Aviva invites all to help build world’s biggest ‘Bookwall’on National Education Day

Date: 09-Nov-2009

New Delhi: Aviva Life Insurance invites all citizens of Delhi on National Education Day – November 11, to join them in building a giant wall made entirely of books. As part of Aviva’s Street to School program, the books from the wall will be used to educate thousands of underprivileged children supported by Save the Children India, a leading independent organisation working to ensure the rights of children in India. The ‘Aviva Great Wall of Education’ will be created at Ansal Plaza, Khel Gaon Marg and any citizen can walk up and place their old books on the wall to support this noble cause.

This initiative will culminate in a book distribution ceremony on November 16th to Save the Children India. The five day donation drive – November 11-15 - is ‘open to all’ and urges people to donate generously so that a substantial collection of books can be attained to secure the education of underprivileged children.

TR Ramachandran, Managing Director and CEO, Aviva India said, “At Aviva, we genuinely believe that ‘Education is Insurance’ and the ‘Aviva Great Wall of Education’ is another step towards empowering underprivileged children through education in line with our global initiative - Aviva Street to School.”

The donation drive will be activated across Delhi and NCR region through drop boxes placed at various strategic locations, wherein people at large can come forward and donate books. In order to ensure maximum participation, donation boxes are being placed in 300 schools in the region; through which school kids will not only be able to donate their old text books, note books at the drop boxes but also carry their contribution to Ansal Plaza and help build the wall. Tata McGraw Hill, an activity partner has committed to donate 23,000 new books to the wall.

The ‘Aviva Great Wall of Education’ marks another step by Aviva, towards building a bright future for underprivileged children and helping them off the streets and into education. Aviva Life Insurance has partnered with CRY’ (Child Rights and You) and ‘Save the Children’ to facilitate education (including other related factors that could prevent a child from attending school) for over 50,000 children by 2012 under the Street to School initiative. In the first year, Aviva will be reaching out to 20,000 children across 9 projects in 5 states.