'Criiio 4 Good' program launched by ICC, BCCI and UNICEF with Indian Ministry of Education

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and UNICEF released a new online, life skills learning program, ‘Criiio 4 Good’ aimed at promoting gender equality among girls and boys on 28 September.

The initiative was launched with the Indian Ministry of Education, Government of India and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Ahmedabad. The first learning modules were delivered by India women’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana to over 1000 school children at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

The entry-level program will have eight sport-for-development modules. They will be themed around gender equity, raising awareness around the issue and the importance of creating equal opportunities for every boy and girl in India.

These programs will be told through the game of cricket.

Eight animated films, visualised through state-of-the-art animation using cricketing examples, will be a part of the Criiio 4 Good initiative. They’ll focus on a specific life skill, namely leadership, problem-solving, confidence, decision-making, negotiation, empathy, teamwork and goal setting. They also feature in-depth research into local nuances.

The Ministry of Education will be promoting the modules to more than 1.5 million schools across India through the Diksha platform, ensuring a legacy beyond the Cricket World Cup.

In addition, each of the eight learning modules are available free of charge on the Criiio website and can be viewed in English, Hindi and Gujarati.

Mandhana spoke glowingly of the initiative which uses cricket to teach life skills and promote gender equity among girls and boys.

“I am immensely proud to support the ICC and UNICEF together with Ministry of Education and BCCI on the Criiio 4 Good initiative," Mandhana said.

"The modules are extremely engaging, and they use the power of cricket to talk about essential life skills and gender equity, among girls and boys in a fun, interactive way. Both girls and boys must be equally supported to reach their full potential, in sport and in life. This is an effort to give message out in a simple and engaging manner.”

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah spoke about how the program promotes both cricket's values and vital life skills.

"The Cricket World Cup is set to inspire the children of India over the course of the next two months and this initiative is a landmark step towards empowering the youth of our nation," Shah said.

"Criiio 4 Good not only promotes the values of cricket but also imparts crucial life skills, including the significance of gender equity. It's a significant stride towards building a more equitable and enlightened future for our children."

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice stated that the program illustrated ICC’s sustained dedication to promoting positive change.

“For the last eight years, the ICC and UNICEF have been leveraging the scale of our global cricket events to improve the lives of children and youth around the world," Allardice noted.

"Criiio 4 Good illustrates our continued commitment to fostering positive change through what promises to be the biggest ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup ever.”