materials available in English, Khasi, and Garo languages.
5 Domains of Child Development visuals
Brain Wiring Game interactive materials
Serve & Return engagement posters
Learning Through Play resources
Developmental Milestones presentations
Nutrition education stalls
Anthropometric measurement demonstrations
Block Conventions & Events
Large-scale community events at block level showcasing ECD initiatives and fostering father engagement. Includes Papa & Me engagement activities in multiple languages.
Block convention standees (English & Khasi)
Papa & Me father engagement posters
Community mobilization displays
Cross-community learning platforms
Block-level advocacy activities
Integration with MSRLM initiatives
Partners Involved
Working with organizations committed to community-driven sustainable development.
Sauramandala Foundation
Community Mobilization Partner
Supporting community sensitisation programs, SHG integration, and grassroots community engagement for ECD initiatives.
Bernard van Leer Foundation
Strategic Development Partner
Supporting program design, materials development, and evidence-based community interventions for early childhood development.
Interested in strengthening community development?
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