Hindustan Unilever Limited and India2022 Coalition led by Xynteo today announced a collaboration with the School Education Department, Government of Maharashtra to launch a year-long initiative ‘Waste No More’. The initiative offers specially curated digital school curriculum on waste management for public schools’ students through DIKSHA app, developed by the Government of Maharashtra.
Shri Vishal Solanki, Commissioner, Education, State of Maharashtra said, ‘Children play an important role in advocating environment conservation within the communities. The Government of Maharashtra is committed to its vision of improving cleanliness and sanitation in the state through waste management and segregation. Through the ‘Waste No More’ initiative, we will be able to collectively as a community bring about a change in attitude and behaviour within communities and children have the potential to lead the transformation.’’
The digital curriculum is curated by Academy for Earth Sustainability (AES), organisation engaged in co- designing, building, and facilitating experiential learning programs in partnership with HUL and Xynteo. The curriculum focuses on the Waste No More programme, self-learning modules, interesting interactive content and cartoon animation videos to ignite students’ and teachers’ passion for the environment.
Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever Limited, said, “At Hindustan Unilever, we are deeply committed to playing our part in India’s fight against environmental damage and plastic pollution. We see children as the powerful changemakers, drivers of behavioural change at home and in the communities. Our collaboration with Xynteo and Government of Maharashtra is one more step towards cultivating our change catalysts while spreading awareness in the communities.”
As part of the India2022 coalition, Waste No More pilot programme was executed in Kolhapur and Nashik, where 80,000 students across 1,550 schools were inducted on sustainable waste disposal and segregation methods. We also participated in the MSCERT ‘Summer Camp’ initiative’, wherein Waste No More content has received over 83,940 views on DIKSHA App.
Subhashini Chandran, Managing Director, Xynteo India said, “The ‘Waste No More’ programme has received a tremendous response from children in school. We are delighted to bring this programme to Government schools across the State under the guidance of the Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and Training. This programme will help sow the seeds of environmental consciousness in every student it reaches, laying the ground for building a future abundant with aware and responsible citizens.‘’
India2022 Coalition is in discussion with three states to extend the ‘Waste No More’ programme as part of the educational curriculum, with the aim to reach at least 2.5 million children.
