Partners in Progress|KPMG with Literacy India|Education|Environment|Common Purpose
Channel: Literacy India
Date: 2021-12-16

Literacy India was established in the year 1996 as a non-profit organization with the primary objective of providing quality education and skill training to underprivileged women and children and empowering them to become self-reliant. It can rightly be synonymized with the three very powerful yet basic human rights: Education, Employment & Empowerment. Education being the primary focus of the organization is reinforced with a variety of vocational skills and alternative models of education that are relevant, holistic and enriching. 

It is Literacy India’s aim to impart Education/Skills to rural and semi-rural women, youth and children. The organization has advocated for alternate pedagogical methods, especially the use of technology to help provide quality education to the vulnerable. The methods also include fun activities and workshops on group learning, drama, dance, role play etc. Literacy India is working across 15 states with an annual reach out in the year 2019-20 is over 52000 through different projects. 

All Literacy India initiatives and programs are envisaged to be innovative, sustainable and replicable in different parts of the country.
The KPMG Global Services (KGS) has been helping Literacy India, in its mission of educating underprivileged children to transform their lives and to bring about a social change. The Key projects supported by KGS are:
1. Teachers support for better learning outcomes and quality engagement
2. Nutrition program which indirectly helps students with better health and in turn better learning outcomes
Quality education is the key to social and economic growth, the foundation for a country’s development, and a delivery challenge. We need to fight education inequality to defeat economic and other debilitating inequalities. The COVID 19 added fuel to the inequality fire. Vidyapeeth has been providing quality education to the most underserved section. Given the current challenges, the project focuses on ensuring that these children do not fall out of school, become victims of life-altering abuse. In view of this, we need to evolve, adapt and look for techniques that would enable us to create academic modules that enhance the overall growth of these children.  Tech integrated approach was always part of our strategy and this made it possible to continue our project at the same pace and pedagogy. 
Mid-Day Meal Committee has been formed consisting of Vidyapeeth teachers to ensure the quality, nutrition and taste of the food. Special attention is paid to the daily menu so that students get variety without compromising the quality. Corona Pandemic has changed the traditional way of living and brought a new world of technology where students take online classes at home but remains void of nutritious food due to their family’s poor economic conditions. To make the nutritious meal accessible to the children, Literacy India was provided with a ration kit comprising of essential food items from all five food groups making the major nutrition available to them. Ration kit consists of food items covering the major nutrients i.e. Proteins, Carbohydrates, fats, Dietary fibre, Minerals & Vitamins. Ration kits were distributed each quarter to the students. Students were called to the centre in slots and distributed the ration kits, following the covid safety guidelines. In the time of lockdown, when few of the students were unable to reach the centre; they were provided with the ration at their doorstep. Younger students were accompanied by their parents to collect the ration kit. Ration support made nutritious meals accessible to each and every child and they were able to study with focus and concentration without being worried about food. In the time of crisis, when their parents lost livelihood, Nutrition support played a major role in making the families survive