Reckitt partners with OHO Hill Yatra Season 3 in Uttarakhand for Dettol Climate Resilient School project

Reckitt, world’s leading consumer health and hygiene company, along with partner Plan India, partnered with season 3 of OHO Hill Yatra for its Dettol Climate Resilient School Project, with the theme – ‘Kedarkhand Se Manaskhand Ek No. Uttarakhand’ and culminated grand finale in Dehradun in presence of Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami. The month-long on-ground initiative hosted by RJ Kaavya, reached over 25,000 students and 43 schools, engaging and educating students and communities across 13 districts in Uttarakhand on the issue of climate change. To further its commitment to cover 100% districts of Uttarakhand by 2025, Dettol Banega Swasth India will develop 1 Climate Resilient School per district, focused on reinforcing state’s climate mitigation and adaptation efforts and contributing to the achievement of SDGs.

Hosted at the CM Camp Office in Dehradun, the grand finale was also graced by Special Guest Ravi Bhatnagar, Director, External Affairs and Partnerships, SOA, Reckitt and RJ Kaavya, CEO, OHO Radio.During the event, students from the Climate Resilient Schools presented cultural performances and models on waste management, energy saving, and solar panel retrofitting implemented in their schools. The event also witnessed the launch of Dettol Climate Resilient School Preamble, encouraging children to commit to preserve and safeguard the environment by taking environment-friendly actions for a greener and healthier tomorrow.

Commenting on the grand finale event, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “I congratulate Dettol Banega Swasth India and OHO Radio for this unique campaign in Uttarakhand to drive education among children on the important issue of climate change. The OHO Hill Yatra season 3 campaign by Dettol Climate Resilient School Project, with the theme- ‘Kedarkhand Se Manaskhand Ek No. Uttarakhand’ engaged children and communities across 13 districts of the state. Aligned to the vision of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi – Mission LiFE, this endeavour is truly remarkable and holds an important value as it encourages children to inculcate behavioural change in their everyday lives.”

India is the seventh most vulnerable country to climate change impact, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021. Due to geological factors such as melting glaciers, increased population pressure, seismic activity, and over-exploitation of natural resources, the state of Uttarakhand is vulnerable to climate change. In alignment with Government of India’s Mission LiFE curriculum, Reckitt aims to create a cadre of environmentally conscious children to drive climate resilience in school and community across the state of Uttarakhand with Dettol Climate Resilient School project. Through this project, retrofitting in 4 schools in 4 Dhams of Uttarakhand were done with solar panels, energy efficient lights & fans, low flow water fixtures, waste management. Following schools were covered – Government Upper Primary School, Damta, Uttarkashi (Yamunotri), Government High School, Athali, Uttarkashi (Gangotri), Government Upper Primary School, Ratura, Rudraprayag (Kedarnath) and Government Upper Primary School, Pakhi, Chamoli(Badrinath). The impact of retrofitting in schools translated to a 65% reduction in water wastage, and 64.5% reduction in electricity units charges.

The incorporation of wall murals focusing on the themes of Mission LiFE serves as a powerful tool to raise awareness among students. By actively engaging in environmental education workshops, the project not only aligns with the government’s emphasis on climate action but also directly supports the national goal of fostering environmental consciousness among citizens. The cultivation of environmental responsibility and conscious lifestyles among children through climate-friendly interventions echoes the government’s call for sustainable habits from an early age.

Gaurav Jain, Executive Vice President, Reckitt – South Asia, said, “In a remarkable stride towards sustainability, India has witnessed a substantial boost in its green energy initiatives, transitioning seamlessly from 2023 to 2024. At Reckitt, we believe we have a duty to combat climate change and empower the next generation towards building a sustainable and resilient future. With Dettol Climate Resilient Schools and the OHO Hill Yatra campaign, we have been working closely in the state of Uttarakhand to drive on-ground behaviour change and educate the younger generation through three pillars – Campus, Curriculum and Collaboration. Bearing the flag of Mission LiFE, we look forward to expand the initiative by developing more climate resilient schools in Dev Bhoomi-Uttarakhand, where elements of nature meet in the purest form. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Uttarakhand for their invaluable support as we together work towards building a greener and more resilient Uttarakhand.” 

The Dettol Climate Resilient project partnered with OHO Radio, a coveted local digital radio, to conduct an immersive month-long campaign during the OHO Hill Yatra. Designed to deepen students’ understanding of environmental issues, the campaign focused on promoting Mission LiFE and informing the audience on the critical issue of climate change. The grand finale event encompassed of various cultural performances by students from selected schools of Khatima, Rishikesh, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi, and showcased impact of OHO Hill Yatra campaign, based on the theme ‘Kedarkhand se Manaskhand Ek No. Uttarakhand’.