Hyderabad: Qualcomm ropes in NGOs for noble move

Hyderabad: The semiconductor and software company Qualcomm has joined hands with United Way of Hyderabad (UWH), Transform Schools and People For Action and launched a 'Back to School" programme. The Community based initiative Aqriti-Bac to School' was launched to encourage and support the re-enrollment of vulnerable school students, as part of Qualcomm India's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

The launch was conducted at the Lodha Community Centre in Hyderabad. Team members from Transform Schools, United Way of Hyderabad, Qualcomm India along with students and community members were present at the launch. The objective behind the initiative is to facilitate the return of students to school following the pandemic-induced school closures.

As part of the initiative, 100 hours of learning content, focused on supporting the academic and socio-emotional needs of students, will be provided with the help of printed workbooks, instructional videos, and socially distanced community classes conducted by trained Community-Academic Volunteers (CAVs). The programme will also include co-scholastic activities for students in Grades 8 and 9, focusing on building resilience, emotional self-awareness, communication skills, digital literacy, and safety. The programme will be digitally accessible via Shikshalokam.

The initiative aims to identify vulnerable students who are at risk of discontinuing their education owing to the pandemic and to support their re-enrollment. The participating NGOs will undertake activities such as vulnerability mapping, bridge learning campaigns, community awareness, and family counselling to limit the learning losses incurred by students during school closure. Qualcomm Senior Director (Human Resources) Shalini Prasad said: "Qualcomm India believes in the potential of STEM education to transform the lives of students.

The last year and a half have been very challenging for students, especially those from underprivileged communities. Lack of access to digital infrastructure and other resources needed for digital education has significantly widened the learning gap. We aim to bridge this learning divide, support students in their return to school, and ensure their continued learning through community-led outreach activities under the Aqriti: Back to School initiative."

Pankaj Vinayak Sharma, Executive Director, Transform Schools, and Girija Tulpule, Associate Vice President, United Way of Hyderabad, said that the main aim was to bring students from marginalised communities back to school with grade-appropriate learning and skills.