Bengaluru (India CSR) I People4people, a Bengaluru-based trust, has completed a milestone by installing over 500 playgrounds for children in Government schools, primarily in Karnataka but also in other states such as Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand.
Outdoor play equipment such as slides and climbers are important for a child’s physical, and social development. Sadly, due to increased habitation pressure and economic disparities, the availability of open-air playgrounds is becoming scarce and a rarity for kids belonging to lower economic classes. Most government schools that cater to kids from lower economic categories have decent open space, however, they lack play equipment.
It is in these contexts that Dr. Sunita Maheshwari and Dr. Arjun Kalyanpur, founders of The Telerad Group set up People4People (P4P), a trust fund for kids in 2007.
Since its first playground in 2007, P4P recently achieved a major milestone of setting up playgrounds in 500 plus schools.
The founders of the Telerad Group of companies, the Yale Alumni Medico couple Dr. Sunita Maheshwari and Dr. Arjun Kalyanpur summarise their foundation’s goal, “P4P is a trust fund for kids and was born from our joint wish and dream to fill up childhoods with fun memories of playtime, sunshine and Vitamin D, social bonding, and stress-free quality hours of physical activity.”
Vishu Kumar, Headmaster, Government, Higher Primary School, Bekkare, Mysuru was very happy with the impact of playground installation. “We were not able to gather funds to buy play fixtures. In 2017, People4People installed several play equipment like a seesaw, swing, and slide. Since then, I have seen a lot of excitement and joy on the faces of the children.”
“I am seeing an increase in school admissions after People4People made it possible for them to build a playground in 2016. The number of children who approached the school for admission went up by 17%. This can be attributed to the school having a play area with all kinds of equipment. I am very thankful to People4People for making this possible. ”Prema Kumari, Headmistress, Government Lower Primary School Nandagudi, Bengaluru (Rural), expressed her gratitude.
“People4People, our voluntary contribution-driven CSR wing creates play spaces in schools. Our founders hope that someday this activity would be identified as a national priority and more organisations will join hands to move forward towards providing a happier childhood to those in need,” says Ashwani Sinha, Chief Impact Officer, The Telerad Group.
Even during the pandemic ridden 2021, P4P donated and completed the set-up of 40 playgrounds. Due to logistics and proximity of headquarters, P4P has catered primarily to Karnataka (19 districts) so far. However, we are gradually expanding to other states, including Jharkhand, far in the east informed Sinha.
