Plan International UK

The charity arm of the restaurant chain Mowgli Street Food has partnered with global children’s charity Plan International UK to transform and renovate two girls’ schools in Varanasi, in Utah Pradesh state, India. Varanasi is the ancestral home city of Mowgli Street Food’s founder Nisha Katona.

Supported by funds raised through the Mowgli Trust, the partnership will increase access to quality and inclusive education for girls locally to help them thrive. Money raised through the restaurants is funding drinking water, new wash facilities and bathrooms, a brand-new STEM lab and library, classroom refurbishments, new digital devices and teacher training. Nisha visited the two schools to see first-hand the development work that will benefit 3,000 children aged 6-17 across both schools. 

The partnership also aims to upskill and train 50 teachers so they can support children with achieving higher grades through supplementary learning sessions. And a new law curriculum is also being delivered through the partnership, further broadening career prospects for local girls.  

Nisha, a former child protection barrister, met pupils, parents and teachers and learnt how the schools are using their curriculum to tackle harmful gender stereotypes. Nisha also helped open a new library at one school, and a new STEM lab at the other. 

Nisha Katona, Founder and CEO of Mowgli Street Food, said:

“As someone with roots in Varanasi, the value of education resonates profoundly with me. Having experienced the impact it can have, I felt a calling to give back to the city that shaped me. Being able to see first-hand how Mowgli’s partnership with Plan International is promoting girls’ education has been truly touching and inspiring. Having been a child protection barrister, I deeply relate to the children and their issues, fueling my passion for this cause.  It is both an honour and a source of immense joy for me to join hands with Plan International on this transformative journey, as we work together to make a lasting difference in the lives of these young girls through this initiative.”   

Ms. Charulata Mishra, a teacher from one of the schools being supported by the partnership, said:

“As a senior teacher at the school where Plan International and Mowgli Trust are working hand-in-hand, I am immensely grateful for the transformative impact their program has had on our students. Witnessing the positive changes in education, the provision of clean water, enhanced sanitation facilities, digital learning initiatives, and the promotion of STEM education has been truly uplifting. The dedication and collaborative efforts of Plan India and Mowgli Trust with the support of Government of Utah Pradesh, have created a conducive and holistic learning environment. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to them for their unwavering commitment to advancing education and empowering the future generation.” 

Rose Caldwell, CEO of Plan International UK, said:

“Around the world, a devastating inevitability that comes with poverty and disasters is that millions of children are missing out on going to school. And we know that it’s often girls that are the worst affected. It’s fantastic to see our partnership with Mowgli start coming to fruition. Through inclusive and accessible education, doors are being opened for girls in India to create a safer and brighter future for themselves.” 

Since Mowgli Street Food opened in 2014, it has raised over £1.8 million for both local and international charities. It is Mowgli’s aim to send up to 40 team members per year to their international projects across the globe, and the restaurant chain hopes team members will visit the schools in India later this year, to also meet the children, parents and teachers impacted by the projects within their community.