Ms. Rushda Majeed, Global Head, Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF),  and the new BvLF India team visited Udaipur on the 31st of March and the 1^st of April, 2023, along with city partners – the Project Management Units (PMU) of the Urban95 and Parents+ programmes –  to discuss and monitor the progress of the Urban95 programme.

They visited newly opened facilities in the city, such as the Aanganwadi Centre at Manoharpura and the primary healthcare centre in Sector 11 Machla Magra, as implemented by using Urban95 and Infant, Toddler, Caregiver-Friendly Neighbourhood principles, to evaluate their impact, and to gauge post-implementation user behavior.

The Project Management Units briefed the visiting delegation on the interventions, objectives, and anticipated behavior changes of the target users, especially children, their caregivers, and pregnant and lactating women. This was followed by a discussion with the facility’s staff about their views on the impact of the interventions on potential and other users.

The BvLF team appreciated the PMUs for providing them with an overview of the actual impact of both facilities. They were impressed to learn that the PHC in Sector 11 had received the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) Certification, scoring above 90%, a first for both the Udaipur Urban Region and Rajasthan. PHC No. 7 in Bikaner and a PHC in Jodhpur also received the same certification. The Sector 11 PHC’s doctor also acknowledged the impact of the Urban95 interventions, which contributed to the PHC bagging the Kayakalp certification given by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Under the NQAS certification, PHC Sec 11 is entitled to receive an annual untied grant of Rs. 3 lakhs for maintaining the same standards until the next round of assessment, which typically takes place every two years. Likewise, as part of the Kayakalp certification, the PHC is entitled to a similar financial grant.

The PMU and BvLF teams also met to discuss the project progress and challenges in detail. The new BvLF India team assured the PMU that they had taken note of all the concerns that were raised and would return with potential solutions that would be mutually agreeable.