Bengaluru, January 24, 2025: In honor of National Girl Child Day on January 24, 2025, the IIFL Foundation, the IIFL Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) division, releases the “Sakhiyon Ki Baadi” Anthem to honor the spirit of the millions of Indian girls who are battling against all obstacles to acquire literacy. The Foundation’s steadfast dedication to empowering young girls and guaranteeing that every child has access to school is demonstrated by this uplifting song. It honors the girls who are the backbone of our program for their tenacity and resolve.
The well-known Rajasthani folk singer Kheta Khan performed this lovely anthem, which captures the traditional essence of Rajasthan. The film features colorful images from Sakhiyon Ki Baadi schools that were captured by renowned photographer Abhijit Bhatlekar and Rajiv Shinde, who works for IIFL. Kasbah Films and Media Private Limited edited the video.
Mrs. Madhu Jain, Director of IIFL Foundation, remarked, “The anthem is more than just a song; it is the voice of every girl whose dreams have found a nurturing platform through ‘Sakhiyon Ki Baadi’. This anthem will undoubtedly resonate far and wide, reminding us all of the power of education and the importance of investing in our future leaders. On this National Girl Child Day, we reaffirm our pledge to break barriers and create opportunities for young girls to thrive and shine.”
Sakhiyon Ki Baadi, the IIFL Foundation’s major education initiative, has effectively recruited over 36,000 out-of-school girls into 1,200 schools, mostly in isolated tribal areas of Rajasthan, under Mrs. Jain’s direction. For girls who have never gone to school or whose education has been stopped, the initiative offers educational options. The districts of Udaipur, Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, Banswara, Dungarpur, Sirohi, Pali, Jalore, Bhilwara, Jodhpur, and Ajmer are now participating in the effort.
The IIFL Foundation has numerous more education-related projects in addition to Sakhiyon Ki Baadi. Together with the Rajasthan Education Department, the IIFL Foundation has sponsored 102 girls’ schools in the state and is supplying them with modern classrooms, smart labs, and sanitary restrooms. It’s yet another creative model. In order to support education for first-time students from Rajasthan’s indigenous tribal communities, the “Maa Bari” initiative has renovated 30 schools with contemporary facilities and infrastructure. With the help of another project called “Sampark,” the IIFL Foundation hopes to improve the English and math skills of over 4 lac kids in more than 5800 government schools in Rajasthan, with the possibility of expanding to other schools.
More than 5000 students are introduced to digital pedagogy through the IIFL Foundation’s “Digital Shaala” project, which installs TV sets with AV learning resources for grades 6–10. More than 2.5 lac youngsters receive fundamental literacy through the IIFL Foundation’s Sesame Community radio program. Additionally, the IIFL Foundation operates “Chauras,” a childcare and literacy facility for kids residing on building sites.
In addition to education, the IIFL Foundation is renowned for its effective work in the fields of health, poverty reduction, and climate change. The IIFL Foundation was among the first CSR foundations to introduce farm drones and use drones for last-mile vaccine delivery. The charity serves more than 10 lac beneficiaries through its numerous programs.
