New Delhi, 20 August , 2020; As part of its Social Responsibility program ‘Khushali Shiksha’, DCM Shriram, Sugar Business has started online education for primary school children. The programme is being conducted by a 22 member team from Pratham Education Foundation, the NGO partner of DCM Shriram in 62 villages in 8 blocks of the district (Hariawan, Tadiwan, Bawan, Pihani, Bharkhani, Shahabad, Todarpur).
Prior to COVID-19 pandemic the team was working directly with the government primary schools and communities in these 62 villages in Hardoi & Lakhimpur Kheri districts. The current unprecedented pandemic has caused the team to work from home but the institution is still continuously striving to provide quality education for the children. The team began leveraging the community networks and digital resources to spread awareness regarding the disease and facilitate learning at home. Information regarding access to smart phones/ traditional phones was collected, so that appropriate content could be delivered. The content for learning is being sent daily through digital/telephone mode (text message, WhatsApp, video etc) to 600 plus volunteers, parents, village heads, school management committee members and other stake holders in the 62 villages under ‘Khushali Shiksha Program’.
The team interacts with the stakeholders on a daily basis and has reached out to 1500 children. Taking care of education as well as awareness, WHO certified COVID-19 safety videos are also being sent to the community by the members of the institution so that along with education, parents and children and other stake holders can remain aware of the COVID 19 prevention protocol.
Mr Roshan Lal Tamak, Executive Director & CEO, DCM Shriram, Sugar Business said, "We have kept a focus on continuity of learning, education and awareness for children who are part of the Khushali Shiksha program in our communities. We are happy to see that the connects we built through our community activities in the pre-COVID era are the base of activities being undertaken to reach out to children during these unprecedented times"
Recently a pilot has been launched in these villages to make the children school ready where Mohalla-based activities are in the focus. Along with conducting activities at home, these activities are focusing on making various groups of children in the community and making them ready for school. For this process, 660 volunteers including mothers at village level that are being oriented by the Pratham team remotely and they in turn are conducting learning activities with children in small groups. Till date 200 groups have been created and 1500 children reached.
