Since January 2021, ‘Nanhe Parinde’ has provided an alternative education system to 2,124 out-of-school children and dropouts
NEW DELHI: HCL Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of HCL Technologies, has announced the expansion of its partnership with the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate and NGO partner CHETNA. The partnership aims to establish five additional multidimensional mobile classrooms under the ‘Nanhe Parinde’ initiative, which is aimed at reducing school dropout rates and juvenile crime rates in the community.
The ‘Nanhe Parinde’ initiative, which is part of HCL Foundation’s urban flagship program, HCL Uday, currently operates six mobile vans in the Gautam Buddh Nagar area. These vans offer academic support to children in areas such as mathematics, science, English language skills, art lessons, and digital literacy. They also provide children with sports and recreational opportunities to help reduce school dropout rates and juvenile crime rates in the community.
On the occasion of the fifth International Day of Education, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a period of five years was signed between HCL Foundation and the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate for this initiative. The mobile classrooms are fitted with modern amenities such as LCD screens, sound systems, CCTV cameras, and GPS for safety and security, educational materials, a first aid box, sanitization facilities, and a handwashing station to ensure students have access to high-quality education and exposure to opportunities for continuous physical and mental growth.
The program will also raise social and environmental awareness through observing important days and events, and provide guidance, mentoring, and safe infrastructure for children’s overall growth. In addition to educational support, the mobile classrooms will provide sports training to selected students and conduct regular training on child protection issues, as well as form a children’s parliament based on the child rights model. The classrooms will also provide counseling sessions, regular health check-ups, and host sessions on gender, inclusion, and self-defense training.
Since January 2021, ‘Nanhe Parinde’ has provided an alternative education system to 2,124 out-of-school children and dropouts. These children received 64,826 nutritious meals through the program. Through continuous engagements, about 2,407 community members have been informed and sensitized about Nanhe Parinde and its objectives. Furthermore, 339 out-of-school children living on the streets have been integrated into the formal education system, 259 children living on the streets have been enrolled in schools and 80 children have been enrolled under the OBE (Open Basic Education) category.
Since 2002, HCL Foundation’s NGO partner Childhood Enhancement through Training and Action (CHETNA) has worked to empower children living on streets through education, and is the program’s implementation partner. A highly skilled team will travel to the designated spots accompanied by a female driver, community mobilizer, and educator.
HCL Foundation (HCLF) was established in 2011 as the CSR arm of HCL Technologies. It is a not-for-profit organization that strives to contribute towards national and international development goals, bringing about lasting positive impact in the lives of people, through long-term sustainable programs. The foundation aims to alleviate poverty and achieve inclusive growth and development. Active community engagement ensures optimal long-term gains and upward accountability.
(CopyRight@India CSR)
