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<ul><li>Over 48,000 students participated in the <keyword id="1561517" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="smile-india" source="Orion">Smile India</keyword> foundation <keyword id="15510" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="survey" source="Orion">survey</keyword> covering 22 Indian states. </li><li>58% of teachers notice <keyword id="6354493" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="children" source="Orion">children</keyword> getting distracted easily and lacking social decorum. </li><li>Parents are more involved with their ward’s curriculum following the pandemic. </li></ul>Less than 50 per cent of children are able to catch up with their age-appropriate learning following the <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> pandemic, a new survey on learning loss and education recovery revealed. Over 48,000 students participated in the Smile India foundation survey, covering urban, rural and aspirational districts of 22 states. "According to teachers, less than 50 per cent of children have been able to cope with the learning loss over the last two years," it said. "These are mostly those students who have been regularly performing well prior to the pandemic as well. Hence, bringing the rest of the students to par with their expected learning level will require some time and effort," the survey said. Fifty-eight per cent of teachers noted that children have missed out on social skills and now get distracted easily, it added. "Their attention span has gone low." Forty-seven per cent of them admitted there is an increased interaction between parents and teachers, it said. "Thirty-eight per cent of parents started interacting with teachers by visiting schools. There is a 27 per cent increase in parent-teacher meetings attendance. Fifty per cent of parents interviewed felt the absence of digital learning resources like devices, networks, and data packs made the learning experience inadequate for the children during the pandemic," the survey said. Thirty-one per cent of parents' most preferred mode of learning during the pandemic was direct classes in offline mode or cluster classes, it said. The survey also revealed that worksheets and visits by teachers “were very convenient and useful."

Less than 50% of children able to catch up with age-appropriate learning, claims survey

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has created serious concerns about the <keyword id="6354774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="Orion">mental health</keyword> of children and their families, says <keyword id="427133" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNICEF-report" source="Orion">UNICEF report</keyword> on <keyword id="154477" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mental" source="Orion">mental</keyword> health 'The States of the World's Children 2021'. The report says that around 14 per cent of 15 to 24-year-olds in India, or 1 in 7, have often feeling depressed. Union Health Minister <keyword id="2607815" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mansukh-mandaviya" source="Orion">Mansukh Mandaviya</keyword> on Tuesday released the report here. The report has illustrated in stark terms how events in the wider world can affect the world inside our heads. In the <keyword id="56000" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="unicef" source="Orion">UNICEF</keyword> survey across 21 countries, only 41 per cent of young people in India were willing to seek support for mental health problems, compared to an average of 83 per cent for 21 countries. Releasing the report, minister Mandaviya said, "Mental health has widely been discussed in our Sanatan culture and spirituality. The mutual development of mind and body has been explained in our texts. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. We are very happy that today UNICEF has released a global report on the mental health of children". The Union Minister added further that as the trend of nuclear family instead of joint family has increased in our society, mental health problems have become frequent in children. "Today parents are not able to give enough time to their child, so we need to talk about mental health," he said, and added, "We have been told that around 14 per cent of children worldwide have a mental health problem. It has to be taken seriously." Mandaviya said, "To build a better and developed society, it is necessary to keep monitoring the mental health of children from time to time. For this, arrangements will also have to be made for better mental health of teachers in schools. Because, children trust their teachers the most". Sharing his experience, the minister said that he as the health minister faced mental pressure during the second wave. He continued saying, "People's problems shook me. After that I started doing yoga and cycling in the morning. It is my request to all that you also examine the problems of your mind and work for its betterment. Spend enough time at home with your children. Talk to them in a friendly atmosphere." Children in India seem reticent to seek support for mental stress, according to a survey conducted by UNICEF and Gallup in early 2021 with 20,000 children and adults in 21 countries. Only 41 per cent of young people between 15-24 years of age in India said that it is good to get support for mental health problems, compared to an average of 83 per cent for 21 countries. As per the report, India was the only one of 21 countries where only a minority of young people felt that people experiencing mental health issues should reach out to others. In every other country, a majority of young people (ranging from 56 to 95 per cent) felt that reaching out was the best way to deal with mental health issues. The survey findings, which are previewed in The State of the World's Children 2021, also found that around 14 per cent of 15 to 24-year-olds in India, or 1 in 7, reported often feeling depressed or having little interest in doing things. The proportion ranged from almost one in three in Cameroon, one in seven in India and Bangladesh, to as low as one in ten in Ethiopia and Japan. Across 21 countries, the median was one in five young people. The report notes that as the Covid-19 Pandemic heads into its third year, the impact on children and young people's mental health continues to weigh heavily. Through the pandemic, children have had limited access to support from social services due to lockdown measures. The disruption to routines, education, recreation, as well as concern for family income and health, is leaving many young people feeling afraid, angry, and concerned for their future. According to data from UNESCO, over 286 million children up to grade 6 were out of school in India between 2020-2021. UNICEF's rapid assessment in 2021 found that only 60 per cent could access digital classrooms. Many would not be able to continue their education. The report notes that even before the Covid-19 crisis, children and young people carried the burden of mental health conditions without significant investment in addressing them. According to the latest available estimates, more than 1 in 7 adolescents aged 10-19 is estimated to live with a diagnosed mental disorder globally. Of these, South Asia had the highest numbers of adolescents with mental disorders, according to the report. In India, children with mental health disorders are mostly undiagnosed and hesitant in seeking help or treatment. According to the Indian Journal of Psychiatry in 2019, even before the pandemic, at least 50 million children in India were affected with mental health issues; 80 - 90 per cent have not sought support. Meanwhile, wide gaps persist between mental health needs and mental health funding. India has spent only 0.05 per cent of its health budget annually on mental health, according to Indian Journal of Psychiatry 2017. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/airtel-vodafone-idea-shares-jump-after-government-proposes-to-withdraw-13000-crore-demand-for-spectrum-usage-charges/articleshow/86775903.cms">Airtel, Vodafone Idea shares jump after government proposes to withdraw ₹13,000 crore demand for spectrum usage charges</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/metlife-acquire-stakes-of-elpro-and-iges-stakes-in-pnb-metlife-for-1906-crore/articleshow/86775701.cms">MetLife acquire stakes of Elpro and IGE's stakes in PNB MetLife for ₹1,906 crore</a>

One out of seven in 15-24 years of age often feel depressed in India, says  UNICEF report

<ul><li><keyword id="56000" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNICEF">UNICEF</keyword> and <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword> collaborate to build safer and healthier online experiences for adolescents and children. </li><li>The partnership seeks to create a safe environment for children online and offline.</li></ul><keyword id="275625" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNICEF-India">UNICEF India</keyword> and Facebook today launched a one-year joint initiative on ending violence against children with a special focus on online safety. The partnership seeks to create a safe environment for children online and offline. It aims to improve children’s resilience and capacity to access the digital world safely, increase awareness on violence against children and its impact on children, families, and communities, as well as increase skills of communities and frontline workers to better prevent and respond to violence. This partnership will include a nation-wide social media awareness campaign, and capacity building for 100,000school children on online safety, digital literacy, and psychosocial support. The virtual event saw the presence of Aastha Saxena Khatwani, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women &amp; Child Development, Government of India together with Facebook Head of Programs and Outreach, Madhu Sirohi and <keyword id="11821667" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="unicef-india-deputy-representative-programmes">UNICEF India Deputy Representative Programmes</keyword>, Yasumasa Kimura. Well-known actor and UNICEF India’s celebrity advocate on ending violence against children, <keyword id="6354535" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ayushmann-khurrana">Ayushmann Khurrana</keyword> gave his keynote message. During the launch there was a panel with representatives from UNICEF, Facebook, Leher and a child leader, to discuss challenges and solutions to address safety of children in online and offline spaces. Aastha Saxena Khatwani, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women &amp; Child Development, Government of India said, “In the last year and half, the internet has enabled children to continue with their education, removing the barriers of time and geography. As we encourage children to explore the great knowledge resource available online, we should be cognizant of the threats that come along with the all-pervasive nature of these online mediums. I am glad that UNICEF and Facebook are taking this important step forward to educate and sensitize our younger generation against online abuse.”.” “The COVID-19 pandemic has increased chances for children to face violence – whether online or offline. Acknowledging the significant efforts being made to end violence against children, its important different stakeholders come together, to increase awareness, change behaviors and perceptions around how, when and where violence against children occurs. This is critical to promote better understanding the violence and most effective ways to ensure child safety both online and offline,” said UNICEF India Deputy Representative Programmes, Mr. Yasumasa Kimura. “The partnership with Facebook at this critical time will help shape a safer online and offline world for children to grow, learn and thrive,” he said. Facebook Head of Programs and Outreach, Ms. Madhu Sirohi said, “The pandemic has spurred the adoption of digital platforms. Being online gives young people so many choices. It gives them skills such as self-control and resilience that can help them make decisions that will lead to positive outcomes both online and offline. Protecting children online is important to us and we take this responsibility seriously. Over the years we have worked with parents, governments and safety experts to offer a safe online experience for the youngest members of our community. Today, we are delighted to partner with UNICEF to make the internet safe for children and young audiences. Through this partnership we want to help them participate in public life by using the power of digital platforms, and to advocate for issues they care about.” Supporting the initiative, actor and UNICEF India’s celebrity advocate on ending violence against children, Mr. Ayushmann Khurrana said, “The internet is a double-edged sword. We have seen its myriad benefits during this pandemic. At the same time, it has its own risks. We need to equip our children and adolescents with knowledge and digital tools so they can safely navigate and participate actively in the ever-evolving digital society. As UNICEF India’s celebrity supporter, I am honored to extend my support and voice to this important initiative. I welcome this initiative that will create awareness and help children, parents, teachers and other actors understand better the safety and wellbeing of our children in the digital era and take appropriate preventive and responsive measures.” Speaking at the panel discussion, 16-year-old Jaspreet Singh said, “If the question arises whose responsibility is it to make sure that we are safe, the answer is very simple. It is Us, the users, because if not us, then who? This initiative from UNICEF and Facebook will empower us to experience the power of internet in a safer and responsible way.”

UNICEF India and Facebook launch an initiative on ending violence against children with a special focus on online safety

<ul><li>The initiative comes at a time when thousands of students have been unable to attend classes due to Covid-19 related restrictions.</li><li>The company's 2,500 plus strong retail <keyword id="6359918" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="network">network</keyword> will come together to donate these over 2,500 smartphones under this initiative which celebrates five years of the company's "Make in India" programme.</li><li>The company has partnered with <keyword id="54423" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Teach-For-India">Teach For India</keyword>, to ensure that the children can <keyword id="2278419" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="avail">avail</keyword> these smartphones for <keyword id="23248" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Online-learning">online learning</keyword> and education. </li></ul>India's biggest <keyword id="28168" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smartphone">smartphone</keyword> seller Xiaomi on Thursday said it has partnered with its network of distributors and retail partners to donate 2,500 brand new smartphones worth Rs 2 crore to help needy children in India to continue their education amid the pandemic. The initiative comes at a time when thousands of students have been unable to attend classes due to Covid-19 related restrictions. The company's 2,500 plus strong retail network will come together to donate these over 2,500 smartphones under this initiative which celebrates five years of the company's "Make in India" programme. "At Mi India, we have always believed in making technology accessible to every Indian. We are very grateful to our retail partners who have come together with Mi India to pledge the 2500+ smartphones under this initiative," Muralikrishnan B, Chief Operating Officer at <keyword id="2210169" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Xiaomi-India">Xiaomi India</keyword>, said in a statement. "Children's education is a cause we will continue to work towards," he said. The company has partnered with Teach For India, to ensure that the children can avail these smartphones for online learning and education. The partnership aims to ensure that these brand-new smartphones can be used by children to access online classes, ensuring continuity in their education. "The pandemic has threatened the very moral and social fabric of the nation. The dynamics of education have changed especially for under-resourced communities," said Sandeep Rai, Chief of City Operations at Teach for India. "Teach For India is adapting a new approach, blended learning, which has the potential to change the way children across India learn. We are extremely delighted to partner with Mi India and are thankful to them for stepping forward to empower these students to get the right tools for education." The 'Mi for India' is a Xiaomi initiative. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/trump-was-rushed-from-the-briefing-room-by-secret-service-after-a-shooting-outside-of-the-white-house/articleshow/77474005.cms">Trump was rushed from the briefing room by Secret Service after a shooting outside the White House</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/mckinsey-facebook-amazon-nokia-and-some-other-companies-looking-for-a-product-manager-right-now/slidelist/77464438.cms">McKinsey, Facebook, Amazon, Nokia — and some other companies looking for a product manager right now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/how-karan-bajaj-sold-his-less-than-18-month-old-startup-white-hat-jr-to-byjus/articleshow/77415329.cms">A WhatsApp message, six weeks of talks and a $300 million deal – how Karan Bajaj sold his less than 18-month old startup White Hat Jr to Byju’s</a>

Xiaomi to give 2,500 smartphones worth ₹2 crore to  needy kids in India

<ul><li>LEAD pays a rich tribute to School Owners for their Herculean effort over the lockdown</li><li>The campaign is conceptualised by <keyword id="1557667" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tbwa-india" source="Orion">TBWA India</keyword>.</li></ul>LEAD's latest digital film Out of Syllabus celebrates the unsung efforts of 'Future Line Workers' - school owners who acted as a mentor to teachers and an educator to students. On the occasion of Teacher's Day, it turns the spotlight on the challenges faced by school owners in these testing times as they continue to empower teachers, reassure parents and find innovative ways to help students adjust to their new learning environment. School owners often miss out on the reverence reserved for teachers. This film underlines the valiant work of school owners who placed the academic future of our children above everything, ensuring uninterrupted learning as far as possible. They have put the issues of others above their own - parents questioning school fees, teachers worried about their next salaries, students dealing with the glitches of online education. And managed to hold the entire ecosystem together to ensure uninterrupted online learning for millions of children, despite the changed circumstances caused due to the pandemic. They helped teachers resolve transitioning issues and managed the financial challenges of running a school. All this in the face of life's toughest exam where everything was out of syllabus, school owners have shouldered the burden of their new responsibilities with a smile and emerged as real heroes worthy of applause. LEAD's film thanks these Future Line Workers for all that they have done and in doing so disrupts the communication category just as it has disrupted ed tech. The film gives us a peek into the emotional journey of someone fighting an uphill battle during the lockdown of 18 months. The film also addresses the issue of over 15 lakh schools all over India shutting down due to the pandemic, affecting the academic future of millions of students. <div type="Youtube" id="JGiMnXcXUcQ" title="An Ode to The Future Line Workers | LEAD" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JGiMnXcXUcQ/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Commenting on bringing alive a disruptive initiative, <keyword id="1398302" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="govind-pandey" source="Orion">Govind Pandey</keyword>, CEO of TBWA\India said, “During the pandemic, we have had so many unexpected and unsung heroes who went out of their way to help others. Passionate school owners who understand that education is important and that every child deserves a good one are also such heroes. They did what they could despite all the odds because they know that education makes a huge difference to the kids futures and we couldn’t let the pandemic impact that. We call these school owners Future-Line Workers.” Talking about the initiative, Managing Partner of TBWA\India - Parixit Bhattacharya said, “School Owners are the wind behind the sails of the academic infrastructure of our country. And they needed to be celebrated. This is an effort to tip our proverbial hats to their massive efforts in ensuring the education of our children is never compromised. Out Of Syllabus plays into a never before cultural moment of our country when schools cautiously consider opening their gates to welcome back students after a hiatus of more than 18 months. Who better to bring home this message of hope other than LEAD - the organisation that is providing propulsive learning to thousands of children all over the country no matter which strata they belong to.” Chief Marketing Officer of LEAD, Anupam Gurani said, “We partner with 2,000+ schools across India and we have seen first-hand the commitment of these school owners in educating their students during the pandemic. Our new campaign, Out of Syllabus, is a salute to the indomitable spirit of all these future line warriors who have managed to create a seamless online learning environment by acting as an educator to students &amp; a mentor to teachers.”

Ahead of Teacher's Day, LEAD turns the spotlight on the challenges faced by school owners in these testing times

<ul><li><keyword id="3401450" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="pg-shiksha">P&amp;G Shiksha</keyword> through its intervention has provided online education to 50,000+ <keyword id="4989" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="underprivileged-children">underprivileged children</keyword> in the past year, and has built and supported more than 2300 schools till date that will benefit more than 20 lakh children in the future.</li><li>The <keyword id="11410330" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pg-shiksha-film">P&amp;G Shiksha film</keyword> has been conceptualised and created by <keyword id="131262" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Leo-Burnett">Leo Burnett</keyword>.</li></ul>P&amp;G Shiksha, the flagship CSR program of <keyword id="113078" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PG-India">P&amp;G India</keyword>, recently unveiled its new heart-warming film that highlights the story of sisters Munni and Vidya who realize their dream of attending school and receiving education. The film has been launched across social media platforms YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. P&amp;G Shiksha focuses on providing underprivileged children access to holistic education. The prolonged school closure due to the pandemic has posed a growing concern on learning and continuity of education, especially for underprivileged children. During the past year, P&amp;G Shiksha provided online education to 50,000+ underprivileged children. Till date, P&amp;G Shiksha has built and supported more than 2,300 schools which will impact the lives of more than 20 lakh children. The film, inspired by true events, showcases two parallel worlds around us – one where the slightest disturbance in online schooling is a big matter of concern and the other world where children are still dreaming of going to school in remote parts of the country. Munni and Vidya’s story is a simple yet heart-warming instance of the dreams fulfilled by P&amp;G Shiksha through its interventions. The P&amp;G Shiksha film has been conceptualised and created by Leo Burnett. <div type="Youtube" id="bErKJIWV_sU" title="P&amp;G Shiksha | Munni" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bErKJIWV_sU/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Speaking about the new film, Girish Kalyanaraman, Vice President – Marketing Operations, P&amp;G India said, “We know that education is essential for development of children and society’s growth at large. Education is critical, now more than ever, given the prolonged closure of schools and the impact on children due to the pandemic. During this challenging time, we upgraded P&amp;G Shiksha with online education so that thousands of children could continue learning from home. We hope the film builds an emotional connect with the audience and inspires them to do their bit towards Shiksha.” Rajdeepak Das, MD India and Chief Creative Officer – South Asia, Leo Burnett, said “The lockdown pushed one part of India into online schooling overnight. We have seen when the internet is down, and the child loses even 5 mins of online class there is chaos in the house to get the class back online. And then there is another India where kids don’t have any hope of getting education because there is no school in their entire vicinity. This film portrays the contrast between both worlds in one frame. P&amp;G Shiksha always gives us a canvas to tell a powerful HumanKind story to the world where they can act and bring about a change.” Since its inception in 2005, P&amp;G Shiksha has focused on improving access to holistic education for underprivileged children. P&amp;G partners with leading NGOs and partners who serve as specialists, lending their expertise to specific aspects of the educational system. For instance, Educational Initiatives has expertise in computer-assisted learning software to improve learning levels among children and has been an instrumental partner for P&amp;G Shiksha to reach out to underprivileged children via online education over the last one year. Similarly, the NGO Round Table India, is dedicated to constructing educational infrastructure and supporting schools across India. Pratham has unique expertise in remedial learning to help bring children up to speed with the learning levels as per their curriculum.

P&G Shiksha’s latest ad puts the spotlight on parts of India where children are still dreaming of going to school

<ul><li>Several poor families have lost their livelihoods during this pandemic, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52210888">leaving at least 115 </a>million <keyword id="6354493" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="children">children</keyword> at the risk of <keyword id="6378239" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="malnutrition">malnutrition</keyword>. </li><li>However, according to Economist Mohan Guruswamy, the decline in the next quarter is<a href="https://twitter.com/fayedsouza/status/1300487337739055104"> going to be horrendous.</a> </li><li>Experts say while we control <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword>, we should not forget the development of other health issues and should continue to <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-causes-68-of-under-5-deaths-in-india/">pay attention to them as well. </a> </li></ul>In India, the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> pandemic forced tens of thousands of children to go to sleep on an empty stomach. Several poor families lost their livelihoods, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52210888">leaving at least 115 </a>million children at the risk of malnutrition. And, the latest GDP number isn’t comforting. Economists believe India’s worsening economy — <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/gdp-growth-at-23-9-in-q1-worst-economic-contraction-on-record/articleshow/77851891.cms">which saw a -23.9% dip in GDP in three months</a> — is going to push more people under poverty and is also going to affect the country’s progress in reducing malnutrition. "What will happen is more people will lose jobs, and they'll lose hope. Hunger will increase, child malnutrition will increase, and more people will be pushed into poverty." Santosh Mehrotra, Professor of Economics and Chairperson, Centre for Informal Sector and Labour Studies, <a href="https://twitter.com/fayedsouza/status/1300491428003364864">JNU said in an interview</a>. Prof Mehrotra believes the economy will shrink further and which will reduce daily wages in rural areas. People will come to urban cities to find work, but due to a lack of jobs in the market, we will see a lot more beggars on the streets. However, according to Mohan Guruswamy, the decline hasn’t begun yet and the decline in the next quarter is<a href="https://twitter.com/fayedsouza/status/1300487337739055104"> going to be horrendous.</a> Guruswamy heads the Centre for Policy Alternative and has worked as an adviser to the Finance Ministry in 1998. COVID-19 brings India’s little progress to a halt Over the last few years, India was able to make a little progress in its fight against malnutrition, with a significant decline in child mortality rate. Between 2000 and 2017, India’s under-5 mortality rate (USMR) declined by 49% from 83 deaths per 1000 live births in 2000 to 42 deaths in 2017. There were 1.04 million under-five deaths in 2017, against 2.24 million in 2000, <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2820%2930471-2">according to the latest research published in the Lancet. </a> The mortality data becomes a crucial indicator as <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-causes-68-of-under-5-deaths-in-india/"> 68% of under-five deaths in India are due t</a>o inaccessible proper meals or maternal and child malnutrition. If this progress were to continue, India would have met its Sustainable Goal of reducing under-five mortality to reduce to 25% by 2030. However, the progress came to a halt after the COVID-19 lockdown forced millions of children to stay out of school. For thousands of children in rural areas, this also means they won’t be able to get <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-could-cost-childrens-health-lives-for-years-after-covid-crisis-experts-warn/">food under the Mid-Day meal programme.</a> The World Health Organisation <a href="http://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/nutrition-infocus/feeding-babies-and-young-children-during-the-covid-19-outbreak.htmles,%20protein%20and%20milk">advised </a>people to give fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, protein, and milk to young children and infants during the pandemic. But, migrant labourers and other poor families could not afford to buy fruits and milk every day. Even getting by with a decent meal everyday was becoming a struggle. “I can only give them what I can afford,” a worker<a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-could-cost-childrens-health-lives-for-years-after-covid-crisis-experts-warn/"> told IndiaSpend. </a> Malnutrition perpetuates the vicious cycle of intergenerational undernutrition that results in a high incidence of babies born with low birth weight, more susceptible to infections, more likely to experience growth failure, reflected in high levels of child undernutrition and anaemia, Dr. Sunil Rajpal, Associate Professor, Health Economist, IIHMR University, Jaipur told Business Insider India. Experts say while we control COVID-19, we should not forget the development of other health issues and should continue to <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-causes-68-of-under-5-deaths-in-india/">pay attention to them as well. </a> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/rise-in-work-from-anywhere-will-lead-to-more-outsourcing-thats-an-opportunity-for-tcs-infosys-and-hcl-tech/articleshow/77864248.cms">Rise in 'work from anywhere' will lead to more outsourcing — that's an opportunity for TCS, Infosys and HCL Tech</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/ambani-vs-damani-indias-635-billion-retail-ring-will-see-the-countrys-two-richest-men-battle-with-different-strategies/articleshow/77846555.cms">Ambani vs Damani ⁠— India’s $635 billion retail ring will see the country’s two richest men⁠ battle with different strategies</a>

COVID-19 has added a layer to malnutrition crisis in India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Indian newspaper Balaknama, or "children's journal," pays nearly 90 reporters — all kids — to report on the COVID-19 health crisis and other issues.</li><li>The children all come from the <keyword id="6367743" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="slums">slums</keyword> or streets of Delhi, and the newspaper is helping to teach them skills to lift them out of <keyword id="45057" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Poverty">poverty</keyword>.</li><li>During the <keyword id="43587" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="pandemic">pandemic</keyword>, millions of children around the world have dropped out of school and been forced into <keyword id="185859" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="child-labor">child labor</keyword>.</li></ul>For the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2011/01/23/133109831/taking-a-walk-into-the-lives-of-indias-street-kids">18 million</a> children who live on the streets of Delhi, <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>, and in slums across the country, opportunities for success are hard to come by.But a nonprofit called <a href="https://chetnango.org/">Chetna</a> has been helping children out of poverty through the power of <keyword id="58267" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Journalism">journalism</keyword>. In 2002, Chetna launched <a href="https://balaknama.org/">Balaknama</a>, a newspaper produced by underprivileged kids that reports on the challenges they face in everyday life. The name means "children's journal" in Hindi.Shanno, the senior editor of the monthly publication, says it now has a network of over 90 reporters, all children. "These children live amongst us, on the streets. They work at restaurants and factories or they beg or sell recyclables," Shanno said. "And these kids are very social, street-smart, and natural leaders."<div type="image" title="balaknama" height="1080" width="1920" msid="79156418" hostid="261"></div>Now, after a nationwide lockdown, the young reporters are back on their beats, reporting on life amid the pandemic. October's editorial meeting was held in a park to promote social distancing — the first in-person meeting the team held in six months because of coronavirus health precautions.Some of Balaknama's reporters are illiterate and collect <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> on the ground. Those who are literate, like 18-year old Jyoti, then write up the stories."Before this I used to work in the streets. I used to sort out trash and beg on the streets for money," Jyoti said. "I've never been to school, but I educate myself. I have books from the 10th-grade level."<div type="image" title="11" height="1080" width="1920" msid="79156425" hostid="261"></div>The kids distribute the paper for free — 5,000 copies in Hindi and 3,000 in English. They mostly hand them out in their own neighborhoods, where they want to make a difference and inspire other children."In my experience, a guy who has a stall selling water, his kid will also end up in the same job because he doesn't have the resources to get an education," 17-year-old reporter Deepak said. "So I distribute the paper to them so they can show it to their children and say, 'Look, kids like you have done so well for themselves.'"Balaknama pays reporters a stipend of about 5,000 rupees, or $65 dollars a month, to cover food, phone, and transportation costs. But the real reward for the kids is seeing their names in print.Balaknama moved online when India went under lockdown in March. The virus has killed nearly <a href="https://www.mohfw.gov.in/">130,000 people in India,</a> the third highest death toll in the world. <div type="image" title="4 (1)" height="1080" width="1920" msid="79156428" hostid="261"></div>The kids were given phones and asked to report remotely, sending their dispatches via WhatsApp. But Shanno said many of the kids are still vulnerable in other ways. "Now because of the coronavirus, when kids are begging on the streets, they are being told, 'You must have the virus and we will catch it too, so stay away,'" Shanno said. "People push the kids around and swear at them. So these are the kind of issues we wrote about." And Shanno added that many of them are being pressured to work other jobs amid the pandemic."They told us about how more kids are being forced to work, how they are quitting their education, and how some kids who never worked are now begging on the streets," she said. "It was very sad for us to learn that these children who we had worked so hard to send to school were now working because of COVID-19.<div type="image" title="9" height="1080" width="1920" msid="79156431" hostid="261"></div>In fact, the UN estimates that <a href="https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-henrietta-fores-remarks-press-conference-new-updated">24 million children</a> will drop out of school worldwide due to the pandemic. Many of them will be forced to take up jobs, raising concerns of a spike in child labor. Shanno herself is no stranger to that — she said she remembers working at a clothing factory as a child, working around the clock for $4 or $5 a week. Now she's getting a degree in social work. "I'm the only girl in my family who is well-educated and has created an identity for herself," she said. "And my mom feels proud, too."Shanno hopes that Balaknama can also change the lives of other kids — one story at a time.

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