In a quiet village in Maharashtra, a group of children sat with crayons in hand, writing cards to their parents, with a promise to care for themselves with pride. It was a simple moment, but one rooted in something much bigger.
This was part of a special initiative by Procter & Gamble India’s stellar brand - Tide and its flagship CSR initiative P&G Shiksha, commemorating the 20-year journey of P&G Shiksha that has redefined what it means to educate a child. For P&G Shiksha, education has always meant empowerment. But now, that empowerment has evolved. It is no longer confined to classrooms and textbooks. In rural pockets, lessons in hygiene are emerging as equally essential because when children understand the value of cleanliness, they carry those lessons with them for life.
20 years of P&G Shiksha
Launched in 2005, well before CSR became a legal mandate, P&G Shiksha began as an initiative focused on building school infrastructure. Over the years, it has evolved into a sustained effort to improve foundational learning for children, especially in underserved communities where continuity in education is not always guaranteed.
The program is impacting over 50 lakh children across the country. While it began by building physical infrastructure, its true transformation lies in what happens within those walls- empowering children through literacy, numeracy, and learning interventions aligned with the aspirations of India’s National Education Policy.
This summer, however, the program took a bold new step. It introduced a subject often overlooked, yet vital to a child’s well-being, not math, not language, but hygiene.
This summer, Tide was in class too
To mark 20 years of P&G Shiksha, P&G India brought a fresh perspective to the idea of learning through hygiene. Tide, one of the company’s most recognisable brands, teamed up with the initiative for a self-hygiene and awareness drive in Khalapur, a village in Maharashtra’s Raigad district. This became possible with the help of Pratham Foundation, an NGO working to improve quality of education in India. Their collective goal became to help children understand why hygiene matters and give them the tools to make it a daily habit. This is that one small step towards long-term social good.
The day-long workshop focused on interaction, trust and small actionable steps. Prior to the workshop, Tide went door-to-door in the nearby villages, collecting school uniforms, washing them and handing them back fresh and clean at the workshop to the children, ready to wear for the new school session. This small but powerful gesture not only demonstrated Tide’s superior cleaning performance but also helped instill a sense of pride and confidence in the children as they stepped into a new academic year.
The workshop also included live demo sessions that showed children how to remove stains and keep their uniform sparkling white and fresh with Tide. They also learnt everyday hygiene practices like regular handwashing, trimmed nails, clean clothes and understanding how germs spread. The idea was to equip and ensure that children left with enough knowledge that they could put into use.
A handmade card with a promise
The workshop also brought families together, in an innovative manner! What happened at the end of the workshop left a lasting impact- something truly powerful.
Each child sat down with a piece of paper and some crayons. With excitement, they created handmade cards for their parents. These cards were promises with messages filled with love and determination to take ownership of their own hygiene.
The act might seem small, but these cards carried a special weight. They showed that the kids not only understood what they were taught but also believed in it.
Learning never stops
The children of Khalapur were also part of the P&G Shiksha Summer Camp 2025, another initiative designed to curb learning loss during the school summer break, especially for children from underserved communities.
Through the camp, organized by P&G Shiksha in partnership with Pratham Educational Foundation across the country, kids engaged in academic reinforcement, storytelling, group activities, and life-skills sessions. The workshop became a natural extension, linking the concepts of self-respect, responsibility and practical learning.
It’s this integrated approach that continues to set P&G Shiksha apart. They treat education as a foundation that includes wellness, confidence and a connection to the community around each child.
A clean shirt, a brighter future
What Tide India and P&G Shiksha demonstrated in Khalapur is a reminder that the true power of education lies in the details — sometimes in phonics and fractions, and at other times, in simple yet profound life lessons.
When children feel good about themselves, when they feel clean, cared for, and included, they show up stronger. They ask questions. They take pride. And they begin to dream bigger.
Because every child who folds their school shirt a little more neatly, or scrubs their hands a little longer, isn’t just forming a habit, they’re shaping a future. And that future matters.