Over 1000 school children from 10 Aanganwadis to benefit from
Bengaluru: Cargill Business Services (CBS) in partnership with United Way Bengaluru launched the ‘Born Learning Program’ in aanganwadi centres of Bellandur area. This program will ensure an optimal learning environment is provided for over 1000 children aged between 0-6 years and help increase their awareness on health, hygiene and nutrition. Work on four of the aanganwadi centres has already been completed and these centres were inaugurated today. The six remaining centres will undergo full infrastructure refurbishment that includes improved outdoor and indoor facilities by end of the year. Cargill has a similar program in Doddaballapur area that supports five centres. That brings the total number of centres supported by Cargill in Bengaluru to 15.
Born Learning is a flagship program of United Way Bengaluru that enables holistic development including school readiness for children before they begin formal schooling. It is based on three core pillars – safe and conducive learning environment, learning outcomes, and community mobilization. The campaign is being implemented with the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Department of Women and Child Development. Through this program Cargill and United Way Bengaluru are together working on at least seven of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, on poverty, hunger, health (including child mortality), education, gender, water, sanitation and inequality.
Speaking at the event, Lalitha Indrakanti, Managing Director and Country Leader, Cargill Business Services said, “At Cargill, we strongly believe in working towards increasing awareness on the importance of health, hygiene and right nutrition especially amongst children. Our aim is to ensure that over the next three years we reach over 1000 children, mothers and ICDS staff through this program to help them get access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education to make them ready for primary education.”
Manish Michael, Chief Executive Officer, United Way Bengaluru said “We are proud to have partnered with Cargill and are highly optimistic that this association will bring in a major transformation in the lives of these children. Thanks to the support from Cargill, the children are getting the right nutrition and many more will get access to a healthy learning environment that will lay a strong foundation for their overall development.”