June 21, 2023: CBRE South Asia Pvt. Ltd, India’s leading real estate consulting firm, today announced the launch of its Pan-India CSR initiative CBRE Cares- ‘Ek Pehal’ for migrant labourers and their families with the leading Child rights organization – Bal Raksha Bharat across cities including Delhi- NCR, Bangalore, and Pune. CBRE envisions to support ~3 lakh laborers with access to quality health services, formal education, and enhanced nutritional standards, with Bal Raksha Bharat as implementing partner along with government support in the coming years. CBRE has set up a corpus of ~ INR 5 crore for CSR initiatives during this financial year which will be scaled up to ~ INR 15 crore by the end of the year.

‘CBRE Cares- Ek Pehal’ CSR initiatives this year are targeted at providing health services as a curative and preventive treatment, strengthening the health system in mapped government facilities, and ensuring enhancement in the nutrition standards of children, women, men, and adolescents of the target community. The initiative would also ensure children’s access to formal education institutions by addressing the learning gaps and providing remedial measures focusing on learning continuity.

To achieve the desired impact, multiple interventions would be executed across the target cities. This will involve regular engagements with health department for routine health check-up camps in the intervention areas. The project team would set up health camps to ensure the well-being of families residing in urban slums, along with support from the concerned Civil Surgeon / Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO). Before every health camp, the population residing in the catchment areas will be mobilized and made aware by project staff and front-line workers such as – ASHAs and AWWs. Population visiting health camps will be encouraged to avail various government health schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, ABHA Card, etc. The program would also include sensitization on Menstrual Hygiene and providing Sanitary Napkins to Menstruating women and awareness activities on Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (MNCAH), and government schemes and programs. In addition, the initiative would support in Ayushman Bharat – School Health and Wellness Program (AB – SHWP) by building the capacity of teachers and school children.

In the education space, Multi Activity Centers (MAC) will be established, which would act as an accelerated learning centre set up in the intervention area for out-of-school children of the age group of 6-14 years, which include never enrolled and dropped out, including those engaged in child labor or living in street situations or multi-deprivation. To reach out to beneficiaries, CSR initiative will equip schools with learner-friendly, ICT-based resources and build the capacity of teachers on the installed digital resources to improve the learning experiences of girls & boys. Establishment of SMART classroom’s Digital Libraries will provide children with access to physical and digital resources that will aid in children’s education. Schools will be provided with tablets to facilitate access to digital resources for children and teachers.

Commenting on the initiative, Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO – India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE, said, “At CBRE, we believe that every life has an equal right to quality living. Today, millions of migrant workers and their families are building our modern spaces but are surrounded by poverty, illness, and despair; they are fighting a daily battle for survival. Our mission with the launch of our CSR program CBRE Cares – ‘Ek Pehal’ initiative is to create a positive change in their life. I firmly believe that along with our implementation partners, like Bal Raksha Bharat, this initiative will play a significant role in educating families and the community about good health practices. Integrating with ongoing initiatives would further expand the impact of these programs.”

Commenting on the partnership, Sudarshan Suchi, CEO, of Save the Children, said, “We are delighted to partner for the second year in a row with CBRE for ‘Ek Pehal’. Through the partnership, Bal Raksha Bharat will support CBRE in its key objectives, including prioritizing urban malnutrition in children and women across intervention locations and addressing the learning gaps through Catch Up Clubs (CUCs). Bal Raksha Bharat staff will interact with the children and their parents to understand their needs and provide support for their child’s well-being and education. Program will benefit families through mass awareness camps and round-the-year linkages to government schemes Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana”.

Last year CBRE’s CSR program impacted over lakhs of construction workers in Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai. The initiative benefited through awareness campaigns, health camps with nutrition/hygiene kits distribution to the migrant laborers and their families.