AkzoNobel, a paints and coats MNC and makers of Dulux Paints in India, on Jan 11 announced its partnership with SOS Children’s Villages of India with the objective of helping the latter’s skill development initiatives with AkzoNobel’s “Let’s Colour” program.
At international level, partnership between AkzoNobel and SOS Children’s Villages International has been already launched in 2017. In 2018, Let’s Colour SOS Children’s Villages programs were activated across 10 countries and up to 14 countries is expected to be included in the program in 2019. Being a member of YouthCan! Platform AkzoNobel contributed creating more employment opportunities for young people at risk around the world. Through Let’s Colour programs and professional painters academies the company claims to have trained nearly 1,000 young people on painting, entrepreneurship- and soft skills across countries like Argentina, Belgium, China, Russia, Brazil, Nigeria, South Africa, Pakistan and Indonesia.
As part of the Indian leg, the partnership had a symbolic start where employees of AkzoNobel India came together to paint the community hall as well as ten family homes of SOS Children’s Village Greenfield in Faridabad.
Speaking about the association, Rajiv Rajgopal, Managing Director, AkzoNobel India said, “Skill development has been a focus of our corporate social responsibility initiative in India. Supporting the Skill India Mission, 3500 underprivileged youth have been trained at AkzoNobel’s Paint Academies in India till date. We are delighted to launch the India chapter of our global partnership with SOS Children’s Villages of India. This association aims at supporting the youth under the care of SOS India to enhance their employability by means of improving their communication skills through training. More than 300 youth are expected to benefit from this association.”
Anuja Bansal, Secretary General, SOS Children’s Villages of India said, “SOS India is happy to partner with AkzoNobel under its YouthCan! Initiative, in empowering these youth, while providing them the best of language skills to earn their living in the most dignified way.”
