Guwahati : P&G Shiksha, the flagship CSR program of P&G India,
celebrates a major milestone this year — 20 years of transforming lives
through education. Over the past two decades, the program has been
positively impacting the lives of over 50 lakh children by improving
access and learning in underserved communities across the country. To
commemorate this journey, P&G has unveiled a special coffee table book
titled “Twenty Tales of Triumph”, capturing inspiring stories of
transformation and possibility — a powerful reminder of the change education
can bring when every child is given the chance to thrive.
Along with the robust programs on the ground, P&G Shiksha has also
been raising large-scale awareness on Learning Gaps. This year's initiative #EraseTheLearningGap
dives deeper into the harmful effects of negative labelling on children. When a
child falls behind in class, many face unjust labels like "weak",
"Buddhu", "slow", or "Kaccha Nimbu", which can
lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy that diminishes confidence and reinforces
low expectations, widening the learning gap. The film showcases the story of Bikas
who like many others struggles as he internalizes these negative labels,
adversely affecting his self-esteem. With only 28%* of adults fully
understanding learning gaps, timely support is often lacking. This campaign
highlights the urgent need for intervention, showing that with the right
enablers, and words of encouragement from parents, teachers, and peers,
children can overcome these challenges. As Bikas’ journey demonstrates, when he
succeeds, the entire community celebrates, underscoring that every child's
victory is a win for all. With timely support, each child can learn at their
own pace, rebuild confidence, and ultimately #EraseTheLearningGap.
Watch
the film here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooRwqCDmSUE
P&G Shiksha launched this nationwide initiative to spotlight the
learning gaps, through a power-packed panel that brought together diverse
voices from the world of cinema, psychology, and education.
Moderated by Priyanka Khanna, Author and Former Journalist, the panel
included: Soha Ali Khan, Actress & Author, Kalki Koechlin, Actress, Dr. Varkha
Chulani, Clinical Psychologist & Psychotherapist, and Abhishek Desai, Vice
President - Brand Operation and Category Leader - Grooming, P&G India.
The panel explored how learning gaps often go unnoticed or misunderstood —
showing up as lack of confidence, low participation, or being mislabelled as
“slow” or “disinterested.” These learning gaps are a silent cry for help.
Through personal stories and expert perspectives, the conversation highlighted
the importance of early identification, timely support, and creating safe
environments where children can learn at their own pace. The campaign film,
showcased during the event, served as a powerful reminder that with the right
enablers, anyone can #EraseTheLearningGap.
Speaking about the initiative, Abhishek Desai, Vice President –
Brand Operation and Category Leader – Grooming, P&G India, said, “We proudly celebrate 20 years of P&G
Shiksha—a journey dedicated to ensuring that every child is enabled with
education that lifts, not limits. Over the two decades, P&G Shiksha has
evolved to today focus on learning outcomes. As per ASER 2024, more than half
the children in grade 5 can’t read at grade 2 level. With our targeted
interventions in underserved communities, we remain committed to enabling
children with not just access, but also to learn with understanding. It is not
just our scale of impact, but the way the program impacts an individual that
also counts. That’s why, we have curated Twenty Tales of Triumph – a testament
to the impact created over the 20 years with 20 inspiring stories of
individuals transformed by P&G Shiksha.”
He further added, “Statistics reveal
that only 28%* of adults are aware of learning gaps. We know identification is
the first step to remediation, so we are also working to create large scale
awareness about learning gaps and how they manifest for different children.
With Bikas’ powerful story, we observe how a child can get labelled when he
falls behind. More he hears, more he believes - until an ally comes by with
words of encouragement, a safe learning environment and enablers to help him.
That’s what Shiksha has been doing on the ground, with our partners. This
year’s campaign encourages families and communities to recognize and address
learning gaps early, giving every child a fair chance to succeed.”
Speaking on the occasion, Soha Ali Khan, Actress & Author
shared, “I’ve had the privilege of being
associated with P&G Shiksha for many years now, and it’s incredibly
heartening to see the impact it has created over the past 20 years—evolving
from education access to now tackling more complex yet pertinent issues like
learning gaps. Impacting 50 lakh children from underserved communities is not a
small feat, and it is wonderful to have been a part of this journey where
P&G has remained committed to education. As a parent, I’ve come to
understand how crucial it is to create the right environment at home—one that
nurtures confidence, curiosity, and a love for learning. With the right
enablers, we can truly #EraseTheLearningGap. This year’s message feels
especially relevant, as it reminds us how deeply a child’s sense of self is
shaped by the support and encouragement they receive from their families. Every
child deserves to grow up in a space where they feel capable and cared for—and
that starts with us as parents.”
Kalki Koechlin, Actress added, “Over the years, I’ve
witnessed P&G Shiksha evolve remarkably—from building schools and enhancing
learning environments to tackling a critical issue: the various manifestations
of learning gaps, with harmful labels being the most detrimental. These
labels—‘weak,’ ‘slow,’ ‘not good enough’—are incredibly limiting, quietly
eroding a child's confidence as they internalize them. I am inspired by P&G
Shiksha’s commitment to confront this challenge directly, and I’m proud to be
part of this journey. This initiative has deepened my understanding of learning
gaps, empowering me to better support my child in her educational journey. It’s
time to replace judgment with empathy and create nurturing environments where
every child feels seen, heard, and supported. I also want to congratulate
P&G Shiksha on a wonderful 20 years of dedicated commitment to education,
impacting over 50 lakh children across the country!”
Sharing her perspective, Dr.Varkha Chulani, Clinical Psychologist
and Psychotherapist, said, “As a
clinical psychologist, I see firsthand how children often struggle not because
they lack ability, but because they’ve internalized limiting labels that breed
self-doubt and fear about their potential. The film beautifully captures this
through a child who perceives himself as 'Kaccha Nimbu,' a belief that
resonates not just in the classroom, but also on the playground. Yet, it’s
remarkable how the right intervention can transform a child’s confidence. A
simple gesture of support—a teacher’s reassurance or a peer’s encouragement—can
shift self-doubt into self-belief. This film is a powerful reminder that small
moments can either reinforce insecurity or nurture potential. It serves as a
wake-up call for parents and educators: learning gaps are often hidden, yet
with early recognition and the right support, no child needs to be left behind.
It was wonderful to learn how deliberately P&G Shiksha is working with schools
and communities to create safe and exciting learning environments, to encourage
the children to learn with understanding. The stories of impact we heard are a
testament to the power of what P&G Shiksha is doing.”
Today, in Assam, P&G
Shiksha has streamlined its efforts to enable every child to learn with
conceptual understanding and realise their aspirations. Shiksha uniquely
remains single-mindedly focused on education, creating deep and lasting impact,
across different states of the country. There are multiple stories of impact
that are a reflection of P&G Shiksha’s efforts on the ground. In
Assam, over the years, P&G Shiksha along with Round Table India have
constructed several classrooms across schools in the state, positively
impacting thousands of children through a conducive learning environment.
Over the last 20 years, P&G Shiksha has supported thousands of
schools and communities across the country, impacting over 50 lakh children
from underserved areas via targeted educational interventions. As part of
this, to improve learning outcomes in children, P&G Shiksha focuses on
prevention and remediation. For remediation, it leverages AI-backed technology
with 'Mindspark', a computer-based adaptive learning tool, in partnership with
Educational Initiatives. The program also implements on-ground remedial
learning interventions in partnership with Pratham Education Foundation, using
both community-based and in-school models supported by trained volunteers and
teachers. For prevention, P&G Shiksha focuses on early childhood education
through Pratham Education Foundation, developing motor, cognitive,
social-emotional, language, and creative skills in children to prevent learning
gaps, and laying a strong foundation as they begin school. P&G Shiksha
continues working to enhance learning environments to make them more conducive
to learning, with Round Table India.
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