SVYM’s work in education recognised at India Childcare Champion Awards 2026
SVYM was presented with the Best NGO Award on 28 October 2026 at the India International Centre, New Delhi, commemorating the International Day of Care and Support. The awards were convened by the Forum for Creches and Childcare Services (FORCES), with support from Mobile Creches, the Global Alliance for Care and UN Women, The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
Receiving the award, Praveen Kumar S, Education Sector Head at SVYM said ” the project Equitable Education for Rural Communities (EERC) began as a pilot to put the National Education Policy 2020 into practice at the grassroots. Our guiding belief was that every child deserves a chance to learn, and every community has the strength to make it happen. The communities themselves shaped the programme, bringing their knowledge and experience to decisions about their children’s education.
Over the past four years, EERC has worked alongside Anganwadi centres, government schools and communities across rural and tribal Karnataka from D. B. Kuppe and N. Begur Gram Panchayats and tribal settlements in H. D. Kote to Benachi and Kadabagatti in Dharwad.
In little victories we have registered big community contribution in the education of their children. Like the first ever school day in decades celebrated in Hosuru Hadi, a tribal settlement inside Nagarhole forest witnessing a gathering of 250+ parents and community memebers. Or the community, Forest Department and EERC team coming together to repurpose an abandoned forest guard house into an Anganwadi Centre at Bavali Hadi.
This recognition belongs to the communities, families, teachers, Anganwadi workers, local leaders, government departments, partners and supporters and SVYM staff who have made this journey possible. And to the many children whose aspirations continue to give this journey its purpose.
Read more about the EERC Program here – https://svym.org/program/eerc/