Vivek Gambhir, MD, Godrej Consumer Products with students in Mumbai on International Global Volunteering Da
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India CSR News Network
MUMBAI: More than 2200 enthusiastic Godrej Group employees in 11 nations participated in over 90 schools and institutions as part of the Group’s second International Global Volunteering Day event, on December 5, 2016, to teach children and thereby ensure their overall development.
In 2015, around 4650 man-hours were dedicated towards the cause by the group while this year the activity witnessed 6600 man-hours., Godrej Industries said in a statement.
The event this year revolved around improving teaching-learning experience in schools. Godrej Group employees conducted engaging activities at 74 government and low income private schools in India, with an endeavor to impact the lives of nearby communities. In total, around 18,000 children were impacted through Godrej’s efforts.
Children can become influencers of change since they are at an impressionable age where the right messaging can lead to transformation. Hence, engaging with children in school will lead to more interest in learning, lower dropouts, and eventually create lifelong learners.
In India’s commercial capital, the Godrej Group volunteers partnered with Teach for India and Kotak Education Foundation. Other than career counseling, as part of this endeavour, there were sessions on reading and storytelling along with action-packed sports activities.
While Godrej’s employees focused on teaching and enhancing the learning experience of Indian children, across the globe similar events in 16 schools and orphanages were taking place in Indonesia, South Africa, Argentina, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Mozambique and Kenya. The themes in these regions ranged from health, hygiene and sanitation to harmony and diversity and the importance of conserving our environmental resources.
Sumit Mitra, Head, Group Human Resource and Corporate Service, Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies said, “Through Brighter Giving, our structured volunteering platform, we have always encouraged our team members to become more involved with local communities and assist in their betterment through active participation in various volunteering activities. Hence, we selected Global Volunteering Day to reach out to children in low-income schools with an earnest desire of teaching children small but effective ways through which they can make a difference. It is immensely satisfying that through these children, we have reached out to the larger communities and made an effective difference in their lives.”
Dr. Vikas Goswami, Head of Good and Green function of Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies, who volunteered at Milind Vidyalay, supported by the Kotak Education Foundation, says, “We are committed to giving back to society and thereby building a better tomorrow for future generations. This commitment is not only restricted to the group but each and every Godrejite remains wholeheartedly passionate about volunteering for the community’s brighter future. Hence, this activity witnessed enthusiastic participation making the event successful and extremely satisfying to each member of our team. We will continue to support these schools and assist them in providing quality education so that a better India can be built in the years ahead.”
The concept of Global Volunteer Day is an extension of Godrej’s existing year-round philanthropic volunteering programme. Since its introduction in 2014, more than 1,500 Godrej employees around the world have given their time to support community projects which are estimated to have helped communities around Godrej’s office and plant locations. Volunteers engage in a variety of projects such as skill-based, long-term volunteering preparing young people and adults for the world of work, day-long activities, and fundraising for emergencies.
GILAC has partnered with Mentor Me, a non-profit mentoring organization, where Godrejites volunteer for one year to mentor a child. The mentor – mentee is matched based on shared interests, geography and gender. A mentor meets his/her mentee twice a month – to ensure progress in mentoring. Also, over a period of time, the mentor also builds a relationship with mentee’s surrounding – his/her family and school. The programme is further supported through group mentoring sessions in every quarter.
