Interview with Ms Vidyun Goel, Founder and Director, The Toy Bank
What inspired you to start The Toy Bank? Can you share a specific story or experience that encouraged you to start an initiative like this?
The inspiration behind The Toy Bank originated from my childhood experiences, accompanying my father on his anti-lottery campaign initiatives. His dedication to helping those facing economic hardships left a lasting impact on me. During these visits, I would interact with local children and share my old toys with them, witnessing the joy they brought to their lives. These early acts of kindness taught me the importance of giving back and inspired me to do more. I continued this effort as I grew older by regularly sending my toys to children in nearby slums. The fulfilment I felt from these actions motivated me to expand my reach. By my first year of college, I organised toy drives with fellow students and local shops, collecting toys for underprivileged children. The success of these drives eventually led me to leave my corporate job and fully commit to The Toy Bank, transforming it from a personal initiative into a community-driven effort to spread joy through recycled toys.
- Can you discuss some barriers you faced while establishing The Toy Bank?
Establishing The Toy Bank came with its own set of challenges. The initial hurdle was gaining access to schools and organising toy collection drives without the benefit of social media, which is so integral today. I spent countless hours at PCO booths, making calls to schools in Delhi and trying to convince them to participate. The concept was unfamiliar to most school officials, making it difficult to gain their support. Despite this, persistence paid off, and today, we have partnerships with over 150 private schools in Delhi NCR. Another challenge was educating children in affluent neighbourhoods about the importance of the 3Rs—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle—especially regarding refurbishing toys. We conducted workshops to teach the process and emphasise the environmental impact. Additionally, transporting toys to rural parts of India was a logistical challenge due to limited funding. With the help of dedicated volunteers and partners, we found affordable solutions through railway connectivity, enabling us to distribute toy kits nationwide.
- You have initiated several successful projects like School Connect, Anganwadi Connect, and the Safe Playroom programme. What kind of feedback have you received for these initiatives? Also, how do you measure the success and effectiveness of these programmes?
Our initiatives have received tremendous positive feedback from various stakeholders. The municipal authorities, in particular, strongly supported our Safe Playroom programme and School Connect initiatives, recognising their alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP), emphasising active, experiential learning through play. The innovative approach of integrating play into education has not yet been widely adopted, even by private schools in India. Our success has encouraged the MCD authorities to expand our programmes into more municipal schools. Similarly, the Anganwadi Toy Connect programme has been well-received by the Women and Child Department, Anganwadi workers, and parents. One of the most significant outcomes of this programme has been a 70% increase in attendance rates at Anganwadi centres, with the presence of toys serving as a strong motivator for children. To ensure continuous improvement, we conduct baseline and impact assessment surveys that evaluate language skills, numeracy, environmental awareness, life skills, gross motor skills, cognitive abilities, emotional well-being, and more. This comprehensive evaluation allows us to measure the effectiveness of our programmes and their impact on the holistic development of children.
- How are you planning to expand and reach more underprivileged children?
Our expansion strategy focuses on raising funds and extending our programmes to more schools and Anganwadi centres, thereby improving children’s access to toys and play materials in marginalised communities across India. We have successfully established 5,425 Toy Libraries, impacting over 500,000 children across 26 states and 4 Union Territories in India. By recycling approximately 1.5 million toys, we have also contributed to reducing carbon emissions by 386,500 pounds. Our ongoing efforts aim to increase our reach further and positively impact even more children’s lives.
- Are there any new upcoming projects or initiatives that you would like to discuss?
We are excited to announce our new Teacher Training Programme. This programme focuses on enhancing the skills of government primary school teachers by providing extensive training, regular support sessions, and guidance. The goal is to cultivate Master Play Teachers who can effectively incorporate toys into their teaching methodologies, making curriculum concepts more engaging and effective for students. The programme aligns with the National Education Policy, emphasising experiential learning through play. By equipping teachers with the necessary tools and knowledge, we aim to create a more impactful and engaging learning environment for children in government schools.
