In a small hamlet nestled in the rugged hills of Chhattisgarh, a circle of women gathers beneath a solitary banyan tree each dusk. Their children chase one another over dusty paths while the women, some cradling infants, exchange recipes for herbal remedies and tips to soothe restless babies. This nightly ritual is more than a social gathering—it is a lifeline. In this remote Adivasi settlement, child care is everyone’s responsibility, reflecting an ethos that thrives on communal nurturing rather than individual toil.
Hundreds of kilometres away, in the winding lanes of Sonagachi, Kolkata, another story unfolds. Here, mothers engaged in sex work depend on the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee to provide day-care facilities and after-school tutoring for their children. Peer-led collectives coordinate crèches and nutritional programmes, shielding the youngest from discrimination. This is a place often misunderstood by the outside world—yet beneath the neon lights, community-led child care stands firm as a bulwark against societal prejudices.
Stories like these thread their way through India’s vast tapestry of diverse cultures and geographies. In Meghalaya, the matrilineal Khasi tribes place the responsibility of child rearing on extended families, reinforcing bonds among aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Under this system, children rarely lack a watchful pair of eyes or a comforting embrace. Meanwhile, fishing villages along the Konkan coast organise rotating child care rosters to allow women to trade at local markets, confident that someone trustworthy is minding their little ones onshore.
Among India’s trans communities, chosen families fill the vacuum left by rejection. In Mumbai, the Humsafar Trust and groups like Sampoorna support trans parents, offering counselling, legal aid, and solidarity. Some hijra gharanas even adopt younger trans persons or house trans children, weaving a safety net that ensures no one stands alone. Similarly, devadasi communities in parts of Karnataka leverage local NGOs like Sangram to create resources for children, including after-school sessions and nutritional support.
Yet for every grassroots success, countless challenges persist. Government schemes such as the Integrated Child Development Services and the National Creche Scheme often don’t see complete implementation. Research by the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development indicates that remote locations and marginalised groups often remain beyond reach. Funding gaps limit the scope of Anganwadi centres, leaving overburdened workers juggling too many responsibilities.
India’s marginalised communities show that caregiving is not merely an individual burden but a tapestry woven by many hands. By acknowledging these shared strategies—whether in Adivasi villages, sex worker-led networks, or trans-led community spaces—we glimpse an alternative model of child care, anchored in empathy and mutual support. Yet the urgency for stronger public investment and inclusive policies remains. In recognising child care as a communal endeavour, India might pay homage to the quiet resilience of caregivers who, day after day, shape thriving childhoods.
