Biocon Foundation, the CSR arm of Biocon Group conducted several awareness sessions at 14 government schools with the help of a team of 50 volunteers from Biocon. This outreach was conducted to commemorate ‘World No Tobacco Day 2024’ in May with the objective of educating students about the ill-effects of tobacco consumption.
Program Benefits Over 2,000 Students
So far, over 2,000 students in Bengaluru’s government schools have benefited from this program of Biocon Foundation. In this session, over 700 students participated. The campaign was in line with the theme of the ‘World No Tobacco Day’ 2024 – ‘Protecting children from tobacco: industry interference’ which highlights the urgent need to safeguard future generations from the negative health impact of tobacco. This campaign is one of the several initiatives that Biocon Foundation has been undertaking under the health awareness and education vertical. This program is aimed at reaching out to the young students and educating them about the perils of tobacco consumption.
Biocon Foundation’s Commitment to Education
Biocon Foundation is deeply committed to the well-being of its communities and has been constantly working on various educational programmes. It has partnered with government bodies, educational institutions, and local communities to support various public schools by upgrading their infrastructure, and creating an enabling learning environment.
Dr. Anupama Shetty on Health Education
Dr Anupama Shetty, Mission Director, Biocon Foundation, said, “We understand that young minds are extremely impressionable, hence it is crucial to educate them about the positive and negative health choices, from an early age. This effort aligns with our Oral Cancer Control Program (OCCP) which seeks to address the burden of the oral cancer in our country. We began this initiative on the ‘World No Tobacco Day’, but our commitment extends beyond a single day. We intend to continue this educational campaign throughout the year, aiming to reach at least 50 schools. By raising awareness, we strive to empower young people with the knowledge to make healthier choices and contribute to the overall health of our community.”
Other Educational Initiatives by Biocon Foundation
Biocon Foundation has also led several impactful educational initiatives including STEM scholarships for talented women from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, school teacher training for effective science pedagogy, infrastructure development to create better learning environments, and promoting experiential science learning in government schools.
