SBI Life joins hands with SWATI to ensure continued education for tribal children in Odisha
Bhubaneswar : SBI Life Insurance, one of the most trusted private life insurers in India, joined hands with Social Welfare Agency & Training Institute (SWATI), to empower the children oftribal communities in Odisha by providing them quality education in order to develop age appropriate learning levels. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the schools have not been operational in its full swing therefore through this initiative, the project aims to ensure continued education to children of age 4-10 years, through 27 learning centres in the state. The initiative has been undertaken as part of SBI Life’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.
Mr. Mahesh Kumar Sharma, MD & CEO, SBI Life Insurance handed over the cheque to Er. Hari Sankar Rout, Secretary, SWATI in presence of Mr. G Durgadas, President- Zone III, SBI Life Insurance, Mr. Amit Kumar Saha, Regional Director-Bhubaneswar, SBI Life Insuranceand other respected dignitaries.
The covid-19 pandemic has added to the reasons for discontinuation of education within the tribal communities like school’s not being operational, children not having a smartphone or internet connectivity. As a result, many children face the risk of never returning to school as they dropout from school to work at a young age in order to support their families financially. The project caters to the dire need for continuous support to educate these children and improve their reading, basic numeracy and languages skills.
The collaboration, will focus on creating a child-friendly space in Anganwadicentres,Primary Schools(classroom and non-classroom) to attract children towards education by joyful learning.This will offer opportunities to focus on changing the knowledge, skills and attitudes of children towards education and its importance. In addition, the project also factors for providing study resource material to the children and promote positive parenting.
Further, addressing the need of the hour, the collaboration will also help in strengthening COVID appropriate behaviour among children at home and create a hassle-free environment, make them mentally strong to come to school after its reopening. Apart from having dedicated tutors for each of the centres, the program also encourages local educated youth to extend voluntary support towards the upliftment of these children.
SWATI is a registered NGO operating in Odisha since the last two decades in various districts in the field of livelihood promotion of the poor, literacy promotion, women empowerment, health & sanitization for the development of the underprivileged masses in the operational villages.
