HCL Foundation to set up five mobile education units in Gautam Buddh Nagar

New Delhi: HCL Foundation Partners with the Police Department of Gautam Buddh Nagar for setting up to five mobile education units over a period of three years

· Key Features:
• Mobile vans (Force Traveler) will be customized to provide a classroom environment
• Each van will be equipped with medium to impart education through digital means (e.g. LCD screen), a space to wash hands, two teachers and learning material
• A team of three people will operate a van – a lady driver, mobilizer and an educator
• These vans will cover two locations each day from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and then 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm
• Thus, each location will effectively have access to mobile education through vans every day
• Street and working children in these locations will be assembled before the van arrives.
• Each van will cater to 30 children
• Appointed local police inspector will support and monitor each van by assigning police officials to volunteer regularly at locations where the vans teach.
The Mobile Vans will be customized to include:
• Audio Video Equipment
• Storage Space for Aluminum Portable folding table with 4 seats and umbrella
• Drinking Water
• Hand Washing Station
• First Aid Box
• Stationery rack
• Extension roof
• Emergency Light
• Sports Material
• Educational Material and its storage
• Dry Nutrition
In pursuit of its objective of providing “Quality Education for All”, HCL Foundation, the CSR arm of HCL Technologies, today signed a memorandum of understanding with the Police Department, Gautam Buddh Nagar, for setting up to 5 mobile education units over a period of 3 years in Gautam Buddha Nagar, under the HCL UDAY Program.

· The program is named “Nanhe Parinde”, an initiative for the education of children living on streets which will be implemented by Chetna NGO.

· The first of its kind in Uttar Pradesh, “Nanhe Parinde” program will connect over 1,500 children living in difficult circumstances with education, digital literacy, spoken English and sports over three years in Gautam Buddh Nagar.

· The mobile units have been especially furbished and set up to ensure safe spaces for children to get academic support (Math and Science), art lessons, digital literacy, English language skills, coaching in sports, wherever possible, such as Football, Volleyball, Athletics, Boxing, Kabaddi and indoor games,

· This initiative is also expected to reduce the rate of school dropout and juvenile crime rates in the community by conducting bridge education activities, coaching and after-school support classes under the supervision of local police officers and NGO staff on a regular basis

· The MoU was signed between the Senior Superintendent of Police Gautam Buddh Nagar, Mr. Vaibhav Krishna, IPS, and Director of HCL Foundation, Ms. Nidhi Pundhir

· There will be regular training on child protection-related issues leading to formation of a Child Rights-based model of Child Parliament

· HCL Foundation will also ensure that students get an access to high-quality education and exposure opportunities for continuous growth and development.

· There will be a constant guidance and mentoring support so that children have access to counselling, safe infrastructure, and observe important days/ events for social awareness, environmental awareness etc. alongside devising a structured plan for engaging HCLites as volunteers in the initiative and ensure regular participation.

· The Police Department, Gautam Buddh Nagar, on the other hand, will appoint the local police inspector to support and monitor each club, initiate legal prosecution against any person, group or body causing harm to the mobile vehicles/community centres/land owned by the State Government and maintain the mobile vehicles/community centres/land owned by the State Government after the expiry of the MoU period.

· Regular health check-up, nutrition support, self-defence and gender-sensitization sessions will also be organized for children.

Quote from Ms Nidhi Pundhir, Director – HCL Foundation

“HCL Foundation’s education initiatives under the urban flagship program – HCL UDAY, always seek to promote access to quality education for all. In the last three years, HCL Foundation has been able to reach out to more than 8000 children living in most difficult circumstances and over 11,000 students in state schools of Noida. With this ‘Nanhe Parinde’ initiative, we wish to provide children, who are compelled to live on streets, with an exposure to new learnings by bringing education at their doorstep. We aim to set up to 5 mobile education units over a period of three years in order to provide access to education as well as functional literacy to these children. We are grateful to the Police Department of Gautam Buddh Nagar for joining hands with us towards achieving this goal of education for all. We are glad that with our joint expertise and resources we will be able to transform the lives of these children”.