Over 1,000 employees of Ford India have joined a global force of 12,000 employees to participate in community projects this week.

As part of the Ford Global Week of Caring initiative, Ford volunteers are out in action in over 20 countries. Ford India employees are engaged in volunteer activities in Chennai, Coimbatore, Sanand and Delhi, starting September 8.

Volunteers will repair schools in Australia and South Africa, organise sanitation awareness campaigns in India, construct community water projects in China and Thailand, and install water desalinisation equipments in Indonesia.

A grant of $90,000 will support many of the projects across Asia-Pacific; nearly $28,000 has been sanctioned for India.

The activities in Chennai kicked off with a literacy mela at Peramanur village, near Ford’s plant, to showcase the outcome of an after-school tutorial project initiated by the company. An awareness campaign on sanitation and a mural painting exercise will be held at two schools in Peramanur and Melrosapuram (near Chennai), where toilets are being constructed. Ford India volunteers will also help renovate toilets at a neighbouring school for girls.

“In Chennai, we are focused on schools and education. The after-school project helps build analytical skills of children. Students who have passed class 12 can perhaps work for us one day. This will take time but it is our vision,” said Tom Chackalackal, ED, Manufacturing, Ford India.

Safe driving sessions for air force personnel and eye check-up camps are also on the cards. Volunteers will distribute school shoes to over 1,500 high-school students in seven villages near Chennai. They will also install water purification systems at three schools.

In Sanand, volunteers will conduct competitions for children and plant trees at a school near its facility.

Many of these projects will be expanded and continued during the coming months as part of Ford’s ongoing community engagement programmes, said Chackalackal.

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