India: looking back on my visit
I often wonder what would happen if charities chose to show images of the success stories of their work and not focus on poverty and harrowing images.
What I remember most about my visit was the success stories and seeing the girls graduate from their courses, see them laughing and playing like children should.
For me that’s what resonates. It proved to me just how tangible, real and immediate mine and my colleagues’ contribution is.
I’m so grateful to have been given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness what happens when people step in and do their bit; I’m so inspired by my Reckitt Benckiser colleagues who have been making so much effort to support Save the Children.
I’m so proud to work for Reckitt Benckiser. We’re a successful global business and using our power to make a difference. This is what we have all achieved with Save the Children to date through our funding in India alone:
- Last year 140 girls were completely withdrawn from abusive domestic work
- Last year 151 girls graduated from the beautician course and are now either in full time employment or are working freelance
- Last year more than 1,000 girls have been on official Save the Children vocational and educational programmes
- We’ve built four vocational centres across Bengal to educate and train girls in domestic labour
- We’ve opened six educational drop-in centres
- We’ve set up 19 child protection groups covering 570 villages in Bengal
- Over the next few years we aim to open 15 more educational drop-in centres and save 500 girls from abusive domestic work.
I never imagined that though my day job I would get the opportunity to turn my skills and drive to such a good cause. I’m inspired to continue and never turn a blind eye. Thank you Reckitt Benckiser and Save the Children, you can count on me.
To find out more about the different programmes Reckitt Benckiser funds globally with Save the Children run, you can read more on our Million Brighter Futures website.
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