CSR: Gameskraft Foundation and Anthill Creations to develop sustainable playgrounds in government schools of Bengaluru and Gurugram

Bengaluru, India: Gameskraft Foundation, the social arm of the Gameskraft Group, announced its partnership with Anthill Creations – a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the experience of play by building creative, low cost and sustainable playscapes using upcycled material.

This collaboration will lead to the development of sustainable playgrounds across 7 government schools catering to students from low-income backgrounds in Bengaluru and Gurugram. Built for children aged 6 to 14 years old, the partnership aims to enhance their physical, cognitive, and social development through play. This development at a young age is crucial for individuals to build on their skills ahead in life.

“Play is essential for the overall development of a child. Today, over 100 million children in India are deprived of play avenues and we still see it progressively disappear from our homes, schools, and communities. A play area is a place of joy, learning and collaboration, and a functional need of the children. It gives us great joy by collaborating with the Gameskraft Foundation, which is making a difference in many lives. We hope to work together on more projects in the upcoming months and are looking forward to a strong relationship to impact lives together.” added Swetha Manivannan, Head of Business and Design, Anthill Creations.

Anthill Creations’ mission is to set up sustainable playgrounds by upcycling materials such as scrap tires, used metal drums, and other locally available materials. The organization built its first sustainable playground in 2015 after being started by a group of architects from IIT Kharagpur. Today, it continues with the same spirit and a larger team, through innovative solutions for outdoor, indoor, and educational play.

Last year, Gameskraft Foundation had collaborated with Anthill Creations to set up a playscape in Government Higher Primary School, in Garudacharpalya. The school ground was transformed into an interactive play area made with 446 kilograms of upcycled tyres and metal. Comprising various elements – a slide play station, swings, rocket wriggler and a seesaw, this arrangement on the playground was carefully chosen based on the different activities that a child can engage in, to ensure holistic development. This single ground has today impacted 537 lives. Additionally, 25 volunteers from Gameskraft also seized the opportunity to visit the playground to support Anthill in setting up the playscape, and carefully delve deeper into the aspects of sustainable play.

Speaking about the association, Rishi Wadhera, Head of Corporate Communications and CSR of Gameskraft Group, said, “Outdoor play is an integral part of every child’s development which helps them with emotional, physical, and social growth. With this partnership, Gameskraft Foundation is proud to support Anthill on its mission to nurture public interactive learning environments with a focus on sustainability. Not only do we aim to aid skill development for India’s children, but we are also passionate about bringing them happiness through playful learning.”