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 in a session at Committee Room II, Secretariat, Shillong, between the 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 Ms. 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.
