In 2016, the students of a government school in Tamil Nadu were falling sick because of an ill-equipped toilet. Through a simple four-step problem solving process , Feel-Imagine-Do-Share developed by Design for Change(DFC), a group of thirteen-year-olds solved the problem by making low-cost, replicable and fully functional urinals out of waste plastic bottles.
Design For Change is the world’s largest movement that empowers children around the world with the ‘I CAN Superpower!’ This instils confidence in the children and gets them to believe that they are not helpless, that change is possible, and that they can drive it. Since 2009, in India alone over 4, 80,000 children have been part of the DFC movement and authored 12,000+ projects of change.
This award-winning movement was conceived by NID alumna, Kiran Bir Sethi, in Ahmedabad and has now spread to over 50 countries. DFC has also been recognised by the UN as an actionable step to achieve the global sustainable development goals. DFC wholeheartedly believes in Mahatma Gandhi’s motto, “Be the change you wish to see in the world” and the movement is inspiring children to follow this world over.
Mayank Shah, category head, Parle Products Pvt Ltd said “Parle G, a prominent children’s brand, has partnered with DFC, in supporting the idea of children as change makers. Parle G believes in giving children a free hand to explore the world on their own, nurturing creativity and inducing self-belief that encourages them to follow their passion. Hence, it’s a great fit with our brand philosophy. We are excited to be a part of this initiative.”
