In the development realm, where challenges often overshadow recognition, the Junoon Awards are a tribute to passion-driven impact and to inspire innovations and collaborations in the development sector. Derived from the Hindi word for “passion,” these awards celebrate the courage, innovation, and resilience of organizations that dare to push boundaries for the greater good.

More than just an accolade, the Junoon Awards recognize those who turn challenges into opportunities and redefine the possibilities of change, ensuring that these unsung heroes of the development sector receive the recognition they deserve. The inaugural Junoon Awards in 2023 celebrated resilience during the pandemic, recognizing individuals and organizations with remarkable perseverance and innovation. Amid the challenges of COVID-19, these changemakers adapted, found new ways to continue their work, and made a lasting impact. Their efforts stood as a testament to human strength and ingenuity, making the awards a tribute to determination and progress in the face of adversity.

The Indian Institute of Education and Care (IIEC) is a dynamic learning center working to build inclusive educational spaces and sustainable community models. At its core, IIEC envisions a world where education is not confined to the boundaries of a classroom, but instead rooted in everyday experiences and designed around the ecosystem of the child. With a deep belief that meaningful change begins from within communities, IIEC focuses its energy on co-creating education and livelihood models that are relevant, accessible, and community-owned.

IIEC’s approach goes beyond education delivery. The organisation engages with three key layers of rural life: children, mothers, and the larger community. With children, the focus is on nurturing curiosity, creativity, and connection through informal, child-centric learning models. Mothers are brought into the fold not just as caregivers, but as essential partners in the learning journey. They are supported to become facilitators and are also connected to livelihood opportunities, ensuring that education and economic independence go hand in hand. The larger community becomes both the space and the strength for these transformations, as IIEC works to build systems that people see as their own.

What makes IIEC’s work stand out is its commitment to listening first. Rather than bringing in ready-made solutions, the team immerses itself in the community, learns from its people, and then co-builds interventions. This has enabled them to engage meaningfully with over 300 children and 100 families across several villages in and around Daspalla in Odisha, where local knowledge, culture, and care are woven into every learning space.

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged many educational models but for IIEC, it became an opportunity to deepen their connection with communities. When schools shut down and digital education remained out of reach for many children, IIEC quickly adapted. They supported mothers to transform their homes into learning spaces and helped them become facilitators of their children’s education. The team developed simple, everyday-context-based learning modules that didn’t rely on screens, and these were delivered through local volunteers and youth mentors. This gave rise to their “Mothers as Teachers” model, which not only ensured continuity in education but also brought parents, especially women, to the heart of the learning process.

This experience pushed IIEC to reimagine its long-term goals. Rather than aiming to bring children back to school buildings alone, they began investing in what they now call “micro learning ecosystems”, small, community-led spaces for learning that can function with or without formal schooling structures. These ecosystems reflect the belief that learning should not pause because systems fail; instead, it must adapt, decentralise, and become deeply rooted in the community’s rhythm.

Sustainability, for IIEC, is not just about funding or scale, it is about relevance, replicability, and rootedness. Their models grow through trust, participation, and resourcefulness. Local materials, spaces, and skills are consciously woven into every intervention. From using household verandas as classrooms to engaging village artisans in co-creating learning tools, the focus is on minimising dependence and maximising local ownership. Monitoring is also led by the communities themselves, with participatory tools that keep progress visible and shared.

Ultimately, IIEC’s work is not just about delivering education; it is about restoring agency. It is about creating an ecosystem where children learn, mothers lead, and communities thrive together. By choosing to stay grounded, listen deeply, and co-build with care, IIEC offers a model of education and development that is both transformational and sustainable.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

At The Logical Indian, we believe stories like IIEC’s exemplify the transformative power of empathy, collaboration, and resilience.

The Junoon Awards remind us that real change begins within communities and that true progress is measured not just by innovation, but by inclusion and sustainability. As we celebrate these unsung heroes, let us ask: How can we, as a society, further support and scale such community-driven models to ensure every child’s right to learn and thrive?