Recently released report on UN Human Development Index (HDI) for 2019 places India at 131 among 189 countries. This situation will worsen due to the pandemic which has further pushed vulnerable groups into misery. Most affected in these circumstances are the government school going children who have been deprived of their nutritious mid-day meals for nine months in 2020.
Apparao V Mallavarapu, Chairman & Managing Director said, “Our company’s CSR activities have been focused mainly on Children and their education, health and their wellbeing, Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meal program is one that aligns well with our CSR objectives. We appreciate the enormous and continuous efforts of the foundation to provide nutritious food to millions of children. We are happy to be associated with Akshaya Patra Foundation in their journey of eliminating hunger and furthering education.”
More than a decade ago, realizing that mid-day meals for underprivileged children are a vital source of nutrition, Centum Electronics partnered with Akshaya Patra, the world’s largest school feeding program. Jointly we have fed 3.6 lac school children over a period of 10 years in Government and Government aided schools. Centum Electronics is one of the largest Electronics System Design and Manufacturing companies in India. The company has consistently contributed to the welfare of the society in multiple ways to fulfill its commitment as a socially responsible corporate citizen.
Shridhar Venkat, CEO, The Akshaya Patra Foundation said, “We are deeply grateful to Centum Electronics for collaborating with us in reaching out to underprivileged children for more than a decade. Child malnutrition continues to threaten the health and wellbeing of millions of children in India and Covid-19 pandemic has put almost 115 million children at the risk of malnutrition. The UN Human Development Index is an indicator that we have miles to go before we reach our goal that no child should be deprived of education, because of hunger. We are thankful to Centum for their unconditional support for a noble cause.”
CSR Programs executed by Centum for the welfare and development of children are:
- Mathru Educational Trust for the Blind: This Trust provides free education, vocational training, skill development, placement, food and accommodation for the differently-abled children
- Provision Asia: Brings hope among children with disabilities by providing an environment which fosters transformation. It encourages the vision of abundant life through practical life-skills training, mobility aids, physiotherapy, job placements, educational sponsorship, and computer training
- Sparsh Foundation: Sparsh program focuses on the identification and correction of clubfoot in children
- Supporting skill education amongst the rural youth: Centum Electronics is sponsoring latest equipment to ITI institutes in the rural areas for the skill upgradation of rural youth.
- Contribution to the communities effected by lockdown: Centum Electronics distributed ration to the few hundreds of families and their children effected by lockdown due to Covid.
