Ensuring Education, Health, Nutrition and Holistic Development of Children on the Construction sites

In India, every year 1.5 million children die before the age of six due to lack of care and protection. The situation is worse for children on construction sites who are even more vulnerable. As a result of extreme poverty of their families, these children suffer from malnutrition, accidents and innumerable health problems and are marginalised from formal schooling, daycare centres or any sort of support systems. The dangerous construction sites are their only playground. However, this need not be the case.

In September 2018, Future Generali adopted ‘The Human Safety Net’- a global CSR initiative pioneered by its group company ‘Generali’. THSM is based on the idea of people helping people. The initiatives have three programs – For Families, For Refugees and For Newborns. The ‘For Families’ program aims to create equal life opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Seeing its relevance in India, Future Generali Insurance India decided to adopt the ‘For Families’ program of THSM with great support from the senior leaders of the organization.

Under the aegis of THSM, Future Generali Insurance India extended its support to Mumbai Mobile Creches and adopted two comprehensive daycare centres on the construction sites of Dharavi and Pendhar in Mumbai. Thus ensuring end to end development of 130 children of migrant construction workers living on these construction sites. Alongside MMC, Future Generali Insurance India created strong support system for children on construction sites and provided them with a nurturing environment for their intellectual and emotional and physical development.

The interventions involves age-appropriate teaching methodology, regular doctors’ visits to monitor children’s health, facilitation of immunization and health camps and supplementary nutrition to the children. They recognised parents’ role as pivotal in the growth and development of children to create awareness on issues relating to children protection and development. FGII regularly reach out to parents and the community where they work in.

The culture of people helping people is not new to FGII employees. The employees have participated in various meaningful engagement initiatives such as reading books to the children and Paint-a-creche initiative. Through Paint-a-creche, the senior leaders and employee volunteers painted the pendhar centre to make it bright and lively for the children. The employees also distributed education kits, drawing kits to the children.

As a part of FGII’s CSR strategy, they plan to have several employee engagement initiatives alongside of their NGO partner MMC to create a long and meaningful impact in the lives of Children on construction sites.

Under Human Safety Net, they have ensured nurturing care and protection of 130 children living on construction sites. They continue to promote equal life chances for disadvantaged children as they move ahead in their journey of spreading joy.