Choone Do
Aasman is a Smile Foundation and NDTV
initiative.
Choone
Do Aasman series II featured true stories
of children living in some of the most conflict
ridden areas in India. These are stories of
their aspirations, against heart shattering
backdrops like drug abuse and suicide of fathers
under heavy debts. But these stories are not
of despair; these are stories of hope for a
better future of the children who stand up in
the face of these circumstances and dare to
nurture a dream.
This year’s
campaign was a series of 15 short two-minute
stories and was aired on NDTV India and NDTV
24x7, for an entire month of August 2010.
These stories
are set in Manipur, Kashmir, Orissa, Maharashtra,
Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana
– places that are politically unstable
due to insurgency, caste based discrimination
or communal conflict. In brief, places where
there is extreme poverty and lack of infrastructure.
These factual
stories show children aged between 11 and 15
years who are spirited to study and want more
out of life. Inspite of the difficult circumstances
amidst which they live, their spirit and aspirations
remain shining and grow only bigger.
Smile Foundation
currently reaches out to over 100,000 deprived
children and youth, across 21 states of the
country through more than 130 welfare projects.
It has undertaken the education of all the children
featured in the series in its health and education
programme for underserved children.
