India is the world’s largest spice-producing country and an important supplier of Paulig’s Santa Maria spices and herbs. At the same time, India is a country stricken by poverty, not least in rural areas.
- Education provides children with positive childhood experiences such as laughing, learning, playing, eating, and growing, all free from violence and abuse. It opens doors for children to a prosperous future and helps to end poverty”, says Helena Thybell, CEO of Save the Children Sweden.
With this in mind, Paulig decided to give back to the country that provides us with the finest black pepper in the world. In collaboration with Save the Children, a project was launched in 2017 with the aim of decreasing the vulnerability of children by making sure more children are enrolled in school.
The project has included a range of actions, such as improving the quality of study materials, training 117 teachers on child-sensitive pedagogy and children’s rights, competence development among parents and other stakeholders at community and village level and strengthening community-based structures. In addition, Jayanti Herbs & Spices, one of the companies that supplies Paulig, has generously provided technical support and training programmes for farmers so that they can incorporate sustainable agriculture practices and increase their yields, in turn allowing them to increase their household incomes.
All in all, the actions have contributed to 1,274 children being enrolled in school; the majority of these children did not previously receive any education or dropped out of school at a very early age.
- I had the pleasure of visiting one of the 30 selected villages in India just before the outbreak of COVID-19 and I myself witnessed the results of the dedicated work that Save the Children has done in the area. It was an amazing experience and a fantastic feeling to know that even though Paulig is a small player compared to many companies, we can still make a real difference, says Rolf Ladau, CEO of Paulig.
Project continues with the aim of keeping children safe and making sure learning continues throughout the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has had severe implications in India with high death tolls, school closures, and restricted mobility.
- This is the first time in history that most of the schools around the world have been closed and millions of children are missing their friends and learning place. At least 10–16 million children are at risk of never returning to school, which would be devastating, says Thybell.
Knowing that the pandemic could jeopardise the successful progress achieved so far in the Paulig-financed project, Paulig and Save the Children have decided to extend the project in the currently enrolled villages.
- When we now move forward with the project, the focus will be on making sure that the children in these 30 villages remain safe and continue their learning throughout the pandemic. We are determined to provide every tool possible so that they can continue on their path to a better future, says Ladau.
The continuation of the project, which in this next phase will last 14 months, means there will be an additional investment of €150,000.
- Education is the one right that can ensure access to all other rights for our children. The timely and crucial support from the Paulig Group will help us ensure that children not only learn, but also survive and thrive during this challenging period. We thank the Paulig Group for their continued support in our efforts that bring us closer to our mission to protect a million children and their families, explains Sudarshan Suchi, CEO of Save the Children India.
A blueprint for the future
In the future, Paulig and Save the Children wish to draw from their experiences and everything they have learnt from the ongoing project and wish to extend the help to other regions.
- Our aim is for this project to become a blueprint that could be used in other villages, regions, and countries. For this to happen, continued collaboration and the involvement of more companies, suppliers, and community officials is crucial. Together we can make a difference, says Ladau.
For further information, please contact:
Lea Rankinen
Director, Sustainability and Public Affairs
lea.rankinen@paulig.com
+358 41 539 46 09
About Paulig
Paulig is a family-owned food and beverage company, growing a new, sustainable food culture – one that is good for both people and the planet. Paulig provides all things tasty; coffees and beverages, Tex Mex and spices, snacks and plant-based choices. The company's brands are Paulig, Santa Maria, Risenta, Gold&Green and Poco Loco. Paulig’s sales amounted to EUR 920 million in 2020. The company has over 2,000 passionate employees in 13 different countries working around the purpose For a life full of flavour.
www.pauliggroup.com
