Children at the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare could not hide their joy as they had visitors who came calling with several goodies on Tuesday.
The council premises was buzzing with activity as the staff of Navigant India, a Technopark-based consultancy firm, interacted with the children and organised an eye check-up camp for them as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative.
The programme was organised as part of the company’s ‘Vision 1 Million 2020’ programme, which aimed at uplifting societies by providing infrastructure and ensuring accessibility to education.
In connection with the initiative, the firm is observing the period from April 2 to 8 as ‘Service Week.’
According to Mahendra Singh Rawat, the company’s Country Head, the programme is being observed at all branches of Navigant that is headquartered in Chicago.
“We intend to support societies in which we operate. Through the programme, we intend to repay the society by extending a helping hand to the disadvantaged sections through our philanthropic wing, Karunya,” he said.
The company had also committed to constructing a sickroom on the council premises for the benefit of the children. The work that is being undertaken at a cost of around ₹2 lakh is in its final phase and is likely to be formally inaugurated by Social Justice Minister K.K. Shylaja next week.
As a prelude to this, the eye camp was organised in association with Chaithanya Eye Hospital and Research Institute for the children and staff of the council.
Council general secretary S.P. Deepak told The Hindu that efforts were made to ensure the assistance of private companies for infrastructure development in view of the paucity of available funds.
Currently, there were 77 children at the facility and the proposal for the sickroom had been put forth on the basis of a recommendation made by a medical team that had inspected the premises. Officials of Navigant India said the service week got under way with employees’ visits to the Santhi Mandiram in Thiruvananthapuram, and Dejaswee-Mangayar Mangalam and Sree Sarada Devi Anbu Illam, two child care homes in Kanyakumari. Senior officials of the company, including Director-HR Jeena Peter, Chief Operating Officer Paul Praveen, and Compliance Head Vinod Mohan took part.
