We run comprehensive daycare centres for the children of migrant workers living on construction sites. We provide nutrition, healthcare, and education for children living on these sites. Day-to-day activities at the centre are run by teachers, who instruct children in basic educational skills like reading, writing, and maths to prepare them for primary school. We serve two nutritious meals and two snacks per day at our centres, as many of the children who come to our centres are malnourished. And we arrange for doctor visits, vaccinations, and other medical services so that the children can remain healthy and happy.
We serve children from birth to 14 years of age. Our programme, curriculum, and educational lessons are standardized across centres and aimed at improving key skills in writing, reading, and math for each particular age group. It is specifically tailored for migrant children. Our goal is to prepare children to enter local municipal schools, and we provide afterschool support to ensure that they continue going to school.
We have built relationships with local builders over decades to establish new centres and keep current ones running. Oftentimes, these builders will contact us when they are starting new construction sites and request that we open a crèche.
We also approach builders of a new construction projects to explain our programme and to attempt to persuade them to let us set up a centre. Once the builder gives us the permission we conduct a site survey, once the project has a feasible number of children we start the process of setting up our day care centre. Builders are asked to provide MMC with a basic space in which we can set up our centres, running water, electricity, and bathroom facilities. Many of our builders also agree to contribute clean drinking water for the children. Once we have discussed all the details with the builder we get to work on ensuring we have all the staff and resources we need to be up and running. (See our Model)
Construction projects only run for a limited amount of time and the populations of migrant labourers that work on the sites move from project to project as soon as their specific work is done. One group of workers might lay the foundation, while another group replaces them to build plumbing systems and put in electricity. Given the migrant nature of the community we serve, we created a mobile programme that is transferrable to any construction site in Mumbai. Our classrooms are welcoming and beautiful, but also mobile.
We have also created a specialized education programme that specifically targets multi-lingual, multi-level migrant children. Teachers use lots of visual cues, arts and crafts, and creative hand-made teaching aids to teach lessons. We have monthly themes, called Prakalp that form the basis for the entire months educational curriculum. This helps ensure that children who are with us for a short time can at least leave us with a comprehensive knowledge of one of these themes whether it be transportation, wild animals, family or health. Everything we do at MMC is tailored at reaching this extremely vulnerable and mobile population.
Yes! We run a community outreach programme that reaches the parents of children and other migrant workers living on construction sites. These include vocational trainings and other exciting initiatives designed to empower local communities. We also hold chai pani meetings to bring parents together to discuss social issues that might arise in the construction site community, and open days, which provide an opportunity for parents to see the centres and the daycare environment as well as discuss the progress of their children. In addition to these, we hold lokdoots, which are street plays designed to educate – in a compelling way – communities on issues such as HIV, Tuberculosis, and other social issues.
We also run a teacher training programme targeted at women living on construction sites. This lasts about a year, and women are trained in the basics of educational instruction, centre management, and other skills necessary for running a daycare centre. We often hire teachers that excel to work at our centres, providing them steady employment and ensuring that the children at our sites are given the best instruction and care possible. (See – Community Outreach)
There are a number of ways to get involved. First, if you’d like to donate, you can do so either through GiveIndia / GlobalGiving / Child Vikaas International . We depend on donations to keep our programme running, and would greatly appreciate any amount you’re willing to give.
If you are interested in volunteering at our centres or our office, please reach out to contact@mmcmail.org.in to find out how you can get involved. Volunteers help at our centres, with events, and in other capacities to support the work of our full time staff.
Finally, participate in an event! Supporters of MMC run every year in both the Footsteps 4 Good 10km (held every October 2nd for Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday) and the Mumbai Marathon – these great events spread awareness, raise needed funds, and are a lot of fun. You can sign up to run for MMC and reach out to family, friends, and coworkers to support our efforts. Learn more here.
Mobile Creches was established in Delhi in 1969, and spread to Mumbai in 1972. From 1972 until 2006, we operated under the central administration of Mobile Creches Delhi. In September 2006, for administrative simplicity, we became an independent entity operating in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane.
Yes, we are happy to arrange a visit for you to witness our work firsthand, to meet our children and see our our hardworking teachers at work. However please note that our centres are on the constructions sites, which is a private land. Hence we need to take permissions from the builder. Therefore we request you to write to us with your interest to visit our centres and we will be happy to arrange for the same.
Yes. If you are an Indian citizen, you can donate to us through cash, cheque or online. All donations exempt from income tax U/S 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
If you are outside India, you can donate through Global Giving US, which provides tax deductions to US citizens. If you are a UK taxpayer, your donation should be eligible for Gift Aid, on GlobalGiving UK. Learn more here.
Yes. All our financial records are available on the website and Annual Report.