COWE India, UNDP launch workplace-based childcare pilot centres in Hyderabad

The Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs of India (COWE India) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a collaboration to advance workplace-based childcare through two pilot Aveksha centres in Telangana. The centres will provide nutritious meals and early learning education, while a student-developed AI-powered monitoring system, Sajag AI, has been introduced to enhance child safety.

Hyderabad: The Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs of India (COWE INDIA) on Friday launched its collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on advancing workplace-based child care, at the COWE INDIA Aveksha Day Care Centre, TGIIC-IALA office, Pashamylaram.

Shruti Ojha, Special Secretary and Director, Women and Child Welfare and Social Welfare, Jeya Chandran, Regional Head – Southern India, UNDP, COWE INDIA Founder Directors, Uma Gurkha and Madhu Tyagi, National President Neeraja Reddy were present on the occasion.

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Two Aveksha centres, one in Pashamylaram and the other in Suraram, will be supported by UNDP and will operate as pilots of the self-sustaining model. Each pilot centre will provide three nutritious meals a day along with early learning education for children.

“With UNDP, we are setting out to prove something harder and far more valuable — that a centre serving low-income families can stand on its own feet, with industry, CSR and parents each carrying a share,” said Uma Uma Gurkha.

A highlight of the launch was Sajag AI, an innovative technology initiative created by two young entrepreneurs, both Grade 10 students, Shloak Bihani of CHIREC International School, Hyderabad, and Aryaman Taparia of Step By Step School, Noida.

Sajag AI analyses CCTV feeds installed at Aveksha centres and, when it detects an unsafe or potentially abusive act, sends an immediate alert to the Aveksha team so that appropriate action can be taken immediately. The alert reaches the centre coordinator and the monitoring team by SMS and email within seconds, carrying the incident details and a link to a snapshot.