Ummeed’s Early Childhood Development and Disability Programs (eCDD) is designed to train and support Community Based Organizations (CBOs) working in the space of maternal and child health on early childhood development.
Ummeed's eCDD aims to maximize the developmental potential of children aged 0-3 years in low resource areas.
The first few years in a child’s life are particularly important because vital brain development occurs in all domains. Research shows that synaptic connections in the brain form and mature in the “critical period” between birth to six years of age with the most rapid development occurring between 0-3 years. Children require a responsive caregiver along with a secure, stimulating and safe environment in those vital first years for optimal development.
Most children seem to manage it all without apparent effort – because the human brain is hard-wired to do so. But for some children, it’s not so easy
About 250 million (43%) children younger than 5 years in low and middle-income countries are at risk of not reaching their developmental potential because of extreme poverty and stunting.
There is thus a greater need to monitor and promote development in children and families from low resource backgrounds to support optimal development and work towards early mitigation of delays and risk factors that may impact development.
Research has demonstrated that family based interventions delivered by community based workers have resulted in improved child development outcomes. The program aims to build CBOs’ capacity to facilitate early childhood development through the following activities:
Training for community health workers to promote and monitor child development, and to provide support to families of children identified with developmental delay
Strengthening supervisors' capacity in project implementation
Mentorship and continued engagement with stakeholders in the project to facilitate sustainability
Monitoring impact of the program through qualitative and quantitative measures
5 organizations trained by eCDD since 2012
107 community health workers and supervisors trained till date
Ashwini Vaishampayan | Shweta Mehta | Hema Chari | Priya Jacob | Aditi Brahmabhatt | Sayali Sawant
For eCDD related inquiries, please email us at
