Vaishnavi Prakash
Gurugram (India), March 22: Guided by the primary objective of sensitising individuals and promoting community action towards protecting our environment, Government of India launched Mission LiFE in 2021 to inculcate an environment-conscious lifestyle amongst people and societies at large. Aligning with such initiatives of the government, Itochu India Pvt. Ltd. recently funded the Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) project as part of its CSR engagement. This project has been implemented by Shri Muni Charitable Foundation technically supported by ETPA Foundation for Social Development in 100 government schools spread across Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Gurugram (Haryana).
Focussing here on the Gurugram leg of this project, two broad communication techniques were adopted – Firstly, Storytelling sessions were conducted with children (6-10 yrs age group) in 47 government schools spread across the Sohna, Pataudi and Farukhnagar blocks of Gurugram district. Secondly, these sessions were further complimented with mid-media campaigns in form of apt street plays that were performed to sensitise wider community audiences within the vicinity of these schools. The Japanese Picture Book of ‘Mottainai Grandma’ and its animated audio-visuals were used in these storytelling sessions with school children. Mottainai is a Japanese word to express a feeling of regret when something is wasted without deriving its full value. This book illustrates the mindful utilisation of resources and promoting environment-friendly ways of living. In order to further reinstate the concept of 4R (Respect, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) ,special craft making workshops were also conducted in some of these selected schools wherein children made some remarkable articles of common utilities using all waste materials like old boxes, cardboard, newspaper etc.
Capturing an overall reach of this project in Gurugram, about 2583 children participated in these invigorating storytelling sessions, who have also shown a considerable progressive impact as evident through the baseline and endline surveys with these groups of target beneficiaries.
This project has reached its culmination with a closing event that was recently organised on 15th March at the Dhanishankar Government primary school in the Pataudi block. The event was attended by senior representatives from Itochu India Pvt. Ltd, Shri Muni Charitable Foundation and ETPA Foundation for Social Development. The Gram Pradhan along with School Management Committee (SMC) members also graced the event with their presence. In order to propagate the key message of environment friendly habits, the dignitaries also planted fruit bearing and flower saplings in the school premises along with the children and SMC members.
As a mark of its humble contribution to this school, Itochu India Pvt. Ltd. has also donated 60 sets of Dual desk bench sets with a seating capacity of 120 children along with other stationery materials which would complement to enhance the children’s learning experience.
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