We are excited to share that ThinkZone has begun rolling out a statewide parental engagement program in collaboration with the Odisha State Education Program Authority (OSEPA) and the Government of Odisha. This initiative is designed to support over 856,000 children across the state in building their foundational skills through active involvement from their parents. The statewide rollout aims to support continued learning for children impacted by school closures caused by extreme heatwaves, ensuring that their education doesn’t stop even when they can’t attend school.
To make learning at home easier and more relatable, we’ve introduced a virtual teacher character – Bina Didi (ବୀଣା ଦିଦି).
Bina Didi sends parents bite-sized, easy-to-use learning content in Odia via WhatsApp, helping them engage actively in their children’s learning journey.
Here’s an introductory video of Bina Didi designed for parents – take a look!
With the use of accessible technology, content in Odia, and the active involvement of school teachers, we are enabling parents to play a key role in helping their children develop essential skills at home.
This effort builds upon the success of our LiftEd initiative, which started as a pilot in one block and is now expanding across the state. We are grateful for the support of our LiftEd partners—Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Reliance Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation, British Asian Trust, and Central Square Foundation—for their continued commitment to this work.
As we move forward, we are excited to continue scaling this program and empowering parents across Odisha to help their children succeed in their education.
