Suresh Raina Set To Build Sanitation And Drinking Water Facilities In 34 Government Schools

Former India cricketer Suresh Raina will ring in his 34th birthday on November 27 with a series of philanthropic work in tandem with his NGO, the Gracia Raina Foundation (GRF). Raina has pledged to build sanitation and drinking water facilities at 34 Government Schools across Uttar Pradesh, Jammu, and NCR which will ensure the health and hygiene of over 10,000 children studying in these schools. The year-long initiative will be executed in collaboration with Amitabh Shah's Yuva Unstoppable. Apart from the hygiene and sanitation facilities, Raina's philanthropic endeavor will pay special emphasis to Right AGE, an adolescent reproductive and sexual health program that will be rolled out in all 34 schools. The Foundation will also establish better access to smart classes for the students in these schools.

Raina along with his wife Priyanka, co-founders of the Gracia Raina Foundation, kicked off his birthday week by inaugurating the upgraded drinking water facility, separate toilets for boys and girls, hand washing, dishwashing area, and smart classrooms at Govt Composite Middle School, Noor Nagar Sihani, Ghaziabad as part of the joint project of Gracia Raina Foundation and Yuva Unstoppable. The couple also donated ration kits to 500 mothers from underprivileged backgrounds.

"It brings me immense joy to celebrate my 34th birthday with this initiative. Every child deserves quality education, this includes their right to have access to safe and clean drinking water and toilet facilities in schools. I hope we can contribute to this with Gracia Raina Foundation collaborating with Yuva Unstoppable. It is truly humbling to see the upgraded facilities benefiting thousands of kids. This is an excellent start and we look forward to transforming many more schools in the future. There was no better way I could have celebrated my birthday, it was a truly heartwarming experience," Raina said in a statement.

Through the Gracia Raina Foundation, Raina will spearhead the Right Age Program which is targeted at adolescent girls and will also impart scientific knowledge through reproductive health workshops. The couple will also closely work with the students in four schools in their hometown Muradnagar, including those which were attended by Priyanka and Suresh themselves.

Raina was nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 to be the Swachh Bharat Ambassador in UP.

Priyanka expressed her joy on the announcement and said, "We at Gracia Raina Foundation are working with the women and children, in these 34 schools as we upgrade their basic sanitation facilities. We also look forward to conducting our adolescence and reproductive health program -- RightAGE. This is one of the first steps towards ensuring an adequate and apt reproductive health education for adolescents. It aims to be a comprehensive guide that highlights the dos and don'ts of reproductive health."

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