The National Dissemination Workshop on “Improving Nutritional Health of under 5 Children of Mobile, Migrant Communities" was held at the NIN Campus in Hyderabad on the 24th of November 2011.It was a day long workshop which started at 10am end ended around 5.30pm

Dr. Reddy's Foundation (DRF) and National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad jointly conducted this workshop to share the experiences of the pilot project undertaken by DRF under the South Asia Regional Development Marketplace (SARDM) of World Bank. DRF has set up integrated ECCE centres in 10 construction sites in Hyderabad with the objective of improving nutritional health of mobile, migrant children living on construction sites in Hyderabad. The ECCE centres have been run for 12 - 15 months on a pilot basis which have demonstrated a cost effective, successful model that can be replicable across the country for the benefit of children of migrant communities and DRF wanted to share the lessons learnt as well as the myriad challenges faced in the course of implementation while highlighting and emphasizing one extremely important fact

The workshop’s objective was to create a platform to enable cross learning, sharing of experiences and insights among different stakeholders; bring together leaders in nutrition and child-health from across India to exchange ideas on how to create a more integrated approach and to improve nutrition and health of children less than 5 years of age.

 The Chief Guest for the proceedings was Dr Sesikeran.(Director –National Institute of Nutrition) He welcomed the participants and shared that NIN is also open for any type of collaboration in the areas of nutrition for under 5 years of age and they are keen to gain insights at this workshop. He also launched the process document of the pilot project which succinctly covers the implementation of the project , stakeholders , challenges and gaps .The book is in an initiative to reflect on the project outcomes and will be a useful guide for those undertaking similar ventures .

There were over 40 participants ranging from civil society, public institutions and Government. The organizations which participated were World Bank , Mobile Creches , MSSRF(M S Swaminathan Foundation ),UNICEF,MARG,PHF( Public Health Foundation of India), NIPCCD(National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development ) ,Food and Nutrition Board ,Action Aid and National Institute of Nutrition. .

The sessions were based on
• Status of implementation of various health, nutrition, education and labour welfare programmes and coverage of migrant mothers and their children under these programs – responses from the government and recommendations to fill these gaps
• Nutritional status of India’s children in general and children of migrant communities and other risk groups in particular - recommendations to address the urgent need – responses from mothers, builders, government, academics , construction companies, media
• Innovative programs/Strategies(IYCN Practices, behavioural change management, rejuvenating the traditional, time tested practices, child nutrition security, family nutrition security) for achieving the child related national and millennium development goals and fulfil national commitments to children

The last sessions was based on policy recommendations based on suggestions from the participants.

Click here for ECCE Process document