The transformation of Anganwadi Centres in Gorakhpur, supported by SBI Foundation CSR funding through Safe Society, highlights how small, targeted efforts can create meaningful impact.
When we first stepped into several Anganwadi Centres in the Brahmpur Block of Gorakhpur District, the silence was striking. Cracked walls, broken floors, and dim, airless rooms stood before us - spaces without fans, safe drinking water, or toilets. These centres were meant to be a child’s first doorway to learning, laughter, and care. Instead, they told a different story, one of neglect quietly discouraging children and weighing heavily on the hopes of families who depended on them.
For many mothers, sending their children to the Anganwadi felt like a risk rather than a reassurance. For many children, the familiarity of home felt safer than entering a space that showed little care or warmth.
At Safe Society, we believe: “बच्चे की पहली दुनिया वही होती है जहाँ वह पहली बार सीखना शुरू करता है।” A child’s first learning environment shapes not only how they learn, but how they feel about the world.
This belief became the cornerstone of our approach as we envisioned the SBI Harshoday – Anganwadi Renovation Project in Brahmpur. From the very beginning, it was never just about fixing walls or upgrading infrastructure. It was about rebuilding trust—between mothers and the institutions meant to support them, between communities and the systems they rely on, and most importantly, between children and their very first experience of learning.
Through the SBI Harshoday Project, 20 Anganwadi Centres in Brahmpur were transformed into welcoming spaces where children feel safe, valued, and inspired to learn. Reliable solar power replaced darkness with light. Clean drinking water now flows through RO systems and pipelines, easing daily worries for mothers and caregivers.
The centres came alive as kitchens were strengthened, nutritional gardens took root, and classrooms were filled with colour, laughter, and curiosity mats to sit on, toys to explore, learning aids to touch, furniture sized just for little learners, and Smart TVs opening windows to a wider world. What were once neglected buildings are now joyful places where childhood can truly begin.
But the most important change was invisible at first.
Slowly, children began to come back—one by one.
Classrooms filled again.
Attendance rose.
And with it, the sound that mattered most returned: children’s laughter.
Nearly a thousand children now walk into Anganwadi centres that feel welcoming and alive. Teachers no longer struggle with broken infrastructure. Mothers feel reassured that their children are in a place that is clean, safe, and nurturing.
One mother told our team quietly,
“अब दिल से भरोसा होता है कि मेरा बच्चा सुरक्षित है।”
This is the kind of impact that cannot be measured only in numbers.
Mr. Swapan Dhar, Managing Director, SBI Foundation, shared: “SBI Foundation strives for the welfare of the rural communities, especially in Aspirational Districts and Blocks. Our diverse projects under the ‘Gram Seva’ theme stand as testament to our commitment in this direction. ‘SBI Harshoday’ is one such key project in partnership with Safe Society, and which is envisioned towards strengthening the Anganwadi Centres. With the sincere efforts by the implementing partner, and support from the concerned departments, these Anganwadi centres have been upgraded with latest facilities to be joyful learning spaces for the rural children.”
The Foundation’s support extended far beyond financial assistance—it enabled a holistic approach that seamlessly integrated infrastructure development, nutrition, education, health, and dignity. Closely aligned with the national vision of Saksham Anganwadi, the initiative was thoughtfully designed to respond to real, on-ground needs, ensuring meaningful and sustainable impact for children, families, and communities. The collaborative effort stands as a strong example of how strategic partnerships can create lasting and meaningful impact at the grassroots level.
The transformation did not go unnoticed. The District Programme Officer (DPO), Gorakhpur, formally appreciated the initiative, acknowledging the renovated Anganwadi Centres as strong examples of how previously non-functional centres can be transformed into model facilities. This recognition was further reinforced by local media coverage, which reflected what the community was already experiencing—the change was tangible, visible, and deeply meaningful.
As CEO of Safe Society, my vision in initiating this project was rooted in one core belief: If we want to change the future, we must first change the spaces where childhood begins.
Renovated Anganwadis do more than serve children. They strengthen communities. They rebuild faith in public systems. They empower women to step out for work knowing their children are cared for. And they create a shared sense of pride and ownership.
“जब जगह बदलती है, तो सोच भी बदलती है।”
Today, these Anganwadi centres stand not just as improved buildings, but as symbols of what is possible when CSR, civil society, and government walk together. The impact of this project will be felt for years—not only in healthier children, but in stronger, more confident communities.
This is not the end of a project – it is the beginning of countless brighter childhoods.
(Inputs for this case study are courtesy of Safe Society.)
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