Aligarh, Aug 8, 2024: In its ongoing efforts to enhance oral health education, Colgate has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Uttar Pradesh to bring its flagship program, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® (BSBF) to the children across the state.
Through this collaboration, Colgate aims to intensify the outreach of its BSBF in-school program in Uttar Pradesh by committing to reach 50 lakh students in 2 years.
The first phase aims at impacting 50 lakh children by 2026.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Sandeep Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Basic Education, GoUP; M K Shanmuga Sundaram, Principal Secretary, Department of Basic Education, GoUP; and Smt Prabha Narasimhan, MD & CEO of Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited.
Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures®, that translates into ‘Ujwal Muskaan, Ujwal Bhavishya’ in Hindi is a carefully designed initiative focused on right Oral Care habits, raising awareness about tobacco prevention, and promoting good nutrition for Oral Health among school children aged 6 to 15 years.
The program focuses on five critical missions: the right way of brushing, importance of brushing twice daily, replacing one’s toothbrush every three months, abstaining from the use of tobacco, and embracing nutritious food choices. Supplementary materials including dental kits, brushing calendars, teacher training guides, and certificates will arm children and educationists with essential lifelong knowledge.
Addressing the audience at the launch ceremony earlier this week, Sandeep Singh said, “I am delighted to be joined by Ms Prabha Narasimhan, the Colgate team, teachers and students today for this event focused on the important cause of Oral Healthcare. We believe that this is fundamental to overall well-being, and by partnering with Colgate, we aim to bring Oral Care Education to students and inculcate the importance of Oral Hygiene via the curriculum and the libraries in all our schools across the state.”
Addressing the partnership, Prabha Narasimhan, MD & CEO of Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, added, “Our vision to enhance Oral Care awareness and education in India is unwavering, supported by our advancements in scientific research. We are deeply honored to partner with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and are committed to engaging with all 1.93 crore children in the state. With this, we will further propel our mission to create meaningful, positive change for children in the region. Our Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® will continue to champion healthy smiles”.
Since its inception in 1976, the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® program has positively impacted over 176 million children across India with the knowledge of good Oral Health Habits.
The inauguration ceremony hosted in Aligarh officially marked the commencement of this program.
