Vodafone's contribution to #GirlEducation in India

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has evolved in a big way in India over the years and since the CSR law came into effect on April 1, 2014, the entire scenario in this country has changed much faster for the better. Vodafone, the world's leading international mobile telecommunications company, with equity interests in 27 countries and partner markets in more than 40 countries is a key CSR player in our country. With the establishment of the Vodafone Foundation in India in 2007, it confirmed then and keeps up even today with the group's commitment to invest socially in the countries where it does business. Vodafone believes in 'Mobilising the community, mobilising social change.' The Vodafone Foundation in India harnesses the power of mobile technology to deal with some of our most pressing challenges relating to education, health, equality and access. They focus on 4 areas - m-women, m-education, m-health and m-agriculture, and tie up with charities, development agencies and the community to drive social change. ‘World of Difference’ is their unique employee engagement programme that focuses on disaster relief and implements.

I shared with you in an earlier blog post how Vodafone foundation as part of its commitment to the national movement ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’, has partnered with Educate Girls to send over 120,000 girls back to school in Rajasthan and here's more on it. In 2012, India was ranked as the worst of the G20 countries to be a woman in, and 4th worst in the world. Estimates showed that on average a girl in India receives less than 4 years of education in her lifetime. As a result, India is home to the largest number of illiterate women in the world (over 200 million) with almost 3 million eligible yet out-of-school girls, and Rajasthan is the worst hit state with more then 60% of out of school children being girls. It is the state with the highest number of child marriages and child brides, with almost 50% of the girls being married off before the legal age of 18. Established in 2007, Educate Girls is a non-profit that leverages the government’s existing investment in schools to deliver measurable results to a large number of beneficiaries at an extremely low cost.Their tie up with the Vodafone foundation is a boon to so many young girls and here is how it is making a difference.

Meet Manju :)

Meet Seema :)

Meet Suhani :)

While the initiative is targeted at Pali, Jalore, Sirohi, Ajmer, Bundi and Rajsamand districts, Bundi has been the core focus area where they have sent over 60,000 girls back to school and here is how. Giving Championships is Vodafone India Limited’s internal fundraising drive where various circles compete to raise monies for a social cause and this year, through the campaign, the organisation aimed to raise INR 1.5 crore to  improve the quality of education for 60,000 girls in Bundi, Rajasthan by tying up with Educate girls. The campaign successfully surpassed its set target and Vodafone India Limited employees managed to raise INR 1,55,39,996 to ensure improved education for 62,159 girls for another year and contribute towards alleviating the educational issues of women of Bundi district.

Vodafone's contribution is going to go a long way in the continued efforts in the area of education and women empowerment and we hope to see a sea change in the way these scenarios evolve for the better in the future. I am proud to be a Vodafone user :)

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