Meghalaya Govt signs MoU with VLF to improve early childhood development

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 21, 2025

Meghalaya has taken a historic step in strengthening its commitment to Early Childhood Development (ECD) by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Van Leer Foundation (VLF), a reputed global organization based in the Netherlands which has been working in the space of ECD since 1949. The signing was held on February 20 in a session at Committee Room II, Secretariat, Shillong, between Principal Secretary & Development Commissioner, Sampath Kumar, IAS and Rushda Majeed, Chief Program Officer (Global), Van Leer Foundation. This strategic partnership is aimed at leveraging and optimising human centric interventions into Meghalaya’s governance framework to improve early childhood outcomes.

The MoU signing event was attended by senior officials including Principal Secretary & Development Commissioner, Sampath Kumar, IAS and officials from Meghalaya’s Social Welfare Department including C.D Lyngwa, Director, SWD, D Pyrbot, Assistant Director-ICDS, SWD, members from Van Leer Foundation (VLF) comprising Rushda Majeed, Chief Program Officer and Prakash Kumar Paul, Country Lead, and team members from ECD Mission, Meghalaya Government Innovation Lab (GIL) and Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project (MHSSP) among other stakeholders from the government and developmental sectors.

Speaking during the session, Principal Secretary & Development Commissioner Sampath Kumar, IAS stated, “The Meghalaya Early Childhood Development (ECD) Mission is India’s first state-led initiative to invest in ECD through a comprehensive human development strategy. The mission seeks to ensure that every child in Meghalaya reaches their full potential, with a special focus on nutrition, health, early learning, and responsive caregiving.”

A presentation was given by Ronald Kynta, COO-Meghalaya ECD Mission on the objectives, long-term implications and intended outcomes of the Mission. It was emphasized that Meghalaya is a “Children’s State” with 49% of its population under 19 years. The state has positioned ECD as a foundational pillar for governance and economic growth. ECD as a multi-sectoral, convergent approach was highlighted where all key departments (Health, Education, Social Welfare, Community & Rural Development) integrate ECD into their mandates for systemic impact. Meghalaya’s unique Life-Cycle Approach to Human Development was put forth, recognizing two windows of opportunity; i.e. early childhood years and the adolescent period. Focus was laid on the three crucial areas of intervention under the Mission, namely, Home, Center, and Community, ensuring holistic child development through structured support at every touchpoint in a child’s life.

The Van Leer Foundation brings with it wide experience and expertise in the area of ECD and will set up a technical support unit (TSU) for the ECD mission with experts from various disciplines. The Foundation will also act as a major link to some of the best national and international best practices. Further, their models which have worked well in other states and nations will be pilot tested in Meghalaya and contextualised before further scaling up across the state. The Centre for Developing Child-Meghalaya, which is the centre of excellence under the ECD Mission will benefit from the foundation being the main partner in its conceptualization and formation of the centre; the foundation will aid in documentation support of various ECD innovations under the Mission and bring about a lighthouse effect and a replicable model for other states in the country.

The VLF team also undertook field visits in Ri Bhoi district and interacted with Village Health Council members, caregivers, frontline workers, and community stakeholders at Rongphartong Anganwadi Centre, Umling Block. They also visited the Umrandairy Community Hall, Umsning Block to observe Village Health and Nutrition Day (VHND) sessions, assessing the integration of ECD into maternal health programs.