By Sundeep Talwar, founder and chief executive officer of IGF India
"Health is wealth" is not just a truism, but an undisputable truth that everyone must embrace from a very young age. As a result, healthy habits must start young.
Here are some innovative ways schools across India are incorporating healthy habits and health learning beyond just lessons on washing hands, and making them a part of their school lives.
In most government schools, children already know that handwashing is important. The challenge is not awareness, but repetition. National school education data shows that while a majority of schools report having handwashing facilities, many still lack running water or soap on a regular basis, especially near toilets. In some districts, teachers quietly admit that facilities exist “on paper” but are hard to use during a busy school day.
What seems to work better is when hygiene becomes part of the rhythm of the school. In schools connected to Impact Guru Foundation’s Care on Wheels and other project sites, hygiene messages are often reinforced through short Nukkad Nataks held in the school courtyard. These are not performances children sit through silently. They are interactive, emotional, and familiar. In one recurring story, a young character keeps falling sick because he skips washing his hands before eating, while his friend, who washes regularly, keeps playing and attending school. Children shout advice at the characters, laugh, and repeat the lines later. Teachers often mention that after these sessions, reminders about handwashing come from the children themselves, not just from adults.
Government data shows that while most upper primary and secondary schools now have separate toilets for girls, menstrual hygiene education and disposal facilities remain uneven. Many schools still struggle with how to talk about menstruation.
IGF India’s experience suggests that shorter, repeated conversations work better than one-time workshops. In classrooms, menstrual health is introduced gently and revisited often. During a Nukkad Natak focused on menstrual hygiene, for example, a teenage girl character misses school because she feels ashamed and unprepared during her period. An older sister figure explains what menstruation is, how to manage hygiene, and why it is nothing to hide. The story is simple, but it opens the door for questions.
To support this learning, adolescent girls are given menstrual hygiene tracking cards. Teachers and field staff have observed that these cards help girls understand their own cycles and reduce anxiety. Over time, girls become more comfortable asking questions quietly after class, which many teachers say rarely happened before.
In schools and Anganwadi centres, behaviour spreads quickly, both good and bad. National programme reviews repeatedly point out that children are more likely to adopt health practices when they see their peers doing the same.
IGF India uses this insight through group activities like a customised healthcare snakes-and-ladders game. The ladders represent habits such as washing hands, eating clean food, or using toilets properly. The snakes represent skipping meals, open defecation, or poor hygiene. Children argue over moves, correct each other, and explain why a square is “good” or “bad.” Teachers often note that quieter children speak up during these games, and the learning feels shared rather than instructed.
Teachers are already under pressure to complete the syllabus. Asking them to add separate health periods often doesn’t work. National education guidelines encourage integrating health topics into existing subjects, and this approach has proven practical on the ground.
In classrooms supported by IGF India, health themes are linked to language lessons, counting exercises, or storytelling. A maths problem might involve counting glasses of clean drinking water. A language class might ask students to write a short paragraph about their morning routine. These small integrations do not require extra time, but they help children connect health concepts to daily life.
Government data makes it clear that infrastructure still matters. Several lakh Anganwadi centres continue to function without usable toilets, and many schools lack reliable handwashing stations or drinking water points. Expecting children to practise hygiene without basic facilities often places an unfair burden on teachers.
IGF India’s Anganwadi renovation work focuses on modest but critical improvements like functional toilets, water access, and usable learning spaces. This is paired with training for ASHA and Anganwadi workers, who help ensure that facilities are used correctly and consistently. Field teams often hear workers say that once the space improves, it becomes easier to talk about hygiene because the advice feels realistic, not theoretical.
Health habits do not stop at the school gate. Policy frameworks on child health stress the importance of alignment between schools, Anganwadis, and families. When messages are consistent, children are more likely to follow them.
IGF’s community-linked work helps create this continuity. Children take home simple messages they hear at school, while frontline workers reinforce similar ideas during home visits or Anganwadi sessions. Teachers have shared that parents sometimes mention these conversations during school meetings, saying their children now remind adults about washing hands or keeping food covered. These moments, though small, signal that learning has travelled home.
