Itochu India Pvt. Ltd Executes “4R Project” (Respect, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Promoting Environmental Friendly Behaviour, in Gurugram District

Gurugram (India), March 22: Guided by the primary objective of sensitising individuals and promoting community action towards protecting our environment, Government of India launched Mission LiFE in 2021 to inculcate an environment-conscious lifestyle amongst people and societies at large. Aligning with such initiatives of the government, Itochu India Pvt. Ltd. recently funded the Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) project as part of its CSR engagement. This project has been implemented by Shri Muni Charitable Foundation technically supported by ETPA Foundation for Social Development in 100 government schools spread across Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Gurugram (Haryana).

Focussing here on the Gurugram leg of this project, two broad communication techniques were adopted – Firstly, Storytelling sessions were conducted with children (6-10 yrs age group) in 47 government schools spread across the Sohna, Pataudi and Farukhnagar blocks of Gurugram district. Secondly, these sessions were further complimented with mid-media campaigns in form of apt street plays that were performed to sensitise wider community audiences within the vicinity of these schools. The Japanese Picture Book of ‘Mottainai Grandma’ and its animated audio-visuals were used in these storytelling sessions with school children. Mottainai is a Japanese word to express a feeling of regret when something is wasted without deriving its full value. This book illustrates the mindful utilisation of resources and promoting environment-friendly ways of living. In order to further reinstate the concept of 4R (Respect, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) ,special craft making workshops were also conducted in some of these selected schools wherein children made some remarkable articles of common utilities using all waste materials like old boxes, cardboard, newspaper etc.