Happy Street @ Avadi organised by Nazareth College on June 30
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The one last in a line need not be the least in importance. The last goal on the line of 17 sustainable development goals is no slouch. It in fact has the capacity to build enough muscles to carry all the preceding goals on its sturdy shoulders. It however remains an often-neglected goal. Nazareth Group of Institutions recently addressed this error of omission.
By the way, the 17th SDG goal is “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development”, exactly as defined by the United Nations’ department concerned with sustainable development.
The Nazareth Group launched a software tool (www.mapsdg.com) that would help it track the implementation and progress of the other SDG activities in its schools and colleges.
(The Group has five schools and two colleges within a five kilometre radius in Avadi, with Nazareth College of Arts and Science in Kovilpathagai in Avadi as its flagship institution.)
In addition, the Group is offering this tool (MapSDG) as a paid SaaS product to outside entities for them to use in their SDG journey.
Geetha Subbiah, who is part of Nazareth Group’s IT unit, observes that all SDG initiatives by the Group would be centred around its schools and colleges but not restricted to them.
Geetha cites the example of Idhu Namma Avadi (INA), “a community-wide initiative that has managed strong linkages with the Avadi Municipal Corporation. Anne Andrea, who is part of the group, recalls the plogging initiative carried out by the Group in association with the Avadi Corporation in 2019 (when the Corporation had just been established).
“The plogging exercise would take place every Saturday. We could not cover the entire Avadi Corporation limits as the pandemic cut short the initiative,” says Anne.
A tailoring unit
Says Geetha, “Under the Idhu Namma Avadi banner comes INA Clothing. INA Clothing runs a tailoring unit for the benefit of women from underprivileged backgrounds. We train and also employ them. We also create women entrepreneurs by mentoring them beyond the training. Four hundred and fifty women have been trained. These women stitch uniform for our schools as well as other schools. In terms of general clothing, they stitch blouses and shirts. A company in the United Kingdom has approached INA Clothing for stitching women’s kurtis.”
Kanmani Sanitary Napkin Programme is another outcrop of INA. “Eighteen women for underprivileged backgrounds work in this programme making sanitary napkins,” says Geetha. The programme is aimed at “advancing menstrual health and well-being in rural communities.”
Happy Street @ Avadi (which took place on June 30) is about taking a public space (a street) and running an awareness campaign on SDGs and their importance through stalls that demonstrate them, says Geetha.
Geetha says Henry Maris, Secretary, Nazareth College, goes to other colleges and conducts sessions on SDGs and their importance.
Published – September 14, 2024 10:47 pm IST
