Lending a smile on Children’s Day
November 17, 2008
Author: Smile Team
Balika Vadhu smile on Children’s Day
November 14, 2008
Say NO child Labour, Say YES to schools
Pudhari Goa (01 May 2014)
Responding to Child’s need will help in understanding them better
Vijay Karnataka (27 August 2014)
Smile Foundation supports the deprived
New Ispat Mail (January 11, 2011)
Rajeev Khandelwal supported the education of Smile Kids
(ashtriya Rakshak (November 29, 2011)
Slumdog kids inspired me: I Am Kalam boy Harsh Mayar
(14 November 2010)
He may be just 12 but Delhi slum boy Harsh Mayar, who plays the lead in the critically-acclaimed I Am Kalam, calls himself a struggling artist wanting to join the big league and inspired by the kid stars of Slumdog Millionaire.
“I have been struggling for a break for the past six years. I even went to Mumbai to try in (UTV Spotboy’s) Chillar Party but could not make the final cut,” says the class VIII student of Yogi Arvind Sarvodya Bal Vidyalaya School. Harsh plays the role of Chhotu, whose hunger for education, something which he cannot aspire to have because of penury, is the story of Nila Madhab Panda’s I Am Kalam set in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The poor boy is inspired by APJ Abdul Kalam so much so that he starts referring to himself by the name of the former president. Living in the Dakshinpuri slum area in New Delhi, Harsh dreams of being in Bollywood. “I always dream of acting, singing and dancing in Bollywood films. I watched Slumdog Millionaire many times. I wanted to do that kind of roles. And when I got this role I was very happy,” Harsh told PTI. His father Ashok runs a small business. Though he finds it difficult at times to make ends meet he always encourages his son to pursue his goal.
To chase his dream, the young boy has been participating in theatre workshops and reality shows. He reached the fourth round of Dance India Dance this year. In the film, Harsh works in a dhaba (owned by Gulshan Grover) and his life takes an unexpected turn when he befriends the son of an erstwhile king of a princely state. And when he reads his friend’s old books, he hopes of achieving his dream. Child star Hussan Saad, who was seen in Delhi 6, plays the role of the rich friend. “Through an engaging, entertaining and fast-paced narrative like a fable, the 87-minute film takes the viewer to the world of Chhotu, who at one point starts referring to himself as Kalam after watching on TV, the former president speak about how he got his education fighting several odds,” says director Panda. Grover, who recently bagged a role with Hollywood siren Salma Hayek, says his role in I Am Kalam gave him a different kind of satisfaction.
“I have worked in over 400 films but working in movies of this genre gives you a rare kind of satisfaction. Necessity of proper education is something we should try to focus on more in our films,” he says.
The film has won a number of awards and recognitions on the international circuit. It won the best feature film at the Lucas International film festival in Germany, the prestigious Don Quijote Prize of the International Federation of Cine-Clubs (FICC) awards, the special mention at the Cinekid Film Festival and the audience award at Babican London Children’s Film festival. It will be showcased in a number of upcoming festivals in India and abroad including the International Film festival of India at Goa later this month. Produced by Smile Foundation, the film took six months to complete. The strong narrative, scripted by Sanjay Chauhan (of Pan Singh Tomar fame) talks about how every child deserves to live his childhood, no matter where he is born. The cast includes French actress Beatrice Ordeix who plays the role of a tourist.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_slumdog-kids-inspired-me-i-am-kalam-boy-harsh-mayar_1466489
Teaching the Teacher is the key
( 2 February 2020 )
Hyderabad is a fast growing city in India. Newly developed infrastructures, a fast growing industrial belt have made it one of the most populous cities in the recent years. The city attracts immigrants from all parts of the country now.
Apart from growing at a fast pace Hyderabad also suffers from major urbanisation issues. While most of the city is developed and progressing at a fast pace there still remains a considerable population who still live in slums in poor conditions. Some of the concerned issues include poverty, rising population, unemployment, poor public health and education. Poor health conditions have increased the vulnerability of the people to diseases like malaria, dengue, diarrhoea, TB and HIV.
INTERVENTION
In order to take care of the health care needs of the underprivileged population Smile Foundation intervened and launched a Smile on Wheels project in Hyderabad. The project was initiated with support from United Health Group.
Key issues of concerns were found out to be lack of awareness, poor sanitation facilities and no access to proper medical facilities. This is why it was very important to initiate a project that would provide proper medical facilities along with raising awareness too. Children, mothers, daily wage earners are the main focus of this project.
Project Highlights
12 health camps were conducted at Balaji Nagar, Saibaba nagar, Nandanavanam, Ews, Indrasenareddy Nagar, Rahmathnagar, Khanametta, Chilkanagar – 1, BS Maqtha, Indira Nagar, Hafeezpet, Vinayaka Nagar, Vinayaka Nagar, Addagutta and Ambernagar.
A theme based street play was organized covering a population of around 800 people.
To provide primary health care services to underprivileged in the identified villages/slums of Hyderabad through Mobile Medical Unit (MMU).
Health awareness (IEC and BCC) activities to generate the demand and promote preventive measures to improve health seeking behaviour.
IMPACT
A TOTAL 281 OPDS ORGANIZED
OVER 281 ICE ACTIVITIES WERE CONDUCTED LAST YEAR, BENEFITING MORE THAN 4300 PEOPLE
2828 PATHOLOGICAL TESTS WERE CONDUCTED SO FAR.
A TOTAL OF 23581 PEOPLE BENEFITED OF WHICH 67% BENEFICIARIES WERE WOMEN
Rae Bareli – Bringing the Prosperity of Good Health to the Underprivileged
The rural inhabitants make up more than 77 percent of the total population, living different villages of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India. Despite forming a major part of the state’s population, these rural areas face a dearth of health facilities. This dismal health situation is reflected in the Raebareli district of Uttar Pradesh.
The grim health scenario is evident from the increasing infant and maternal mortality rate, poor sanitation, prevalence of chronic diseases, and non-availability of qualified medical staff. Lack of proper infrastructure for sub-centres and PHCs or CHCs is a major issue. The condition of the rural women is no less terrible. Young girls are married of early; as a result they bear children at an age when their bodies are not ready medically and physically. Thus, majority of the children suffer from malnutrition and many of them are not even able to celebrate their fifth birthday.
INTERVENTION
In these gloomy circumstances, “Smile on Wheels” came as a ray of hope in the lives of the rural population of Rae Bareli. Smile Foundation in association with RECL launched Smile on Wheels for rendering primary health services in 10 villages of Block – Harchandpur, District – Raebareli (UP).
The project is poised to benefit 18500 people directly every year by taking Smile on Wheels to the doorsteps of the villagers. The major aim was to provide mobile health services comprising of Daily OPDs, Lab tests, counselling sessions and awareness programs to the community.
To begin with, Smile Foundation carried out a baseline survey in order to get a clear picture of the health condition in 15 villages of Harchandarpur Block of Rae Bareli district. Health and hygiene conditions in majority of the villages were found to be poor. Lack of proper drainage system, poor transportation system, unawareness among people were identified to be the major issues. The seasonal diseases were very common and only 40 percent of the population was immunized.
Project Highlights
In order to identify the major health problems, a baseline survey was conducted in 15 villages of Harchandpur block in Raebareli.
Smile on Wheels unit, equipped with medical facilities was launched on 16th August 2013. A team of medical and para medical staff was recruited.
Smile worked to build rapport with District Administration, District & Block level Health officials for better implementation of the project.
Smile earned the support of community stakeholders like Anganwadi Workers, ASHA and ANMs.
Daily mobile clinics, lab tests and ANCs were part of the healthcare programmes.
During the reporting period, the disease pattern highlighted more than 19 prevalent diseases.
The diseases were diagnosed through pathological lab tests and suitable treatment given to the identified beneficiaries.
Health awareness activities and community meetings were conducted as part of the awareness programmes under the project.
IMPACT
IN 2014 , A TOTAL OF 12,000 PEOPLE BENEFITED FROM THE INITIATIVE
4500 STUDENTS RECEIVED BENEFIT FROM SCHOOLHEALTH PROGRAMS
OVER100 ICE ACTIVITIES WERE CONDUCTED LAST YEAR, BENEFITING MORE THAN 6500 PEOPLE
IN THE FIRST MONTH OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE STATIC CLINIC PROGRAM A TOTAL265 PEOPLE BENEFITED OF WHICH 57% BENEFICIARIESWERE WOMAN