P&G Shiksha: #ChooseForChange (Ad 2018)

~ Kolla Krishna Madhavi

P&G Shiksha - #ChooseForChange is a heart-stirring digital film which highlights access to quality education for all.

P&G Shiksha
Source: Fishsensedq.com

Shiksha is P&G’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. Set in the picturesque Himachal Pradesh, the new campaign conceptualized and created by Leo Burnett India starts off with a young boy, Appu who sees children going to school on a TV and tells his father that he wants to go to 'school' as well. Each day, his father reacts to the same question from Appu with a reassuring smile and gets him ready for school. Appu sets off each day for school with just a pencil in his hand.  

There is no school in the village but the father doesn't want to discourage the child. So each day, the father pretends to take him to school. En route, he tries to distract the child with different activities so the boy forgets about school. This routine continues over several days - Appu never tires of asking to go to school while his father tries to hide his inability to take the boy to a school without dampening the child's hopes.

P&G Shiksha
Source: SocialSamosa

One fine day, a school does come up in the vicinity and you can see the sheer happiness in both the child's and the father's faces when they reach the school's gates. 

The father calls Appu back as the boy steps into the school gates and gives a pencil to him. 

The pencil becomes symbolic of 'school' and a beacon of hope.

Beautifully scripted and executed, few words are needed to describe the myriad of emotions flitting over the father and child, day by day. The father's sensitive understanding of his little child's burning desire to study and his helplessness in supporting his son's quest truly tugs at one's heart. Appu is the symbol of all those children who wish to study, but don't have access to a school.

P&G Shiksha
Source: P&G Shiksha - Facebook

Shiksha is an integral part of P&G's global philanthropic outlay - Live, Learn & Thrive. Launched in 2005, Shiksha has helped 1.2+ million children get access to education. Through this program, they have built the infrastructure and enabled 1500+ schools pan-India. Shiksha has a vision to get India to 100% Literacy. In order to achieve this vision, P&G India has partnered with NGOs like Round Table India (RTI), Save the Children (STC), Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), Navy Wives Welfare Association (NWWA), etc. in their endeavor to support a child's fundamental right to education. A significant fund is made possible for this learning intervention as a result of the contribution from consumers who bought P&G brands for one-quarter of the year and P&G's commitment to the cause of school education.

                                                                                                                                           P&G Shiksha #ChooseForChange
                                                                                                                                             Source: P&G Shiksha -YouTube

"Every child has a right to full-time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal school which satisfies certain essential norms and standards."

Source: The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which represents the consequential legislation envisaged under Article 21-A (The Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002).

Choose For Change - Enable Education for all!

Images Courtesy: P & G Shiksha, Leo Burnett India, Google Images, and other online resources.
Video Courtesy: P & G Shiksha, Leo Burnett India, YouTube & other online resources.

Resources:
https://youtu.be/MoHeBnuVg5I
https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/advertising/pg-shikshas-new-digital-film-will-melt-your-heart/64010569
https://www.socialsamosa.com/2018/05/pg-shiksha-choose-for-change/
https://www.pg.com/en_IN/sustainability/social_responsibility/social-responsibility-programs-in-india.shtml
https://www.fishsensedq.com/digital-creatives/choose-for-change-p-and-g-shiksha/
http://mhrd.gov.in/rte

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