When it comes to education, ours is a country plagued with dual problems: One is that of enrollment – India has amongst the highest number of out-of-school children in the world – and the second and even more alarming problem is that of drop-outs. In India, just 54 per cent children in the age group 11-14 years are enrolled in schools and a shocking 50 per cent of those who do enroll drop out by class VII.
Our nation needs educational infrastructure that enables millions of children to not only access their right to education but also encourage them to pursue it in a manner that truly empowers them to steer the future of our country. It is to address both these issues that Procter & Gamble launched its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility program Shiksha in 2005, that has today taken shape into a national consumer movement.
Shiksha gives consumer a simple yet powerful way to contribute to the cause of education – a cause they are most concerned about. In the month of April, May & June, every time a consumer buys any P&G Brand, such as Ariel, Tide, Pantene, Head & Shoulder, Gillette amongst others, Shiksha contributes a part of the proceeds towards building schools for lesser-privileged children. Irrespective of sales, P&G will commit a minimum of Rs 1 crore towards Shiksha on an annual basis. Now in its 7th year, Shiksha is back in 2011 with an even stronger commitment - to take its current impact of 150,000 children to the 200,000 mark.
In 2010, Shiksha built over 20 schools, supported 100+ existing schools and aims to build 20 more across India in 2011. Shiksha believes that the secret to a brighter India lies in quality education of our children and propagates the motto – 'Padhega India Toh Badhega India'.
Bollywood megastar Rani Mukherjee, came on-board to extend her unconditional support to Shiksha wehre she helped build a model play school for the children of one of the Shiksha Schools in West Bengal. She was thrilled at the noble objective of establishing a Shiksha school in every corner of India, from Ladakh to Tamil Nadu, from Bengal to Gujarat.
Actor R Madhavan also came forward in support of Shiksha on April 18, 2011, playing an instrumental role in helping to build a wall for the RTI -Shiksha School in Chennai. Madhavan’s visit to the RTI-Shiksha school in Tamil Nadu stood testament to the overwhelming consumer support that Shiksha has received so far. Engaging in an endearing tete-a-tete with all the children of Shiksha, he even spared time to physically contribute to the unique cause by helping build a portion of a school wall.
Madhavan commented that Shiksha is doing a wonderful job of educating underprivileged children. He also drove home the message that the whole of India should pledge their complete support to Shiksha’s peerless initiative by buying P&G products. He added that there is absolutely no doubt that every child dream of going to school, and it is the responsibility of each one of us to help make this dream a reality.
R Madhvan and Rani Mukherjee join an encouraging list of renowned public figures who have come foreward in support of Shiksha – Actors Kajol, Sushmita Sen, Saif Ali Khan and Konkana Sen Sharma, Composer Bappi Lahiri, Social Activist Dr. Kiran Bedi amonhgst many other renowend personalities.
Shiksha has been successful in impacting so many children in India through its association with leading NGOs - Round Table India (RTI), Child Rights and You (CRY), Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) amongst others. RTI is spearheading the identification, establishment, completion and maintenance of RTI Shiksha School projects in the country.
Shiksha is an integral part of P&G's global philanthropy program - Live, Learn & Thrive – which focuses on the development of underprivileged children spread all across the globe, currently reaching out to over 50 million children. Launched in 2004, Shiksha has grown immensely and is today, considered a 'National Consumer Movement' owing to an unequivocal strong customer support base.
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