Berhampur: HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Ltd., India’s leading private sector non-life insurance provider, reconstructed the ‘Jaya Durga Upper Primary School’; a Govt. School in Pandia Pathar village located in Aska Block, Ganjam District of Odisha. This initiative is a part of its flagship CSR program ‘GAON MERA’ that focuses on improving the current state of education, sanitation and healthcare across rural India. Through this program, HDFC ERGO aims to build and inculcate an environment of learning which is conducive and safe for students in rural areas.
The school had been witnessing low enrolment of local students due to poor infrastructure and lack of basic facilities. With the aim to provide basic sanitation and education facilities, HDFC ERGO took the onus of reconstructing the school for the well-being of children. The reconstructed school now includes 8 newly constructed classrooms with children friendly infrastructure, separate toilets for girls, boys and differently abled children and a playground. The school has also been provided with a RO water filter, Computer, LED Television and indoor & outdoor games. Moreover, the construction of the school has been made to provide the school students, staff and locals as a shelter in case of cyclones and heavy rains since the district is prone to such natural calamities. Additionally, the school will have a vegetable garden, to grow vegetables and fruits which may be served to the school students as part of their mid-day meals.
Commenting on the project, Mr. Samir H. Shah, Executive Director & CFO, HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company said, “We realised, in Pandia Pathar apart from education it was important to provide the locals with a safe place to shelter them from the devastation which is often caused by heavy rains and cyclones. We therefore collaborated with the local authorities to reconstruct the school, in a manner that it can withstand and provide a safe-shelter for the locals in case of such catastrophic events. We are happy that through our efforts, the children in the village can pursue their dreams and locals can feel secure without any socio-economic constraints.”
Under the ‘GAON MERA’ CSR program, HDFC ERGO asked its employees to nominate a village of their choice with an opportunity to collectively give back to the community, thereby enabling employees to nominate their own village and give children in villages wings to dream big and fly high with the power of education. So far, 8 schools have been completed under this initiative with another 8 schools in various stages of construction across different states in India. Using the innovative concept of “Building as Learning Aid” (BaLA), the Company continues to make efforts in this direction.
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