Mental health drive launched: MCGM

Mumbai: The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) Thursday launched the “Smiling Schools Project”, a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive mental (and emotional)
wellness initiative. Through this project, the MCGM aims to build mental and emotional resilience in children in municipal schools in the city. Collaborative initiatives and several of the best mental wellness institutions across Mumbai have joined hands with Project Mumbai to implement this programme. The five-year project will be driven seamlessly through

MCGM teachers focusing on children studying in Classes five to eight, and will aim to benefit 1,200 MCGM schools and over 3 lakh adolescents in the next five years. “Mental wellness is a growing concern. Increased awareness will only mean more and more teachers and parents coming forward to accept this as a challenge, which needs to be addressed. This will directly, and positively impact children and their growth,” said Shishir Joshi, CEO and founder, Project Mumbai, which conceived this programme. Mr Joshi said that they had started the programme in Mumbai through MCGM but Thane, Navi Mumbai and all other municipal corporations across MMR would be next in line.