Integrated Program for the Welfare of Women and Children (IPWWC)
Empowering Lives, One Community at a Time
Priyobondhu’s flagship initiative, the Integrated Program for the Welfare of Women and Children (IPWWC), is a holistic development model designed to uplift disadvantaged women and children in slums and remote rural areas. The program improves quality of life through sustained interventions in nutrition, education, health, empowerment, and awareness.
1. Nutrition Support
1.1 Daily nutritious breakfast, lunch, and dinner for women and children
1.2 Balanced meals to support physical growth and cognitive development
2. Education for Every Child
2.1 Non-formal foundational learning opportunities
2.2 Vernacular (mothertongue) language education
2.3 Life skills and value based learning
2.4 Extracurricular and creative development activities
3. Women’s Empowerment
3.1 Vocational and skillsbased training
3.2 Employability support and job-readiness programs
3.3 Entrepreneurship development and sel reliance initiatives
4. Health and Wellbeing
4.1 Health literacy and awareness sessions
4.2 Regular health check-ups and referrals
4.3 Special focus on maternal and child health care
5. Community and Environmental Awareness
5.1 Advocacy for the importance of education
5.2 Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) education
5.3 Environmental awareness and sustainable living practices
6. Social and Legal Awareness
6.1 Legal literacy and rights-awareness workshops
6.2 Protection and support for women and children facing abuse, injustice, or discrimination
7. Essential Supplies Distribution
7.1 Clothing distribution for women and children
7.2 School kits and educational supplies
7.3 Hygiene products and other daily essentials
Transforming Communities, One Life at a Time
Through IPWWC, Priyobondhu is building safe, inclusive, and empowered spaces for women and children fostering dignity, opportunity, and lasting change.
The Beginning of a Mission
It all began on a cold winter morning in December 2015, when we first set foot in Hanuman Nagar Basti, a slum settlement in Narengi, Guwahati. Our initial goal was simple to distribute warm clothing to disadvantaged children, women, and men braving the season’s harsh chill. What we encountered, however, left a deep and lasting impression, dilapidated shelters, unsanitary living conditions, widespread open defecation, alcoholism, substance abuse, and a palpable absence of basic dignity in everyday life.
Moved by these conditions, we returned repeatedly conducting community awareness sessions on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), and the importance of education. We organized health camps and undertook household surveys and interactive meetings to better understand the community’s daily struggles and economic realities.
Through this process, the magnitude of the challenges became clear. Many of the children displayed behavioral issues, and most were either school dropouts or had never attended school at all. Instead, they spent their days engaged in rag picking and domestic chores. It was at this point that we recognized the urgent need for long-term, structured intervention, particularly for women and children.
An Innovative Response
To create both immediate relief and long term impact, we launched a daily single meal program. While the initiative fulfilled the basic nutritional needs of a hearty, wholesome meal, its underlying purpose was far more profound: to serve as an incentive a compassionate invitation for children and families to begin engaging in structured learning and skill development.
Soon after, we began hosting open air learning sessions. To our delight, children began joining one after another, drawn by the joy of learning in a safe, encouraging environment.
The program focuses on a range of welfare activities, including healthcare, education, nutrition, empowerment, and protection, aiming to uplift the community and provide sustainable solutions for those most in need. By focusing on the specific needs of women and children, the program strives to break the cycle of poverty and create lasting positive change.
A Program Is Born
On July 1, 2019, we formally launched the Integrated Program for the Welfare of Women and Children (IPWWC). This flagship initiative marked the establishment of a Non formal Education Centre within the slum, a transformative space for learning, nourishment, empowerment, and holistic support for women and children with limited access to opportunity.
Initially, we had just 11 regular students. Today, this number has grown significantly to over 100. From the very beginning, these learners received daily breakfast, clean clothes and uniforms, school supplies, and basic personal necessities.
The centre emphasizes activity based, experiential learning with a strong focus on life skills education. The curriculum includes Basic Assamese, English, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, General Knowledge, Current Affairs, Drawing, and Performing Arts. Every lesson is designed to cultivate not only literacy and numeracy but also creativity, critical thinking, and emotional well being.
Our Mission
The mission remains unwavering to create a space where children can grow to be HAPPY, HEALTHY, and EDUCATED individuals.
Through this integrated, communitydriven approach, we strive to build dignity, foster resilience, and unlock the full potential of those too often left behind.
Milestones and Transformation
Within just six months of launching the program, the number of regular students at our Non Formal Education Centre increased to 15. Alongside daily breakfast and lunch and dinner served occasionally, in line with essential dietary guidelines the children continued receiving educational supplies, clothing, uniforms, and other daily necessities. Their health remained a top priority, with regular medical checkups and continuous care provided to ensure overall well being.
Beyond academics, we placed equal importance on emotional and social development. Children were offered regular recreational opportunities, including supervised outings to amusement parks. These excursions served a greater purpose: to help the children break away from their usual environment, cultivate interpersonal skills, and begin building a sense of social responsibility through interaction and communication.
A Defining Moment of Success
A significant achievement came on January 3, 2020, when four children from our Centre were successfully enrolled in a Government school at 2 No. Mathgharia LP School. These young learners Sunil, Rekha, Sunita, and Sita had once been street children, excluded from education due to poverty, parental neglect, and the harsh realities of rag picking and child labor.
Today, they are no longer confined to the margins of society. They are joyful, eager learners, full of hope and excitement, waiting each day for the school bell to ring. This transition not only marks a profound personal transformation but also reaffirms the mission and impact of our Integrated Program for the Welfare of Women and Children.
Garden Cultivation and Environmental Education Initiative
In parallel with our core programs, we launched the Garden Cultivation and Management Initiative a hands on environmental education program designed to involve both children and women from the community. The objective is twofold: to enhance awareness about sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship, and to empower the community to produce its own food as a means of improving dietary diversity and overall health.
This initiative introduced children and women to the cultivation of vegetables, fruits, and flowers, thereby instilling practical skills and fostering a sense of ownership over local food systems. It also serves as an entry point for broader conversations on food security, climate resilience, and ecological responsibility.
A Vision Rooted in Sustainable Education
As Archana Borthakur aptly puts it-
"We are investing in school children because teaching environmental education at a young age yields a far reaching impact with minimal resources. Children are naturally curious and quick to absorb knowledge and they often bring that knowledge home, influencing their families and communities. They play active roles in household decisions related to the environment and become catalysts for behavioral change. Today’s children will become tomorrow’s parents, passing on what they learn now to the next generation. Teaching cultivation equips them not only with practical life skills but also a deep respect for nature."
Through this gardening initiative, children engage in experiential learning and agricultural practices that build both technical skills and environmental empathy. The program nurtures a personal connection to nature, encouraging them to adopt environmentally responsible behaviors early on.
Transforming Wasteland into a Lifeline
One of the project’s most tangible successes has been the transformation of unused slum wasteland into a thriving vegetable garden. Beyond its educational value, the garden became a critical source of fresh produce during the food insecurity brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Women from the slum community took the lead in managing and maintaining the garden, which not only enhanced local nutrition but also fostered a renewed sense of purpose, community involvement, and resilience.
This program continues to empower marginalized communities with sustainable solutions that improve quality of life one seed at a time.