Tag: Social Cause

Barbie initiates Project Udaan to enable girls live their dreams

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

In a bid to fulfill the dreams of young girls, Mattel India has joined hands with the NGO, Masoom, to launch ‘Project Udaan’. The project has come into the existence with an understanding that there are numerous girls who are locked by boundaries of social and economic status. While these girls have grown up admiring Barbie, Mattel believes every girl, like Barbie, has the right to be themselves i.e. smart, successful, ambitious, poised and confident. Project Udaan aims to give these girls the wings to fly with their dreams.

Project Udaan

Project Udaan is a comprehensive three-fold programme that focuses on leadership skills, feminine hygiene program, and vocational training basis participants’ interest mapping. It is a year-long program which will be actively volunteered by the ‘Barbie’ team, designed to equip over 100 girls aged between 14-18 years. The project is aimed to build confidence, self-expression and enable effective learning and development that can present the girls with a chance for a better life.

Activities

As a part of this initiative, Barbie created an exposure for young and enthusiastic kids of the city. The girls from Masoom were taken to KidZania where they could not only explore but live and experience 90+ role-playing activities. These little girls were shown that their dreams could fly free at KidZania through 90+ career opportunities. The trip enabled a roadmap, guiding these tiny feet towards a realistic and achievable goal to fulfill their dreams. It was also an eye-opener for many, as most of the activities showcased were unique and attractive for many of them, thus further enlightening their vision.

Brand Speak

Commenting on the initiative, Ishmeet Singh, Country Manager, Mattel India, said, “Every girl is talented and has the potential to reach for the stars. But where society tries to pull them down, Barbie supports them to help them to live their dreams.”

“Project Udaan has enabled us see the spark on so many faces and we are highly motivated by their overwhelming response.Through our initial activity at KidZania, children got a chance to experience the world of multiple career options. They cherished the life of becoming a Chef, an RJ, a Pilot, a Teacher, an Actor, and so on”, he added.

About Mattel

Mattel is a creations company that inspires the wonder of childhood. Our mission is to be the recognized leader in play, learning, and development worldwide. Mattel’s portfolio of global consumer brands includes American Girl®, Barbie®, Fisher-Price®, Hot Wheels®, Monster High®, and Thomas & Friends®, among many others. Mattel also creates a wealth of lines and products made in collaboration with leading entertainment and technology companies. With a global workforce of approximately 31,000 people, Mattel operates in 40 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Visit us online at www.mattel.com.

 

Drive to Safety, a CSR initiative by ICICI Lombard

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

The total number of road accidents in 2015 was 5,01,423 as against 4,89,400 in 2014, representing an increase of 2.5%. The resulting number of deaths in 2015 was 1,46,133, as against 1,39,671, marking an increase of 4.6%. The number of people injured from these accidents was 5,00,279 in 2015, as against 4,93,474 in 2014, an increase of 1.4%.

Two-wheelers were involved in about 31.5% of the total road accidents in the country in FY2015, highest among all vehicle categories. Lack of professional driver’s training, non-use of safety gear (especially helmet by the rider and the pillion rider) and appropriate road safety behavior are among the major causes of road accidents. Age-specific data also shows that children are susceptible to road accident victims being below 14 years. In 2015, 54.1% of those killed belonged to the 15-30 year age group.

In 2016, ICICI Lombard introduced a unique CSR program named ‘Ride to Safety’. This initiative aimed at improving road safety scenario for children who ride two-wheelers as pillion riders. Workshops were conducted across cities to create awareness for road safety and more importantly, influence the driving behavior of two-wheeler riders. Apart from imparting necessary education to children and their parents on road safety habits, ICICI Lombard distributed ISI-marked helmets that children can wear when they ride two-wheelers as pillion riders. The Company conducted more than 150 workshops in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi till March 2017. Apart from spreading the road safety message, it distributed specially designed ISI marked helmets to 24000 children who attended these workshops.

Just yesterday an awareness program cum rally was organised at the Talkatora Stadium, Delhi. The occasion was graced by many eminent personalities like RSS leader Shri Indresh Kumar, Special Commissioner of Police, Shri Ajay Kashyap and also Shri Nitin Gadkari, the honourable Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways & Shipping.

The event saw many top schools of Delhi in presence and it was an eventful day for children as many special activities like Magic Show, Nukkad Natak and Mimicry Artists were lined up for kids. The children also walked up the stage and sang songs showcasing their hidden talents.

See here a ventriloquist engaging and entertaining the children

The session by Indresh Kumar was especially lot of fun for children and he passed on the message of road safety and need for helmets in an engaging manner. In fact all the activities weaved in the message in an interactive yet effective way.

https://youtu.be/PA0YZv_V7xA

Nitin Gadkari, himself gave helmets to a few children and then flagged off the rally. The emphasis of the rally was on use of helmets especially by kids who generally pillion at the back seat with adult drivers. The rally had experts riding bikes whereas kids from schools wearing these helmets pillioned.

I must say that it truly was a great event and also overall a great initiative by ICICI Lombard.

Speaking on the occasion, ICICI Lombard MD & CEO, Bhargav Dasgupta said, ” Ride to Safety campaign is a part of our vision to contribute to the community at large. This unique CSR program emphasises that children as pillion riders incorporate the road safety habit of wearing a helmet from young age. Our aim is to see each and every two-wheeler riding child with a helmet. We have already distributed 24,000 child specific ISI marked helmets to children. We are committed to this initiative and will be distributing 1,00,000 helmets in the next 5 years to children riding two wheelers as pillion riders.”

Zariya Fest, Select City Walk

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Elite Delhi schools have a general perception of creating spoilt children who dwell in mal-influence. However, who go unnoticed, are the children who use their resources to bring change. Rajavi Mishra, Hanssa Jain, and Sharanya Khemka, students of Step by Step School, founded ‘Zariya’ in 2016. In collaboration with the NGO ‘Samarpan’, an initiative to provide a caring home for orphaned children, Zariya aims to fight child abuse and neglect that takes place in New Delhi. Its first ever endeavour was to develop a sense of achievement among such children. This was done by organizing an 8 month long vocational skill building programme: Kala Ki Pehchaan.

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To showcase their progress and raise funds for the cause, Zariya organized a fest on 20th March at Select CityWalk, which featured performance by the children of Samarpan NGO, concerts, stalls and fashion show. www.foodcloud.in had signed on as the official food partner for the event. They intended to come forward with other inspiring projects to serve the cause. Many home chefs who are associated with food cloud showcased their culinary skills at the event and sold their deletable food. From Thai to Lebanese, Continental and some amazing desserts, there was something for every tastebud to savour. Akanksha Goel, Arsh Khetan, Soven Soni, Ranveer Singh Aujla,Malika Thakur, Shivank Sareen, Sachi Sinha, Utsav Maheshwari,and Dhruv Narula, students from Step By Step School and Sanskriti School played a crucial role in making this show a success. It was a great event and I had a lot fun visiting the same.

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Ladakh based Drukpa Nuns bike across Nepal and India in 2500 km Cycle Yatra; reach Chandigarh

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Chandigarh: Led by His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa, of the Ladakh based Drukpa Order, 500 monks and nuns cycled into India and reached Chandigarh as a part of their 2500 km journey to Hemis Monastery in Ladakh.

The Drukpa Order, which has come to be known for its insistence on gender equality and celebration of diversity regularly organises such events to highlight issues of global significance. The Cycle Yatra, which commenced in Kathmandu (Nepal) on 3rd July 2016 from one of the monasteries of the Drukpa lineage, has become an annual feature of Order’s efforts to promote awareness about the Environmental Crises in the region and inspire collaborative action to resolve it.

4 Picture of Drukpa Nuns cyclying through Dehradun

The two month long Yatra traverses through some of the most arduous routes in the Himalayan region amidst adverse conditions. From the quake-hit regions in Nepal, to the monsoon hit towns in Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Pathankot, Srinagar, Sonmargand Kargil (J&K) – The Yatra will culminate at Hemis Monastery, 45 kilometres from Leh. Where it is scheduled to arrive, prior to Naropa 2016 – a grand spiritual festival that is held once in every 12 years, celebrating the 1000th birth anniversary of the Indian Saint Naropa, patron of the Drukpa Lineage.

2 Picture of Drukpa Nuns cyclying through Dehradun

Picture of Drukpa Nuns cyclying through Dehradun

“The Himalayas have been the home of the Drukpa Lineage for over 1000 years now. Recently, the region has faced several environmental disasters that caused unwanted &unprecedented loss of life and upset the natural ecosystem. Our aim through this journey is to inspire people to be one with nature instead of being in a constant state of war with it. The Himalayas and the earth were formed millions of years before we were and it is our duty to respect them,” said His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa – the 12threincarnation of the head of the Drukpa Order.

Thuksey Rinpoche

His Holinesshas personally led the Cycle Yatra from Kathmandu and plans to complete 2500 kilometres all the way to Hemis Monastery in Ladakh – shattering the conventional concept of the role of the spiritual Guru.It is through his vision that the number of women being inducted into the Order has increased manifold since his accession. The nuns of the Drukpa Order are instrumental in the activities of the Lineage across the Himalayan Region and are fondly known as the ‘Kung Fu Nuns’ for the role they have played in resolving on ground issues.

For his tireless efforts, His Holiness has been conferred the title of ‘Keeper of the Himalayas’ by the United Nations.

About Drukpa Lineage:

The Drukpa Lineage (the “Dragon Lineage”) is an integral part of Himalayan and Central Asian legacy and culture. Dating back to the Indian scholar-saint Naropa, the Drukpa Lineage is woven into the history of Buddhism the geographic locales of India and Central Asia. It is strategically located along some of the world’s most significant historical trading routes and has over 1000 monasteries in the region. The state of Bhutan, honours the Drukpa Lineage as its state religion.

The present Gyalwang Drukpa is the twelfth reincarnation of the founder of the Drukpa Lineage, whose tenant of “service before self” and their zeal to convert compassion into action to tackle international challenges has earned the lineage a robust global following.