60,000 Children Take Part in Children’s Day Programmes at Malabar Group Centres

Malabar Group, one of the world’s largest jewellery retailers, marked Children’s Day with programmes across its 1531 Micro Learning Centres (MLCs) in India. The celebrations engaged around 60,000 children, many of whom were previously out of school or involved in child labour due to challenging social and economic circumstances.

The day began with the distribution of sweets and included several learning activities and interactive sessions aimed at building confidence and encouraging participation. Parents, community leaders, police and health officials joined Malabar Group representatives in participating in the events.

The MLCs provide one year of primary-level bridge schooling for underprivileged children, preparing them to transition into formal education. The centres also offer nutritional support, serving milk, fruits and eggs daily, to help children learn with better focus. With a teacher-student ratio of 1:40, trained local graduates lead the sessions. So far, the programme has helped 30,000 children return to mainstream schooling.

Malabar Group Chairman M. P. Ahammed said the initiative meets two fundamental needs of children: nutrition and learning. “A child learns better when they feel secure and cared for. Nutrition strengthens their ability to study, education gives them direction,” he said.

The centres operate under the Group’s Hunger Free World initiative, which distributes 1,05,000 food packets daily and extends support to communities in Zambia and Ethiopia. Malabar Group has invested ₹356 crore in social welfare programmes, benefiting more than 17 lakh people, with focus areas including women’s empowerment, girl child scholarships, health care support and elderly care through its Grandma Home project.