Project Nanhi Kali, a pan-India program managed by K.C. Mahindra Education Trust and Naandi Foundation, exists to help underprivileged girls have access to quality education — the ticket that helps one get out from poverty and make it through life with dignity. While some of us might take education for granted, 58 million kids of primary school age don’t know how it feels like to be a student because they are deprived of schooling.

Around the world, 129 million girls are out of school, of which 32 million of primary school age and 97 million of secondary school age. Poverty, conflict, violence, and poor infrastructure are some of the things that stay in their way, preventing them from receiving a quality education. Not attending classes is part of many Indian young girls’ lives. And there are many reasons as to why this happens: living in remote areas, the economic situation of the family, or prioritizing the son’s education over the daughter’s, among many others.

A better-educated woman tends to be more informed about health, have fewer kids, and gets married at a later age, facing life challenges with more confidence, whereas a lack of education affects a girl’s self-worth and safe confidence. In an effort to help them, Nanhi Kali collaborated with Ogilvy India to help it capture the lives of many little girls around India, hoping that by putting the audience face to face with them, it will convince them to engage in helping these kids re-write their stories and fulfill their potential.

“The Tale of 2 Lajjos” focuses on the story of a young girl, as seen through the eyes of a village buffalo. They both share the same name but as the viewers get deeper into the story, they discover that the two have more things in common. Before the video ends, the public hears the buffalo saying that while its life might never change, the girl Lajjos’ destiny must change.

Sheetal Mehta, Trustee & Executive Director, K.C. Mahindra Education Trust, said: “At Nanhi Kali, we believe that every girl should be in school. An educated girl lays the foundation of success not only for herself, but also for her family, her community, and the nation. Nanhi Kali has empowered over 500,000 girls in India with access to quality education. It is not just about the joy of learning, but more importantly, instilling a sense of self-esteem and confidence in the girls.”

Asha Kharga, Chief Customer and Brand Officer, Mahindra Group, continued: “The core purpose of the Mahindra brand is to drive positive change to empower communities so that they Rise. Nanhi Kali’s impact is proof of our purpose in action. It makes Rise come alive. And hence it was time to own our story.”

Kainaz Karmakar & Harshad Rajadhyaksha, Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy India, concluded: “Even today, there are corners of India where the girl is deprived of education. As a result, her confidence and her self-worth take a huge beating. Nanhi Kali believes that education is not just a human right. It is a way for so many girls to feel human. The story, told through the eyes of a noble animal ‘Lajjo,’ does just that. We want to make a special mention of our film director, Afshan Hussain, for telling the story so beautifully. And of Ms. Ila Arun, for lending the perfect emotion to the ‘voice of Lajjo’.”

Project Nanhi Kali was founded to help girls coming from low-income families complete ten years of schooling. Since its inception, the project has reached out to more than 500,000 girls across 14 states in India, helping them in their way for better life quality. While the number is high, the situation is far from being ideal so, to continue supporting these girls, the project encourages both individuals and corporates to participate and financially contribute to these kids’ educational development.

Credits:

Client: Project Nanhi Kali, K.C. Mahindra Education Trust

Agency: Ogilvy India

Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy India: Kainaz Karmakar, Harshad Rajadhyaksha

Creative Directors: Ashok Karkala, Vinay Pawaskar

Creative Team: Kainaz Karmakar, Harshad Rajadhyaksha, Ashok Karkala, Vinay Pawaskar

Account Management Team: Hirol Gandhi, Sushma Singh Vivek

Brand Planning Team: Prem Narayan

Production House: Good Morning Films

Director: Afshan Hussain Shaikh

Executive Producer: Vikram Kalra

Producer: Siddhi Bhopale