Success Stories

At a young age of 8 years, Swati was sent to Pune to live with her grandparents, who were working at a construction site with TMCP’s daycare centre.
Being a pretty girl, Swati’s parents were looking at the first opportunity to get her married off.
After completing her 8th grade, Swati was deceptively lured by her parents to go to her village to attend to her “sick” mother. Unbeknownst to Swati, her parents had arranged her marriage! She immediately messaged TMCP’s staff to help her, that she did not want to get married and wanted to complete her education! Along with the support of CHILDLINE, and the local police, Swati was brought back to her grandparents in Pune.
Swati went on to complete her Higher Secondary education in first attempt and is now employed as a “Team Leader” in a Corporate set up!

At daycare centres, we introduced financial literacy sessions for children, covering topics like needs vs. wants, rights and responsibilities, saving money, spending wisely, and understanding banking. Children now eagerly save money in their piggy banks, record savings in personal passbooks, and take pride in their growing savings. This initiative has not only reduced spending on unhealthy snacks but also boosted self-esteem. Many children proudly share stories of helping their families, such as contributing to the purchase of a gas cylinder or paying for medical needs when money was tight.

At Park District, getting children vaccinated at the PHC used to be a challenge, despite repeated follow-ups with local government health care facility. However, since 2023, with the support of TMCP staff, parents have been regularly accompanying their children for vaccinations. Initially, a vehicle was arranged for transportation, but when this service faced issues in January 2024, TMCP staff worked with parents to find a solution. Parents began contributing to transportation costs and, over time, their participation and sense of responsibility grew. Soon, they started taking their children to the PHC independently, with only minimal guidance from TMCP. Parental involvement in their children's vaccination process has significantly increased, demonstrating a growing sense of ownership and responsibility.

On May 15, 2024, Manisha Parihar gave birth to a baby boy at Park District. Despite facing challenges with registration due to not having her Aadhaar card, TMCP staff guided her through the process, ensuring she completed all necessary steps so that she was able to deliver the baby at hospital instead of at labour colony. After the birth, field staff from TMCP guided her and ensured the home-based care of child, age-appropriate vaccination, exclusive breast feeding and hygiene practices. In addition, required clothes were provided. Manisha and the baby are doing well. Manisha regularly attends daycare centre to receive guidance on child development as well as for the nutritional support which is provided to lactating mothers. The family is thankful for all the support they received from the organization.

When 8-year-old TukTuk arrived at the daycare centre in Jan. 2024, from West Bengal, she faced significant language barriers. Speaking only Bengali, she struggled to communicate with the other children and staff, limiting her participation in the centre’s activities. She interacted solely with Bengali-speaking children and needed to be reminded daily to attend the centre. Determined to help her integrate, the staff worked closely with TukTuk, using Bengali-speaking children to communicate and involving others to make her feel included. Gradually, they introduced her to Marathi and Hindi, helping her build confidence in these new languages. Today, Tuk Tuk has made remarkable progress. She understands both Hindi and Marathi and can speak a little of each. She has been enrolled in a government school where the medium of instruction is Marathi, and she attends regularly. At the centre, TukTuk is now an active participant in all activities, fully engaged and thriving in her new environment.

24 years old Poonam, a mother of two children refused to send her children to the daycare centre despite frequent requests. She would make excuses to stay home and didn’t bring her children to the center either. The staff encouraged her to at least drop off her children or stay with them at the centre, engage in activities, and help feed them, but she remained hesitant. The staff maintained continuous communication with Poonam and her family, even speaking to her husband to explain the importance of the centre’s activities, nutrition programs, and medical support. Through ongoing dialogue, they convinced Poonam to visit the centre with her children. They encouraged her to taste the meals offered and participate in activities with the kids. Slowly, she became involved in the centre’s daily routine. Now, Poonam comes to the centre regularly, three times a day, and drops off her children without fail. She actively participates in making toys for the children and attends every parent meeting. Not only has she become a consistent attendee herself, but she also encourages other women in the community to join. Her transformation has made her a role model for other mothers in the area.