Reckitt, the global leader in consumer healthcare, has launched ‘The Birds and Bees Talk’ programme in Mizoram for children & adolescents.
The programme is focused on deepening the impact in Mizoram as it’s now joining the other five states by equipping thousands of young people with a curriculum focused on helping them make informed choices and grow into healthy adults.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Dr. Lalzirmawia Chhangte, Secretary, James Lalrinchhana, Director; Lallianzuali Bawitlung, Deputy Director, School Education Department, Mizoram and Ravi Bhatnagar, Director, External Affairs and Partnerships SOA, Reckitt.
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Led by Durex, supported by Reckitt in partnership with state governments and implemented by Plan India, ‘The Birds and Bees Talk’ programme is one of its kind, and has been working tirelessly to educate the youth through its comprehensive growing up, life skills education curriculum.
Through this programme, Plan India and Reckitt aim to lay emphasis on the core principles of inclusion, equity, awareness, consent, and protection, to enable children to grow into responsible, healthy adults.
“By fostering this new partnership in Mizoram, TBBT continues to strengthen its roots in Northeast India by equipping thousands of adolescents and young people with essential life skills, knowledge, attitude, and values,” said a statement.
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The programme has developed an e-learning platform ‘Birds and bees buzz’ to deliver sessions to students across the states ensuring that knowledge is not limited by the restraints of physical classes, and an AI-powered Chatbot ‘HeloJubi’, along with a rewards and recognition programme linked to encourage schools, teachers and students to intensively engage with the content.
The holistic approach of the program envisages celebrating special days and important health days across the states leveraging its rich music, art and culture.
The focus is on deepening the impact in Mizoram by equipping thousands of adolescents with a curriculum that will help them make informed choices. It will be executed and implemented across Mizoram in government and recognised private schools to ensure the maximum reach and beneficiaries.
While launching the program, Dr. Lalzirmawia Chhangte, Secretary, School Education Department, Mizoram said, “It is indeed a remarkable day for all of us as we are going to launch “The Birds and Bees Talk Project” under Reckitt and Plan India in the state of Mizoram.”
“The program equips students with knowledge and skills that will help them make informed decisions; show resilience; stay healthy; channel their curiosities in the right direction and to prepare them for an adulthood that is happy, healthy, and safe.”
“I also encourage all the students and teachers to actively participate in the program,” said Dr. Chhangte.
Commenting on the launch, Ravi Bhatnagar, Director, External Affairs and Partnerships SOA, Reckitt said, “Adolescence is a crucial stage to develop an understanding of one’s health and the importance of life skills.”
“We are proud and honored to embark on this new journey with the government of Mizoram to launch Durex-led The Birds and Bees Talk, an engaging, comprehensive program to empower youth with essential life skills, knowledge, attitude, and values,” said Bhatnagar.
“We want to empower each youth of Mizoram on our five pillars: awareness, consent, inclusion, equity and protection. We are humbled to get the support of Mizoram government and authorities to join other five states with the common goal to make our youth empowered,” he added.
The curriculum is divided into 14 key themes or chapters that are divided into two levels: ages 10-14 and 15-19.
The programme is building and launching its digital ecosystem to ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic does not hinder learning and development.
Mohammed Asif, Executive Director, Plan India stated: “We are dedicated to spreading awareness leading to betterment of the society.”
“Plan India has been working for more than two decades to improve the sexual and reproductive health of mothers, optimal growth and development of children, and wellbeing for adolescents by adopting a life cycle approach.”
“This partnership has paved the way for a new and better tomorrow,” Asif said.
“With this, we aim to inform girls, boys, women, and men of Mizoram that adolescents and young people must be equipped and empowered to participate in their own development, which is important for strengthening gender equality in the state and our nation,” he added.