Mumbai: Adani Foundation and Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited (AEML) with support from BMC are launching ‘Safety + Swachhagraha’ in 2,269 schools in Mumbai through a three-day Prerak Training Programme from 24th – 26th Feb 2020. The programme will be attended by Teachers and Principals who will be the Swachhagraha Preraks guiding the students towards ‘Creating a Culture of Cleanliness’ and facilitating a safe environment for children. Various training sessions on Safety and Swachhagraha will be conducted through this programme. This includes safety from any kind of electricity accidents, natural and man-made disasters, fire, transportation, drinking water and other emergencies.
Mrs. Shilin R. Adani, Trustee, Adani Foundation, said, “It is a matter of both pride and privilege that Swachhagraha is set to reach so many school children. They are the future citizens of our nation. They have the power to not only be the change but also lead by example, thereby influencing the people around them to alter their behaviour.”
An AEML spokesperson said, “We at Adani Electricity along with Adani Foundation are happy to launch Swachhagraha and School Safety programme in schools across Mumbai. The objective is to encourage individuals to inculcate the habit of cleanliness and create a sense of ownership for public spaces. Through this programme we want to empower an active group of teachers who motivate students to be ‘Swachhagrahi’. Under the School Safety programme, we want to create a safe environment for children, starting from their homes to their schools and back.”
Swachhagraha — Swachhataka Satyagraha, a Behavioural Change Education Programme, is an initiative of the Adani Foundation. Swachhagraha draws inspiration from Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle movement, which catalysed action through tremendous patience and perseverance, instilling in the Indian mind, dignity and self-respect. It aims at engaging people and bringing about a change, similar in scale to India’s freedom movement, where people get involved to take action for ‘Creating a culture of Cleanliness’
Recognising the need to address safety especially with children, the component of Safety was added to this project.
Highlighting the need for anti-littering attitude and behaviour, the Adani Foundation is striving to create a culture of cleanliness across 19 states. With a team of more than 1,00,000Swachhagrahis, Adani Foundation reaches out to 26,50,000 students every month. Through students and teachers from more than 5,500 schools, the movement has reached out to more than 12,50,00,000 people. The Programme focuses on four key themes, namely, Waste management and Littering, Sanitation, Personal Hygiene and Toilet Etiquettes.
Every Swachhagraha school has ‘Preraks’ who are teachers responsible for strategizing and implementing the cleanliness drive. Students of the schools become part of the Swachhagraha Dal, which inspects the school premises on regular basis and also, creates awareness about hygiene and sanitation, in their schools and the neighborhood through street plays, skit and other activities.
A safe orderly environment is necessary to support students’ achievements. School is the place after home where students spend the maximum time and therefore concern regarding the safety of students and staff in the school is of paramount importance. It is a concern, which has initiated AEML and Adani Foundation to prepare a safety manual in dealing with all aspects of safety both inside and outside schools. Under the Safety programme, we are planning to give training to the prerak that will help them to prevent and reduce incidents or injuries through education. It encourages the school to address safety holistically and adopt environmental, educational and promotional strategies to work towards and injury-free school.
Children are our most important resources and ensuring that they are safe and secure in schools across the country is most important. A safe school builds a culture of safety with awareness and vigilance along with the sensitivity of issues involved.