When residents of Doddadka hamlet, Aryapu GP, Puttur taluk sought government money to fix their crumbling 1993‑built anganwadi, they discovered the welfare department had allotted a token ₹2,000—barely enough to buy nails. Undeterred, village elders, the Anganwadi Development Committee, parents, and panchayat representatives convened and vowed to bankroll the overhaul themselves.
Pooling goodwill and wallets, the group mustered ₹1.5 lakh through cash gifts, donated tiles, timber, and volunteer sweat. Over weeks, they replaced rotting rafters, retiled leaky sections, laid interlocking pavers, raised a child‑safe fence with a secure gate, installed a rooftop water tank, and splashed the 32‑year‑old classroom in fresh paint. The facelift shields the centre’s ten pre‑schoolers from monsoon leaks and roadside hazards.
Gram‑panchayat member Subrahmanya Balyaya notes another motive: officials had floated a plan to shift the anganwadi to a larger site, but land pleas stalled at the tahsildar’s desk. Rather than wait indefinitely, the community restored the roadside structure to safe standards.
Thursday’s reopening drew toddlers with flower garlands, parents beaming with pride, and Women & Child Development officers lauding the do‑it‑yourself model. Doddadka’s story underscores how collective action can bridge funding gaps, preserve neighbourhood assets, and keep early‑learning on track even when bureaucracy sputters.
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