NEW DELHI: Adopting storytelling to inculcate the values of reduce, reuse, recycle and respect, Maruti Suzuki India Limited is organising ‘Mottainai Grandma’ storytelling sessions.
The objective is to promote ‘Clean India’ mission by creating environmental awareness among the students. School students, between 9-12 years, will participate in the activity and learn the values of cleanliness, use of resources and consciousness towards environment.
The ‘Mottainai Grandma’ convoy will visit 45 schools in Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat.
The storytelling is inspired from a famous picture book from Japan by the name of ‘Mottainai Grandma’, published by Kodansha Ltd, a leading Japanese publication. The protagonist, a Grandma disapproves wastage and uses the means of storytelling sessions to educate children on the Japanese principle of Mottainai – meaning ‘Do not waste’.
In its second year the ‘Mottainai Grandma’ Storytelling caravan along with a professional narrator will visit 45 schools across Delhi, Gurugram, Manesar and Gujarat. 10 of these schools are supported by Maruti Suzuki in Gurugram and Manesar.
Over 2000 students across the 45 schools will benefit from the initiative. Last year the ‘Mottainai Grandma’ Storytelling caravan covered 30 schools across Delhi, Gurugram and Manesar, of which 6 were Maruti Suzuki supported schools.
For the first time the caravan will also visit schools in Gujarat to create awareness on reduce, reuse, recycle and respect.
A K Tomer, Executive Advisor, Corporate Planning and CSR, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “In India, grandparent’s affection and wisdom is considered in high regard. Having a Grandma narrate the importance of Mottainai (Do not waste!) in everyday practices helps reinforce the importance of judicious use of precious natural resources. Through interactive and engaging sessions, we are able to educate children in a fun-filled and effective way.”
“Maruti Suzuki has consistently undertaken initiatives that have contributed to the community development and are aligned to the government efforts. With this program, we wish to teach important social skills to students in their formative years. Habits learnt during these years go a long way in making responsible and sensitive citizens for the country.” , he said.
Through the initiative the Company will conduct multiple engaging sessions to bring about behavioral change in students. A caravan, essentially a Maruti Suzuki Super Carry, with over 300 books, will accompany the story telling group in the form of a mobile library travelling across the schools.
