Toybank's Annual Report 19 - 20

Annual Report
2019-20

Table of Contents

Letter from the Founder 4 Pushing Play Forward: 18
A Collaborative and Conscious Effort 29
Letter from the Trustee 6
Impact at a Glance

India, Children’s 7 Toybank’s Partnerships 33
Mental Well-being and Play 11
Financial Summary 40
Toybank’s
Play2Learn Program

2019-20: Year in Review 15 How to get Involved 42

Our Vision

Toybank envisions a world
where all children are

empowered through healthy Play

Our Ethos

“It is easier to build strong children
than to repair broken men.”

—Frederick Douglass

4

Letter from the Founder

Shweta Chari

Play makes underserved children resolute to face all hardships. At Toybank—
Development through Play, our work in 2019–2020 bolstered our efforts to
impact kids so that they resiliently take on any adversity—COVID-19 or other

Every story of our children reflects the work This is what we constantly strive to achieve—to give
we’ve been doing for the past 16 years. Like happy spaces to at-risk kids where they learn to
Rajan’s—the son of an addict father and an lean on their resilient selves during adversities.
overburdened mother living with disability in
Ahmednagar. With parents who were unable to give Rajan’s teachers saw the creative talent in him, and
him quality attention, Rajan slacked in studies. His brought about this change. And this is what 2019–
teachers’ encouragement brought him to the safe 2020 has been about—strengthening our program,
spaces of our Play2Learn Center where he found ourselves as a team, and having a robust support
joy in making vehicles from Mechanix. from our partners, teachers, volunteers, and so on.

As the lockdown tore Rajan away from the place Just like Play builds underserved children’s
that nurtured him, it’s heartening that he wasn’t resilience to face curveballs that reality throws at
bogged down. He sought support in what he learnt them, our work has beefed up our resolve and
at our Play2Learn Center. Though he didn’t have a efforts to impact children even in the crisis situation
Mechanix set or its manual, he problem-solved and of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our efforts remain
made vehicles from old boxes, book covers and focused on nurturing at-risk children’s resilience and
cardboards. ourselves as an organization.



6

Integrating Play into society

MV Subramanian, Trustee

‘Without Play, disadvantaged children risk becoming the lost generation,’ says
the banker, who’s passionate about Financial Literacy and Financial Inclusion

Crucial life skills such as healthy competition, In mainstreaming Play, partnerships have an
taking a loss well, being proactive and more are important role. Without volunteers’ commitment,
not always taught in classrooms but are promoted Toybank’s Play2Learn Program delivery would not
in Play spaces. Without Play, children risk becoming take the shape it has. Our teachers are also crucial
the lost generation—especially the disadvantaged for our work in rural areas. Localized communities
kids who may not get quality attention from their and the government need to form stronger
parents. So, it’s heartwarming to see them bond partnerships in implementing Play for vulnerable
with Toybank’s Didi and Bhaiya at the Play2Learn children as their parents figure out livelihoods.
Centers. This needs to permeate into society in
general; because Play has the potential to chart the The inclusion of Play-based learning in the National
path of one’s future. For instance, I got interested in Education Policy 2020 is the positive first step
investment banking after Playing Trade (now called towards mainstreaming of Play. If implemented the
Monopoly or Business) as a child. Putting everything way it has been proposed, we’ll have a stronger
at stake, buying and selling, taking decisions and generation of children. Until then, we must keep
making mistakes taught me so much. working hard towards integrating Play into society.

India, Children’s Mental Well-being
and Play

40% of India’s estimated adulthood. These shape children; that is, Play, which is
children’s intellectual, social, dismissed as just a frivolous
470 million children from behavioral, and emotional pastime, something even to be
vulnerable communities are capabilities and define what they avoided in order to focus on
losing out on healthy and become as adults. academics.
happy childhoods, and thus
critical cognitive, social as However, the aspect that has Play is also crucial to develop
well as emotional skills that the greatest bearing on these critical thinking, imagination,
lay the groundwork for facets—mental and social- problem-solving abilities as well
well-adjusted lives emotional well-being—usually as providing stress relief, which
takes a backseat. As does the underserved children arguably
Happy childhood experiences avenue to ensure these in need the most.
are a gateway to well-rounded

Sidelining mental well-being as
well as Play has made the truth
of child and adolescent mental
health in India alarming:
• At any given point, nearly

50 million children suffer
from mental disorders
• Prevalence of current mental
illness is 7.5% among under
18-year-olds
• Major illnesses include
depressive disorders,
agoraphobia, autism spectrum
disorders, psychotic disorders,
and anxiety disorders

Did you know India is at a low
144th rank among 156 countries
surveyed in the World
Happiness Report 2020? “The
happiest countries are those
‘where people feel a sense of
belonging’, where they trust and
enjoy each other and their shared
institutions. There is also more
resilience, because shared trust
reduces the burden of hard-
ships, and thereby lessens the
inequality of well-being,” the
report says.

At-risk children’s socio-economic
status creates a hurdle in their
mental and emotional well-being.
It also negatively impacts their
academic achievement. These
kids struggle to study at home due
to economic hardships, unhappy
environments and lack of parental
support, thereby facing poor
performance as well as depression.



The status of underserved Play builds memory,
children in India is unsettling: problem-solving, resilience,
etc. and is more productive
• Child labor makes 1 in 4
children drop out of school than content knowledge

• Out of every 100 children, only
32 finish school education
age-appropriately

• Family problems, failure in
exams and illnesses are the
main causes of suicide among
children below 18 years

The school system has left much
to be desired, focusing on rote
learning rather than crucial life
skills or socio-emotional
development. The Annual Status
of Education Report (ASER) 2019
revealed through a survey of
37,000 children from Class 1 in
26 rural districts across 24 states:

• Only 16% of children can read
text at a prescribed level

• Almost 40% cannot even
recognize letters

• Only 41% can recognize
two-digit numbers

The report suggests Play-based
activities, such as early childhood
education, impacts development.
At the core of our interventions
is our Play2Learn Program to
promote at-risk children’s mental
well-being and learning for
positive future outcomes.

Sources: The Indian Journal of Psychiatry, Census
2011, ASER, National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB),
District Information System for Education (DISE)
and Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI)

Our Work: Ensuring Happy Childhoods
through Conscious Play™

Years of evidence prove that behavioral and mental well- safe, engaging, and joyful
in their formative years, kids being. Complementing traditional Play2Learn Sessions integral to
have more room to grow and education, our methodology can their learning and development.
adapt. This is the ideal time make them resilient and set them
to integrate learning methods up for better employability, Our Play2Learn Sessions
that’ll shape their personalities. success and inclusiveness. combine guided and free Play
Since children are drawn to Play methods aimed to consciously
innately, it is one of the best Toybank partners with build positive value systems and
methods to build their overall organizations across urban and life skills.
well-being. rural Maharashtra to set up
Play2Learn Centers in schools of Our Play2Smile Program is
Toybank’s Conscious Play™ low-income communities, curated to reduce stress levels
approach is centered around shelter homes, and NGOs that and anxiety in children along with
being mindful of the impact Play engage with vulnerable children. their caregivers during the child’s
experiences have on a child’s At our centers, children have ongoing treatment.

Our Play2Learn Sessions support children’s holistic development 12

Pre-intervention During Current
Intervention Progress
• Teasing and name-calling
• Bullying and insensitivity • Playing in mixed groups • Emotional sensitivity
• Gender bias and groupism • Sharing • Taking responsibility
• Restlessness and • Taking turns • Honesty and accountability
• Healthy habit-building • Gender equality
hyperactive tendencies • Anger management • Inclusiveness
• Low attention span • Problem-solving • Curiosity
• Anger and aggression • Activity-based learning • Critical thinking
• Increased dropouts • Holistic learning • Increase in attendance

Our Stakeholders. Our Backbone

To protect our children’s Right to Play, we have a rock-solid team and a diverse
family of partners, volunteers and supporters. Through these collaborations, Play
will integrate into the character of the nation

Team Toybank Teachers and caregivers at our Government of Maharashtra,
Different verticals—leadership, Partner Organizations Child Welfare Committee, etc.
management, program, The NGO partners and our who can influence delivery of
communications, volunteer action Play2Learn Centers’ school Play at a higher level.
and inventory—work teachers work directly
in tandem to build strong children. with our children to deliver Investors
our program and impart Play- The quality of our Play-
Volunteers based learning. based program and initiatives,
Our extended arm that bolsters expanding the reach and impact
all the efforts put in by the team Policymakers are supported by our funders
in pushing Play forward. We have liaised with the and investors.

13

Our Reach

Toybank Play2Learn Program reaches 56,631 at-risk children through 411 Play
Centers in partnership with 72 partners across 12 districts in Maharashtra

Palghar Chandrapur
Thane
Mumbai Gadchiroli
Nanded
Sindhudurg
Latur
Osmanabad
Solapur
* Ahmednagar
** Beed

Children Partners
To ascertain equitable childhoods for all, we We partner with schools from low-income
impact a diverse group of disadvantaged groups, shelter homes, community-based
children—orphans, rescued kids, victims of abuse, organizations, and NGOs that engage with children
those at conflict with the law as well as those from vulnerable communities.
living with physical and mental disability.

14

Creating Safe Spaces in Mumbai

About 66% of our reach is in Mumbai’s urban and suburban regions. We have been
creating safe and child-friendly spaces through our Play2Learn Centers for kids
living in major slum settlements such as Govandi, Dharavi, Malwani and more. We
also work with hospitals, shelter homes and Child Welfare Committees (CWCs).

Toybank Play2Smile Centers
We have opened 35 Play2Smile
Centers through partnerships
with three hospitals. These are
designed to reduce stress levels
and anxiety in children
undergoing treatment and
recovery or accompanying ailing
parents or caregivers.

CWCs and Shelter homes
We work with 39 CWCs, where
we have provided games,
activity books, etc. as
child-friendly resource kits.
We work with two shelter homes.

Volunteers
We conducted 43 inductions and
sensitizations and engaged with
1,135 volunteers.

Toybank Play2Learn Centers Teachers and Caregivers
Our Play2Learn Centers address children’s We trained close to 700 teachers and
behavioral needs and milestones with a focus caregivers through 54 training sessions to
on their learning and all-round development. understand and effectively implement our Play
program within their curriculum and school or
center premises.­­­

15

Looking back at
mainstreaming Play in 2019-2020

Like every year, many events and initiatives saw an enthusiastic participation from
our children, team, volunteers, partners and supporters

World Play Day on the Representing ‘Value of
28th of May 2020 Play’ at FICCI seminar

We joined the global Toybank Founder
celebration of Play with Shweta Chari exulted
commercial sex workers’ the importance of Play
children being served by in child development,
NGO Aastha Parivaar. We making a case for
saw creativity and team mainstreaming Play in
spirit develop through DIY our culture. Top global
puzzle-making and Playing and national corpora-
the visual Scavenger Hunt tions in the toy industry
game, Pictureka. attended the seminar.

Liaising with the Software Development
Govt of Maharashtra
We bagged Chintu
We were invited to scale Gudiya Foundation’s
our work in Latur and Project Tech4Dev
Osmanabad districts. The grant for technology
agrarian crisis, suicide development to build
cases, child labor and Toybank’s Game
low learning levels make Inventory Management
our work here crucial, to System. The initiative
improve children’s is set up to boost the
well-being and resilience implementation of our
to face adversities. Play-based program.

Toybank Fiesta: A Mosaic 16
of Changemakers
Best in
We celebrated this year’s Education Award
annual gala, Toybank
Fiesta, with our varied We became the gold
group of supporters who recipients of the Global
come together every Good Award, UK, under
time like unique pieces the Education category.
of a mosaic, to be part We were recognized
of our Development for our unique learning
through Play movement. approach and impact in
education through our
Tata Mumbai Play2Learn Program.
Marathon 2020
Power of
To promote our work, Play workshop
64 runners wore life-sized
costumes of games from We taught 30 pre-primary
our Play2Learn Centers kids at the Polymath
and the skills they build. In School, which believes in
the Corporate Challenge Project-based Learning to
category, Bain Capital impart 21st-century skills.
team ran in the Half Children learnt picking up
Marathon and 10K Race. instructions quickly,
sharing, waiting for their
turn, and discipline.

A year of organizational
development

Through the support
of external consultation,
this was a year of
restructuring and
redefining our roles
to deliver our
Play-based program
more efficiently.



18

Pushing Conscious Play™ Forward

Mainstreaming Play
requires concerted
efforts. And our
partners, collaborators
and volunteers have held
us in good stead in our
endeavor

If we deny children their Right to ‘Play is like the air we breathe
Play, we deny them their right to but never pay attention to.’
understand the world. Play has
the power to influence all that we — Shweta Chari, Founder, Toybank
are, can become, and even the
relations we form, as it promotes
mental well-being, social-
emotional skills, and improves
learning and life outcomes.
If Play is integrated into the
fabric of society, we will be a
stronger yet kinder race.

Our conscious and collaborative
efforts with long-term partners,
volunteers and supporters have
been driven by this belief. While
the Toybank team has been
delivering Play in urban and rural
Maharashtra, partnerships have
amplified our work.

19

‘Play for Transformation’ Roundtable

Toybank’s first-ever roundtable discussion had an 18-member panel talking
about the need and ways to mainstream Play. The speakers included Toybank
trustees, advisory board members, supporters and team members. Educators,
toy industry members, foundation trustees and more provided insights into
the need for redefining Play as a state of mind

‘People don’t need to just know about Play
but also include it as a priority in children’s
holistic development’

—Vivek Jhangiani, President,

The All India Toy Manufacturers Association (TAITMA)

The panel reckoned the reasons for Play being tangential as:

The right of every child is child’s growth is inculcated Even if we get the why of Play,
accessible only to the affluent neither in the minds of parents we do not value it. Schools need
Vivek Jhangiani, Toybank nor the government. Only sports to espouse this value.
Advisor, said that Play as a part are encouraged as they can be a
of the curriculum costs a sizeable career option. The culture of Play Performance over Play
amount. Advisor Ratan Batliboi can bring underserved children Competitiveness prevents
added we must understand that out of their miseries and make children from getting benefits
simple, semi-structured Play them better athletes, like in Africa. of Play and exerts pressure on
can make things organized and them. Nimesh Sumati, head of
enhance social interactions. While the ecosystem is not the group Caring Friends, says
conducive, a lack of urban we need to urge parents not to
Play vs Sport planning and policies is another make kids compete but just Play
Play as an integral part of a issue in mainstreaming Play. and enhance their development.

Play is an add-on The panel suggested the underserved populace’s
With basic issues such as following to bring change: goals—skill building for
nutrition and literacy, Play • Promoting the benefits of Play academic improvement, job
does not get the prominence readiness and so on
it deserves, Toybank supporter within learning systems • Conducting more research on
from Bain Capital, Sammonoi • Deliberate programs with Play’s impact
Bannerjee, stated. Play will
be recreation and not a guided and unstructured Play Toybank believes that Play would
conscious mechanism of • Sensitizing caregivers about become mainstream if it’s upheld
development unless it’s brought to the same rank as the Right to
into people’s consciousness Play’s importance in Education. We will do all it takes
through communication or a big early childhood to get others to be a part of the
campaign. • Demonstrating Play’s Play collective.
influence on employability
and life outcomes
• Contextualizing Play to the

Our Partners in Play

Goals can be met through collaborations. Since Play is as sidelined in India as
mental health, mainstreaming it would have been an even more arduous task if
not for our incredible collaborators. They have rallied around us as we expanded
our impact beyond a toy distribution in 2004 for 1,500 children and our reach
beyond Mumbai to 11 other districts in Maharashtra

B ridging the gap Training and Sustainable Partnerships
At Toybank’s core is working together with all our Our teachers have been going the extra mile to
stakeholders and deep-diving into assessing the incorporate Play and transform children’s learning
needs of children, their community background experiences independently. Despite their personal
and to involve our partners, that is, the caregivers and professional commitments, they spend entire
and people closest to them. The insights we gather days or even commute for three hours one way
through our interactions with them enable us to for training sessions and understanding our
devise our Play approach to plug gaps and attend interventions. Their involvement enables us to
to needs most effectively. impact children in the remotest village.

What our partners have to say
“Play—outdoor or indoor—
enhances skills for students and
teachers alike. We have learnt so
many new things at training
sessions. These games are new
to us as we’ve grown up Playing
marbles, gilli danda, and so on.
So, along with children, teachers
look forward to Playing, too.

Other than pleasure, these
games encourage students to
stay back at school the entire
day, unlike earlier when parents
had to cut short their schooltime
to take them home due to their
schedules. We are happy to get
help from Toybank.

—Govind Puri, Cluster Head,
Roha Play2Learn Center, Latur

“Our students come from
deprived backgrounds. Imagine
the joy they feel when they Play
and learn from it. I’m honored
that I got to deliver Play to these
children on Toybank’s behalf.
The training session took us back
to our childhood. So, how lively
must the children feel! They also
learn building focus, creativity
and time management. We are
thankful to Toybank.”

—Asma Refai, Headmistress,
MHB School, Mumbai

23

Volunteers: Our Extended Family

Constituting of corporate employees, professionals, students, and so on,
our volunteers lent us immense support in different aspects

“I never thought of organizing a football
tournament before. But, having seen the
magical power of Play many times in 10 years, I
knew this was possible”

—Ashima Khemka, Toybanker from Delhi

Although a small team at While our volunteers in Mumbai students of Cathedral John And
Toybank, our extended helped boost our children’s Connon School conducted a
family—volunteers—has problem-solving and fine motor workshop on Arvind Gupta’s
always strengthened us to skills, Toybanker Ashima Khemka Science Experiments. With various
amplify our advocacy of Play moved mountains and took the interactive activity sets, kids learnt
across India. spirit of Play in the remote region science inquiry in a fun manner.
of Changthang, Ladakh, where
Advocating Play 320 children from six villages Post taking Play to the streets
On Impact Day this year, nearly participated in the first-ever at the Tata Mumbai Marathon,
300 corporate volunteers football championship. Student our dedicated student volunteer
conducted activities for an volunteers of SAVE, Nyoma, Rehan Chagla took conducted a
entire day to enhance learning supported Ashima. Playful session on endangered
and skill-building of our kids. birds and mangroves of the city.
Activities included solving a Workshops & Special Sessions He taught children easy steps to
mega-sized crossword, origami Apart from our children, the improve our environment.
folding technique, Pictionary, and Toybank team also learnt new
the tricks and strategy to solve skills and games through After the successful Impact Day,
the Rubix Cube. workshops. Twelfth grade our corporate volunteers brought

the Rubix Cube workshop to our decorum and becoming role barrier. International volunteer
office for the Toybank team. models to some, their support Shiv Mehra and Adil Majumdar
They explained each step of was unparalleled. witnessed it blurring the class
the challenging mental exercise, divide. The Class 11 student of
which taught us the importance Such collaborations break class Aditya Birla World Academy,
of focus and perseverance. and age boundaries, as Adil says, “Even though these
volunteers from all walks of life children are from different
Conducting Play2Learn Sessions Play and share learning. backgrounds, while Playing,
Student volunteers supported they’re all the same. Everyone
Toybank Program Officers in Voices of our volunteers: has a smile on their faces.”
conducting Play2Learn Sessions. ‘Play is a leveler’ He also witnessed it build
Ensuring that children maintained Play has no language or class confidence for many.

Stronger Together to Build
Stronger Children

The cause of children’s mental well-being and Play needs more effort than just
awareness. Toybank has worked arduously towards bringing both to the forefront.
We are constantly bolstering our endeavor by growing together to deliver our
program more efficiently

While any organization needs contribute to their cognitive and the work speeds up. At Toybank,
a dedicated team to work socio-emotional development, we the team constantly guides and
efficiently, continually building are constantly upskilling ourselves helps one another. This is how we
our capacity as a unit ensures through teamwork and learning to make our work more effective.”
we stay the course full steam. In be calm even under pressure.”
Toybank’s Senior Program Officer This year, Team Toybank:
Neha Kamble’s words, In Toybank Program Officer Learnt to make Play accessible
“I am happy to be a part of Akash Sable’s opinion, “A single to diverse groups of children
Toybank because not only do we person cannot make a quick Anu Advani, a teacher from
make children independent and change. But if one joins someone, Brooklyn, US, taught us

‘manipulative’ techniques through
which one can modify the rules
of games and make them ac-
cessible to children of various
age groups. This enabled us to
reinforce our work in ensuring
that diverse groups of children
benefit from the Power of Play.

Made math a fun
learning experience
Aamod Karkhanis, Director,
NovaVia Educational Tools and
Games, trained us to use their
math-based games. The team
learnt about the importance
of being mindful of diverse
learning capacities of children
and using storytelling to support
mathematics.

Fostering forgiveness
and friendship
“The other girls excluded my
friend Mithila* and me as they
Played in the class. Toybank’s
Didi spoke to the entire class and
told us we must not talk rudely
to anyone or hurt them. After
that, the girls came to us and said
sorry. All of us went to Didi and
told her that we’d Play together
as friends. Now, they include us
in all the games we Play. If Didi
hadn’t spoken to us that day,
we would have been left by
ourselves.”

—Shravani*, Toybank Play2Learn
Center student, Mumbai

(*Names changed)

27

Investing to Push Play Forward
more Efficiently and Effectively

Children’s mental well-being, Play and education are extremely crucial for their
holistic development and positive future outcomes. As these aspects remain
underfunded in the country, our funders’ consistent and strong backing ensures
we keep delivering mental well-being and learning through Play constantly

“It’s extremely important to share resources
along with time because it will have a greater
impact on at-risk children”

—Jyoti Devjani, Toybank Advisor

Mental well-being, Play and While the country spends less investment is especially required
education together pave than 33 paise on a mental health at the early stages of children’s
the way for a child’s develop- sufferer in an entire year, the development. “Early childhood
ment and future. Jyoti Devjani, amount on education is a mere intervention has a great
Toybank Advisor, points out that 4.6% of its total GDP, making us influence on how children turn
Play keeps children in schools rank 62nd in total expenditure on out as adults. They become
and changes behaviors, especial- education per student. well-adjusted and perform
ly in at-risk kids. “It is extremely better later in life,” our supporter
important to share resources The expense on Play is Amit Chandra observes.
along with time because it will nothing to write home about
have a greater impact on these either. The per capita of games, Funding provides institutional
children,” she avers. toys or sports-related products support to create a conducive
on a single child does not cross work space and an efficient team
All these aspects, however, $3 a year in India, as opposed to to push Play forward, enabling
remain underfunded in India. $300-400 in the US. Thus, us to reach out to more children.

With their solid and consis-
tent support, our funders have
ensured we continue to do that.
From corporates to individuals,
every bit of backing not only
strengthens our efforts but also
our morale.

A testament to this has been
Toybank’s interventions as part
of the Morgan Stanley Healthy
Cities initiative that brought
together the fundamentals
children need for a healthy
start—wellness, nutrition and
Play. Morgan Stanley’s support
strengthened our Play2Learn
Program from 2017 to 2020.
Their backing empowered us to
focus on promoting mental
well-being and quality learning
for 8,000 children at 13
Maharashtra Housing Board
(MHB) Schools in Mumbai
Malad’s Malwani slums. The
improvement in children’s
negative behavioral issues such
as aggression and low attention
span, and increase in curiosity as
well as honesty levels couldn’t
have been achieved without the
able support of Morgan Stanley.

Impact at

Outcome study in
Malwani slums, Mumbai

Toybank studied its Play2Learn
Program’s outcome on key
behavioral characteristics—
aggression, low attention span,
emotional sensitivity, curiosity
and honesty levels in children
from Maharashtra Housing Board
Schools in Malwani slums,
Mumbai. Over a period of three
years, a pre-designed,
semi-structured questionnaire
was used to conduct in-depth
interviews of teachers
representing almost 2,000 kids.

Toybank’s interventions
resulted in:

• 70% Increase in children’s

curiosity levels

• 31% decrease in lack of

attention and hyperactive
tendencies

• 10% decrease in angry and

aggressive behavior

a Glance

Empowered 15 preschool
children after two
months of Playtime

Due to several learning
roadblocks, 15 young children
of Tardeo Municipal School didn’t
attend classes regularly, wouldn’t
freely express themselves and
would give up on learning
easily. During the case study, we
conducted Play2Learn Sessions
thrice a week for two months,
where we tracked their
improvement in 5 key areas—
Critical Thinking, Following
instructions, Collaboration,
Perseverance and Expression.

Toybank’s interventions
resulted in:

• 60% exhibited greater

inclination to explore multiple
solutions to a problem

• 40% attempted to step

outside their comfort zone to
achieve their goals

• 60% more students

expressed with confidence

Toybank in
the spotlight

This year, Toybank’s work was
recognized and published
across national and international
forums, to echo conversations on
the value of Play for the mental
well-being of children.

DW Women
A Berlin-based international
media agency, DW featured
Toybank’s journey and founding
story. They highlighted our zeal
in promoting Right to Play and
its impact on childhood mental
well-being.

Toybank was advertised in Bombay Stock Exchange’s magazine, Forum Views

32

TEDxYouth@CIRS:
Act to Impact
A TEDx initiative for
youth in Coimbatore
invited our founder to
share her journey of
making a difference in
children’s lives, what
motivated Toybank’s
work and facing hurdles
while achieving our
vision.

Opening speech at
Phoenix Festival 2019
As the Chief Guest for
the Phoenix Festival at

Acharya College,
Toybank Founder

Shweta Chari
inspired more than 100
young students on the

need to create social
change well within our

lifetime.

33

Our Play2Learn Partners

Schools Sant Kakkya Vikas Sanstha, Shree Ganesh Vidya
Mandir
A.D. Pawar Vidyalaya Sheth G.K. Prathamik Shala
Abhinav Dhyan Mandir School (English) Shree Geeta Vidyalaya
Abhinav Dhyan Mandir School (Marathi) Sodawala Lane Municipal M.R School
Alpha School Subhedar Ramji Ambedkar Vidyalaya
Bhausaheb Vidyalaya Tardeo Municipal School
Bhima Nagar School Umeedbhai Patel School
Colaba Municipal School no. 2 Vidya Vikas School
COSMOS School Vivek Vidyalaya
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar High School Yusuf Meherally Memorial Education Society
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Prathmik Vidyalaya Zilla Parishad Schools in Chincholi Kati & Akolekati
Gandhi Bal Mandir School in partnership with Gujarat Rubber Products (GRP)
Gilder Lane Municipal Public School Ltd.
Government of Maharashtra Latur Zilla Parishad Schools in Satara District in partner-
Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Vidyasankul ship with ACG Cares Foundation
Kavlemath Banganga Marathi School
M.H Chougule School NGOs
Maharashtra Vidyalaya (Marathi)
Maharashtra Housing Board, Malwani Ashadeep Association
Maooli Educational Foundations Ashray Akruti Foundation
Ramkrishna School Bal Jeevan Trust
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Education Trust Child Help Foundation
Mohili Village Marathi BMC School Community Outreach Program (CORP)
Nalanda High School Daya Sadan
Poisar School (Hindi Medium) School No. 1 Family Service Center
Poisar School (Hindi Medium) School No. 3 Gharkul Trust
Pragati School Lamp Post
Pragati School (Special Children) Logic Centre & Community Welfare Association
Priyadarshini Vidyamandir School Maharogi Sewa Samiti
R.H. Kate English School Manavlok
Samajratna Shivaji Rao Shendge Vidyalaya MSWC Asha Sadan
Sanjay Nagar BMC Marathi School Mumbai Smiles
Sanjay Nagar BMC Urdu School No. 1 National Association for The Blind India
Sanjay Nagar BMC Urdu School No. 2 Nerur Samruddhi Pratishtan

34

Pratham Council for Vulnerable children Young Women Christian Association (YWCA)
Prerana Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA)
Rashtiya Seva Sameeti
Sadguru Education Society - Anandi Special School Shelter Homes
Sahasee Embers
Sanskriti Samvardhan Mandal Snehasadan
Saprems Bring A Smile M.R School The Children’s Aid Society
Snehalaya Support the Handicapped’s Rehabilita-
tion Effort (SHARE)
Young Men Christian Association (YMCA)

Our Play2Smile Partners

Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children
Narayan Health SRCC Children’s Hospital
Romila Palliative Care

35

OOuOOruuurPrraPPraPatrrantternntreesnrrssers

Our Partners

Our Board 36

Trustees Jiby Thomas
Founder Web Butter Jam, Digital Marketing
Vivek Asrani Priyam Bathija
Managing Director Kaymo Fastener Co. Entrepreneur, Owner – Frisky Frogs Store

MV Subramanian
Ex-CEO of Axis Bank Foundation, Retired Banker

Advisors Ketan Sanghvi
Founder & CEO, Sanginfo
Narender Nagpal
Co-Founder and Partner of Amansa Capital Ratan Batliboi
Owner - Ratan J. Batliboi - Consultants Pvt Ltd. &
Sriram R Chairman of CRY - Child Rights & You
Entrepreneur, Consultant, Mentor, Co-founder
Crossword & Next Practice Retail Vivek Jhangiani
Executive Director - Pleasantime Products
Seema Sharma
Founder - Smile Impressions Group, Dentabyte and
Child Action

Jyoti Devjani
Founder, Keola Health & Wellness

37

38

In Collaboration, we have Strength

Seema Sharma, Toybanker and Founder of Child Action

“At the end of the Financial Year, as COVID-19 disrupted everything, our partners
had our backs, just as Play has had our beneficiaries’’

Teamwork makes common people achieve Intent and belief are of prime importance in driving
uncommon results. The power of partnerships any change. But transformations can be actualized
has enabled Toybank to stay on the front foot in only through support. We had each collaborator to
promoting children’s mental well-being and Play, lean on this year, which paved the way for our work
as both these aspects remain undervalued and in what was to follow. At the end of the Financial
under-prioritized in India. Whether we attribute Year, as the COVID-19 outbreak disrupted
this to the Toybank team itself or the corporates, everything, we had to reimagine and modify our
NGO partners, teachers, volunteers and support- Play-based program. Once again, our partners had
ers, Financial Year 2019–2020 was all about people our backs just as Play has had our beneficiaries’.
coming together to mainstream Play. This was the
year for taking a more mindful approach to bringing As we step into the new Financial Year, our minds
resilience and learning to our beneficiaries using our are unequivocally trained in ramping up our
Conscious Play™ methodology. Our efforts were interventions to ensure that Play goes on, and
fortified by collaborations, which ensured that we we are proud and delighted that we have taken our
impacted children in urban and rural areas. supporters along with us!



FINANCIAL Name of the Public Trust : THE OPENTREE FOUNDATION
Registration No. E - 26105 (MUM)
SCHEDULE VIII [ Vide Rule 17 (1) ]

The Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950.

Balance Sheet as at 31.03.2020

FUNDS & LIABILITIES AMOUNT AMOUNT PROPERTY AND ASSETS AMOUNT AMOUNT

Trust Funds or Corpus :- Immovable Properties:- (at cost) - -

Balance as per last Balance Sheet 32,79,551.00

Add : During the year 21,47,938.20 54,27,489.20 Invesments :-

Fixed Deposits 3,35,00,000.00



Other Earmarked Funds :- Furniture & Fixtures :-

(Created under the provision of the trust Balance as per last Balance Sheet 16,67,390.00

deed or scheme or out of the Income) Additions during the year 2,71,178.00

Sinking Fund - 19,38,568.00

Reserve Fund - Less: Depreciation for the year 1,80,766.00 17,57,802.00

Any other Fund -

For Assets Fund created out of 1,28,768.00 1,28,768.00 Trade Mark

Grant / Donations Balance as per last Balance Sheet 343.00

Additions during the year 36,000.00

Loans (Secured or Unsecured) :- 36,343.00

From Trustees 35,000.00 Less: Depreciation for the year 6,836.00 29,507.00

From Other - 35,000.00

Computers

Liabilities :- Balance as per last Balance Sheet 57,835.95

For Advances - Additions during the year 3,68,930.00

For Rent and Other Deposits - 4,26,765.95

For Sundry Creditors 17,078.93 Less: Depreciation for the year 1,28,917.00 2,97,848.95

For Charity Commissioner Dues 3,99,818.00 4,16,896.93

Plant & Machinery

Balance as per last Balance Sheet 2,84,648.00

Additions during the year 47,344.00

Provision :- 3,31,992.00

Provision For Expenses - Less: Depreciation for the year 46,698.00 2,85,294.00

Audit Fees Payable - Cash and Bank Balances :-

Income and Expenditure Account :- a) Cash in Hand 5,045.35

Bal. as per last Balance Sheet 2,27,54,564.19 b) YES bank 1,498.00

Add : Trf from Fund - c) Kotak 13,14,533.34

Add : Surplus 1,14,18,113.22 d) ICICI 10,45,061.59

Less : Deficit (As per I & E A/c) - 3,41,72,677.41 e) Wallets 1,011.00

f) Cheques in Hand - 23,67,149.28



Loans, Advances & Deposits

Advance to Employees 3,108.00

Accrued Interest on FD 4,06,115.55

Donation Receivable -

TDS 3,67,823.76

Deposit 5,00,000.00 12,77,047.31



Income Tax deposited towards 6,66,183.00

Appeal filed

Total 4,01,80,831.54 Total 4,01,80,831.54

For The Opentree Foundation For M/s KINJAL H SHAH & CO
Chartered Accountants
(Firm Reg. No. 117874W)

SCHEDULE - IX [ Vide Rule 17 (1) ] Name of the Public Trust : THE OPENTREE FOUNDATION
The Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950. Registration No. E - 26105 (MUM)

Income and Expenditure account
for the period 01/04/2019 to 31/03/2020

EXPENDITURE AMOUNT AMOUNT INCOME AMOUNT AMOUNT

To Expenditure in respect of properties :-

Rates,Taxes,Cesses -

Repairs and maintenance -

Salaries - By Interest -

Insurance - On Bank 1,28,094.00

Depreciation - On Fixed Deposits 17,43,664.67

Other Expenses - On IT Refund - 18,71,758.67



To Establishment Expenses 11,84,129.94 By Donations in cash or kind 2,29,83,979.41

To Remuneration to Trustees -

To Remuneration -

To Legal Expenses -

To Rent - By Transfer from Reserve -

To Contribution and Fees -

To Audit Fees 35,400.00



To Provision for Income Tax Return Fees -

To Miscellaneous Expenses 9,075.00

To Depreciation 3,31,025.00

To Amount trf. to Reserve or specific funds.



To Expenditure on object of the Trust :-

a. Religious -

b. Educational 1,18,77,994.92

c. Medical Relief -

d. Relief of poverty -

e. Other Charitable objects - 1,18,77,994.92

-

By Surplus carried over to Balance Sheet 1,14,18,113.22

TOTAL 2,48,55,738.08 TOTAL 2,48,55,738.08

For M/s KINJAL H SHAH & CO
Chartered Accountants
(Firm Reg. No. 117874W)

Together,
we can
Mainstream
Play!

Alone we can do so little;
together we can do so
much, like Helen Keller said.
We have come this far thanks
to our partners, collaborators
and supporters. Only with your
backing can we can continually
mainstream Play. Here’s how you
can support us.

Volunteer with us
• Share our work and advocate

for Play
• Organize a collection drive
• Work with us
• Make a contribution

*Contributions to be made to
The Opentree Foundation registered
under the Bombay Charities Act, 1956.
(Registration number:E-26105)

308, Jagruti Industrial Premises, Mogul Lane,
Opposite Polycab, Mahim (W), Mumbai,
Maharashtra 400016

[email protected] | +91 80808 68235
www.toybank.org

@toybankindia
@toybank
toybank_india