Children from Metros welcome Nanhi Kalis from rural towns back-to-school with 3M’s unique program

~3M partners with Reliance Smart to promote girl child education ~

It’s a common question asked to every child in a Metro city – “What do you want to become when you grow up?”. Through good education system and good mentorship from their parents, these children get great exposure to all the right facilities to help them pursue their dreams.

However, did you know that 70% of the girls who are studying in remote towns also want to pursue higher studies, and 74.3% of those girls want to work after studies and have a specific career in mind*?[1] Every child is curious and deserves an education. Project Nanhi Kali managed by K C Mahindra Education Trust is one of the largest community programs imparting education to underprivileged girl children in India. The project provides academic, material and social support that allows a girl child to access quality education, attend school with dignity and reduces the chances of her dropping out.

To strengthen their commitment to support early stage education to the girl child, 3M India has come up with a unique program in partnership with the K C Mahindra Education Trust and Reliance Smart stores. The programme, called “From You to Her”, is all about a child in a Metro city wishing a Nanhi Kali good luck for the new academic year, with a gift of a hand-made craft, and a personalized message.

To execute this, 3M India is organizing craft camps across select Reliance Smart stores during the Back to School season this year. Crafts made by metro city children at these camps, with their personalized messages will be sent to girls in Nanhi Kali schools in Maharashtra as a welcome-back-to-school gift at the start of the academic year.

As a continuation to the gesture, the Nanhi Kalis will send back their hand-written ‘thank you’ notes, which will be given to the children who participated in the craft camps.

It is the endeavor of all three organizations to promote a feeling of empathy and one-ness with girl children pursuing education in rural areas of India, by providing this unique platform for children living in Metro cities.

Apart from the greetings during the ‘Back-to-School’ season, 3M India has also committed to contribute Re.1/- from the sale of every 3M stationery product that is sold from Reliance Smart stores across Faridabad, Mumbai and Bangalore towards education of the girl child.

Commenting at the launch of ‘Back-to-School’ program, former MD of 3M India, Ms. Debarati Sen, who forged the 3M-Nanhi Kali partnership said, “In order to truly raise the awareness on the significance of girl child education, this year, we decided to extend this program to our consumers as well. We are delighted to partner with Reliance Smart who have enabled us to take this initiative to hundreds of households in India.” Ramesh Ramadurai, MD, 3M India also added, “The back-to-school program aims to create a path towards a more empathetic society and we are committed to nurturing education for disadvantages girls through our partnership with Nanhi Kali”

Trustee & Executive Director, K C Mahindra Education Trust, Sheetal Mehta commented: “Education is not just about reading textbooks and writing exams. It is the means to holistic growth of the society and for that, it is of utmost importance to educate our daughters as well as we do our sons. At Project Nanhi Kali, we strive to keep the educational support to our girls as interesting and innovative as possible, with our Yellow Tablets and fun group activities. We are delighted to partner with 3M for their ‘From You to Her’ initiative which will keep our Nanhi Kalis enthused, and at the same time, help imbibe a sense of empathy in the young minds of those from more privileged backgrounds.”

Commenting on the partnership Mr. Damodar Mall, CEO, Reliance Retail Value Format (Grocery Retail) said, “Our stores are significant members of the community they are located in. Working along with the 3M team to invoke awareness and participation amongst our citizen customers about education of the girl child, makes us proud”.

About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $33 billion in sales, our 93,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.

3M in India

3M was established in India in 1988 and has completed 30 years of operations. 3M’s headquarters in India is based in Bengaluru with branch offices at Mumbai, Gurgaon, Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai. 3M leverages its global innovation expertise to develop homegrown solutions that address the unique needs of diverse customers in Indian markets. 3M’s Innovation Centers at Bengaluru and Gurgaon help boost innovation in India for India and its manufacturing footprint is spread across Bengaluru, Pune and Ahmedabad. Today 3M science is improving the lives of millions of Indians - from products that improve manufacturing efficiency and healthcare delivery to safety solutions that enhance road visibility and worker safety and everyday home cleaning solutions. 3M Design Center at the Innovation Center in Bengaluru is one of five 3M Design Centers in the world where 3M takes a proactive route in developing meaningful brand experiences through design.

About Project Nanhi Kali

Project Nanhi Kali is jointly managed by K.C. Mahindra Education Trust and Naandi Foundation. The project has been providing 360-degree educational support to disadvantaged girls from Class 1-10. The intervention includes academic support, through Nanhi Kali Academic Support Centres, where trained tutors engage the girls in concept-based learning. In addition, the Nanhi Kalis are given a Dignity Kit which includes a school bag, stationery, notebooks, feminine hygiene material and a pullover/raincoat (depending on the seasonal needs of the location), every year. The project also works extensively with parents and communities to sensitise them on the importance of sending their girls to school. A recent addition to the project has been the introduction of digital tablets, preloaded with engaging audio-visual education content for secondary school girls. Currently, the project is reaching out to over 154,000 girls in 11 states across India.

About Reliance Smart:

Reliance Smart is a new age supermarket serving the needs of today’s smart and value seeking customers. Reliance Smart provides one-stop shopping experience by offering a wide range of products under one roof, ranging from Grocery, Fruits & Vegetables, Dairy to Kitchenware, Homeware etc., making it a complete shopping destination.

Reliance Smart’s incredible value proposition rewards shoppers more & more for bigger purchase, every single time they shop with 100% assortment being offered below MRP all year round, while delivering a world-class shopping experience.

Over the years, Reliance Smart has catered to the needs of its customers from every day to special occasions across price range. With maximum focus on customer, Reliance Smart continues to offer one of the best in class experience shopping experience in the large format supermarket category with its wide range of offering and its physical proximity to the consumer. Today 165 Reliance Smart stores operate in 100+ cities across the country.