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Nutrition

Importance of Nutrition for Children

A healthy nutritious diet is an essential component in the growing and developing years of children. It aids in building a strong foundation in the child with regards to staying healthy and imbibing good eating habits right from childhood. The 3 most important benefits of early childhood nutrition are; it helps in building immunity against various infectious diseases, ensures proper development of brain and other vital organs and improves a child’s activity levels and cognitive functioning. Therefore, proper nutrition for children is important as it sets the stage for them towards living a healthy and balanced life for the rest of their lives.

As per the Global Nutrition Report 2018 nearly half of all under-5 child mortality in India is attributable to undernutrition. Poor nutrition in the first 1000 days of a child’s life can also lead to stunted growth, which is associated with impaired cognitive ability and reduced school and work performance. Malnutrition in children occurs as a complex interplay among various factors like poverty, maternal health illiteracy, diseases like diarrhea, home environment, dietary practices, hand washing and other hygiene practices, etc. In the 2019 Global hunger Index, India ranks 102 out of 119 qualifying countries. With a score of 30.3, India suffers from a level of hunger that is serious.  Nearly 47 million or 4 out of 10 children in India are not able to meet their full human potential because of chronic under nutrition or stunting.

The Mission Education programme of Smile Foundation has initiated the campaign ‘Nutrition for Education’, wherein nutrition is provided to lesser privileged children, helping them get not only better health, but also better education, and other development opportunities.Smile Foundation initiated a nationwide awareness campaign on the importance of nutrition and health in underprivileged communities across India, with support from Yum! and Herbalife. Under this programme that is spread across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Tripura, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, the campaign aims at sensitizing children, their families and communities, towards the importance of nutritious food, leading to better health, education and other opportunities for the children.  Through these projects Smile Foundation has been able to reach out to almost 4500 underprivileged children and provide one-time meal as per age specific Kcal value required.

The children belong to households where the parents are engaged as daily wage labourers, factory workers and other small scale entrepreneurs. With Smile’s nutrition program, children need not pack their lunch as they can have the freshly cooked hot meals at noon in school along with their friends. These delicious meals are looked forward to by the children as many a times; they do not have access to 3 proper square meals a day. Interestingly, there is an increase in regular attendance, decreased drop-outs and improved academic and over-all performance of children. Parents are contented and grateful that their children have access to a healthy and nutritious meal at least once a day.

Hence, a child’s healthy development is not complete without proper nutrition. Once the importance of good nutrition is instilled in a child, it remains with her/him in guiding him to live a positive, healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

To know more about the nutrition campaign visit https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/plate-half-full/

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In The Spotlight

Sponsor Child Education For a Better Future

Education is one of the key components which brings growth and progress into society. When more people in a society are educated, they can provide valuable contribution to their environment. Education is a powerful agent of change. It drives long-term economic growth, improves health and livelihoods and contributes to social stability. Education is also essential to the realization of every one of the 17 sustainable development goals. Hence it is the duty of every individual to sponsor child education, to step towards a bright future.

 

There are 6 million children in India who are currently out of school due to poverty. The only way out for these children is through education. Education gives underprivileged children a chance to improve their lives, gain knowledge and acquire skills. But there are many who never see the insides of a classroom, who will never hold a pen to write or be able to read.

 

Many families do not understand the long-term benefits of sending children to school. Their immediate needs for sustenance outweigh the need for education. Hence, many end up doing petty jobs or household chores. It is important to understand that when we sponsor a child,, we are taking them out of the cycle of poverty.

 

When we sponsor child education, especially girl child education it helps improve the living conditions of a family. When a girl gets educated she has the chance to earn. More income means better healthcare and nutritionfor her and her family. It reduces the chances of girls getting married at a young age which in turn means she will not be a child herself when she becomes a mother. When an educated girl becomes a mother she is able to provide better care to her children at home, thus ensuring that her children are empowered. Educated girls and women are empowered to pursue their dreams of a better life. They have greater confidence and freedom to make decisions that affect their lives.

 

Smile Foundation’s education programme Mission Education ensures that education reaches to the most underserved and underprivileged sections of the society. Currently there are 240 centres across 23 states of India providing education to more than 32,000 children every year.

 

To sponsor child education the first step is to sensitize the general masses about the need of such an activity.  When the privileged section of the society understand their obligation towards the ones who are less privileged only then can we bring change. The children living in the rural and urban slums of the country need urgent attention and it is our duty as citizens of the country to arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached.

 

Sponsor a child’s education; help a child step into a bright future. When we support education we take a step towards a society which is equal and change the world for the better.

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Insights

Importance of Educational NGOs in India

Education is an important component for the growth of a society. In India a number of children are deprived of education, most drop out due to poverty and girls seldom get a chance. It has become important for educational NGOs in India to intervene to reach the most remote areas and urban slums where the migrant population reside.  According to The National Sample Survey Organization’s 2017-18 household survey there are 3.22 crore out-of-school children in India (6-17 years). Seasonal migration, child labor, poor infrastructures of schools, lack of teachers, distance, lack of resources at home and illiterate parents are the major causes of children dropping out of school or not opting to go to school at all. When the pandemic hit the world at the beginning of 2020, it gave rise to more problems in education; confusion regarding continuation of schools amid strict lockdown rules, losing out on learning due to lack of access to online classes hit the underprivileged the most.

 

Educational NGOs in India work together with the government to realize the objective of universalization of Elementary Education. NGOs have a tendency to work in the grassroots of the society, in small locations to first achieve the impact on ground. Based on the principle of people’s participation NGOs work to improve education, social welfare, reduce poverty, and develop civil society. NGOs can be seen as alternative agencies which are working on ground to promote awareness, sensitize and to bring a change and improvement in society.

 

The major objectives of educational NGOs in India are to increase the number of school going children,developing other learning skills in local schools & communities, provide inclusive education to children with special needs and work as a catalyst to bring sustainable change in the lives of the children with a life-cycle approach of development.

 

 

Smile Foundation, one of the top educational NGOs in India is reaching children through its education programme Mission Education. Mission Education, started in the year 2002 has so far benefitted more than 232,000 underprivileged children. Through more than 240 centers across 23 states Smile Foundation is not just reaching the children but also the communities in which the children live. Through regular interactions parents are sensitized about the need and importance of education for boys and girls, abolishing child labor, opting for healthier habits. Community mobilizers and volunteers regularly visit these children to check on their progress and extra classes are provided to those students who face difficulties with their lessons. When schools were shut down to stop the spread of Covid-19, teachers from Mission Education children ensured through their hard-work and dedication that no child was left behind in their journey of learning. Parents were taught to assist their children to attend online classes. In remote rural areas of states like Rajasthan, West Bengal and Karnataka where people belonged to the most underserved sections cluster classes were introduced for children to continue their education. 

 

The importance of educational NGOs in India like Smile Foundation is immense as NGOs can change the face of India in the fields of primary and secondary education. It is the duty of every member of the society to contribute to the cause to make the initiatives of the NGOs successful and enable change in the society.

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In The Spotlight

Role of NGOs in Childhood Education

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the closure of institutions and schools subsequently leading to massive gaps in the education of children. In India alone, it has affected the millions of school going children living in rural and urban areas. To aid development from the grassroots it makes the role of NGOs in childhood education all the more important. According to an annual survey conducted by ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) many young children have not joined school. There is a sharp jump in the percentage of out-of-school children in the age- group of 6-10. This has gone up from 1.8% (in 2018) to 5.3% (in 2020) and among all children up to 16 years from 4% to 5.5%.

 

Why NGOs for Education are Important

 

The role of NGO for education in a child’s growing years under such grim conditions has become very crucial. There are numerous NGOs which have taken up the onus of education of kids. These NGOs also develop innovations that will improve the quality of primary education. The operations of an NGO in the grassroots level not only includes children attending school. It also helps by involving the community as a whole. There are villages and slums in India where many children are first-generation learners. They belong to underprivileged families of migrant laborers, daily-wage workers and their families seldom understand the importance of education. In such cases the role of an NGO for childhood education becomes important. They help sensitize families, involve the community and encourage the out of school children to go back to school.

 

Smile Foundation’s work in Education

 

Smile Foundation an NGO in India has been working in the field of education since the year 2002. The organization has so far benefitted more than 232,000 underprivileged children from underprivileged communities, reaching children in small villages of Nagaland to the urban slums of Mumbai and Delhi. Smile Foundation volunteers and community workers sensitize parents of children and community members.

 

The role of NGOs oj education is an important one
The role of NGOs oj education is an important one

 

The vision of Smile Foundation is to work as a catalyst in bringing sustainable change in the lives of underprivileged children and their families, with a life-cycle approach of development. Through its intervention Mission Education the organization has been able to bring many underprivileged children under the folds of education. These children are currently unable to attend formal schools due to poverty, inaccessibility, health issues, etc. The Mission Education centers also aid in the development of other learning skills for example gardening, keeping the environment clean. There are many Mission Education centers which provide inclusive education to children with special needs. Special emphasis is given on girl child education and women education, so that they and their families get empowered.

 

The pandemic and the subsequent lockdown affected the education of many children who study in the Mission Education centers of Smile Foundation. To mitigate the crisis the Shiksha Na Ruke initiative was introduced recently which is providing underprivileged children access to continuous learning through the online mode.

 

Role of NGOs in child education is very important. To fulfil the same, proper support, resources and mobilization of the local communities is required to bring about a great change in the field of primary & secondary education in India.

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In The Spotlight

KEEPING CHILDREN ENGAGED DURING LOCKDOWN

As schools shut down to stop the spread of Coronavirus millions of children around the world got displaced from their schools. Everything that a child has to do in his/her life now has to happen from inside the house for an uncertain period of time and parents have had to find ways to smoothly transition kids into at-home life. Parents are faced with the difficulty of keeping their children engaged not only in school-work but also in extra-curricular activities to help them cope with the situation. The biggest challenge that most parents are facing is to keep children off-screens after the completion of online-classes. The pandemic and lockdown has been hard on both children and their parents, the need to find common ground for self-care along with caring for the children is of primary importance. There are various ways to make the best of the situation.

 

Making a routine

 

 Children are used to following a schedule, so making a routine for the day for various activities will help everything fall into place. Routines help parents monitor screen time of a child on an everyday basis and plan out different activities which will allow parents to enjoy time with their kids and also help in keeping children engaged.

 

Gardening

 

 

Gardening is a great learning and fun activity. It helps children learn about where food comes from, and how things grow. Gardening helps in sensory development of children and is a great way to teach responsibility and patience. Re-growing vegetables from scraps helps in building scientific temper and curiosity in children. It is also relaxing for children in many ways easing the anxiety of lockdown.

 

Exercising or Practicing Yoga

 

 

One of the easiest and healthiest parents can do with children is to practice Yoga or exercise with them daily. Both activities are great for improving overall health and keep the energy levels high a necessity during these times! Physical activity is good not only for physical well-being, but also for mental health, attention and focus. It is also a great opportunity to teach children the importance of having and maintaining good health.

Art and Craft

 

 

Engaging in arts and craft activities provide children with a unique and fun opportunity to learn and create. Many children express through art, which help parents get a better insight into how their child is feeling and also makes children more creative and productive.

Reading with Children

 

 

Apart from books in the curriculum children should also be encouraged to read story-books. Stories help build imagination and creative though in children. Reading for children and with children is a great way to bond and also help them build their vocabulary.

 

Other activities like encouraging children to write stories help them make use of their imagination, asking them to help around the kitchen while baking or cooking, learning a new language and following a new hobby like bird watching can also help children cope with little or no socialization with their peers and staying indoors while also bonding with their parents and siblings.

 

To know more about Smile Foundation visit https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/

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In The Spotlight

SELF-CARE FOR MENTAL & PHYSICAL WELL-BEING

Self-care is important to our mental and overall health. It is any activity that we engage in to take care of our personal needs and well-being. It is vital to our mental and overall health and, most of the times it is something that we often neglect to practice.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on all aspects of our health and it cannot be understated. People continue to be infected at record rates with the virus, many others are grieving the loss of loved ones and some are dealing with financial distress. The pandemic is wearing us down; physically and emotionally. At such times focusing on self-care has become all the more important.

 

Following the basics of self care

 

Eating healthy food, getting a good night’s sleep and being active are bedrock of good self-care. Working out inside the house, practicing mindfulness or meditation are also important parts of self-care. These are activities which do not necessarily need any excessive expenses. It is important that locals, especially the elderly residing in rural areas or urban slums be sensitized to practice the same to reduce pandemic induced stress and anxiety. Engaging in extra-curricular activities also induce feel-good hormones as the mind is stress free and gives one the window to escape the web of negative thoughts. Self-care empowers people improve their quality of life; It allows people to take their health and wellbeing into their own hands. It improves recovery times and plays a key role in the prevention of certain health conditions. In the current times the most important of all self care activities are physical distancing, hand washing and taking care of respiratory hygiene.

 

Understanding your mental health for self care

 

One of the most important and urgent aspects of self care is mental well-being. Issues related to mental well-being of a person are seldom talked about because of the social- stigmas attached to the topic, but keeping oneself isolated and coping silently is not the answer. Of the many reasons why we need to talk about mental health, stigma is arguably the most important. Open dialogue about mental health can help everyone heal and it is one of the necessary steps for self-care.

 

How self care helps those around you

 

 

Humans are communal beings. Nurturing friendships, family and those in the community is essential to self-care. When we begin self-care we start to understand the needs of those around us. The realization of caring for someone else’ happiness and well-being takes us on a journey of compassion, making us more caring and humane.

 

Self-care has long-term benefits for the mind if practiced correctly It brings your goals into sharper focus, helps one concentrate yielding in better productivity. It causes less stress leading to a better immune system. It helps one to be less critical of oneself. This can go a long way towards enhanced self-esteem. And do not forget that self-care needs practice, so start your journey today.

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Insights

Changes in the Indian Education System

Good education has the power to change lives. Today’s children will be the free-thinking citizens of tomorrow. Their growth is parallel to the future of any country which is only reflected through the quality of the present education system. It is important that the curiosity of the young minds be stimulated and we should equip them with values and education to be better human beings. Elementary education is of utmost significance as it establishes the foundation from which is the beginning of the learning process for a person.

 

With an aim to improve the quality of primary education in India, the District Education Revitalization Programme (DERP) was launched in 1994. The main focus was to reform and vitalize the primary education system. A few years later, in the year 2001, “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan”, popularly known as SSA, was launched and it was one of the biggest programs introduced in the education sector in India. The SSA duly focused on aspects like proper training of teachers, offering improved learning materials and also offering textbooks for special children with the motive of improving elementary education in India.

 

The most recent New Education Policy which was introduced by the Government of India in March 2020 seeks to reform the Indian education system and bridge the gap between current learning outcomes and those desired. The NEP seeks to do away with rote learning and introduce a more holistic way by replacing it with competency based learning. The New Education Policy 2020 aims at producing engaged and productive citizens for building an equitable, inclusive and plural society. It articulates that the purpose of the education system is to develop good human beings possessing compassion, empathy, courage and resilience and a future generation capable of rational thought and action, along with scientific temper and creative imagination.

 

The existing academic structure of 10+2 structure (ages 6-16 and ages 16-18) has been replaced with the structure of 5+3+3+4 and special focus has been given to Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) which is one of the key visions and focus of NEP 2020. To achieve the same Anganwadi Centres are proposed to be strengthened with high quality infrastructure, well-trained Anganwadi workers/teachers and play equipment. The project will be funded by the central and state governments. NEP 2020 further proposes a certification program to be mentored by the Cluster Resource Centres of the School Education Department to introduce comprehensive training of the Anganwadi workers/teachers.

 

 

Children with special needs, underprivileged children from rural areas and urban slums, girls and transgender are most affected when it comes to access to quality education. The New Education Policy has introduced an entire section which is focused on the inclusion of these Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs).

 

Through various comprehensive measures such as remodeling  of the school curriculum,  structure of examinations, teacher education, etc the New Education Policy 2020 aims to raise the standard of Indian education system at par with global standards.

 

While the NEP 2020 intends to transform the Indian education system by curtailing rote based learning and introducing a more holistic education with adequate focus on development of different life skills for the students, the real success of the policy will only be possible if it is supported and implemented at all levels.

 

To know about Smile Foundation’s work in the field of education visit https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/education.html

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Insights

RECOVER BETTER- STAND UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. … Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December every year. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted in the year 1984 by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris. Drafted by representatives from different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world the document proclaims the basic rights which everyone is entitled to as human beings – regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, color, language etc. The rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more.  Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.

 

The theme for Human Rights Day 2020 is Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights which is related to the covid-19 pandemic and focuses on the need to build back the society better by ensuring that Human Rights are the basic foundations to the recovery effort. In a Covid affected world we will have to create equal opportunities for all, only then will we be able to reach our common global goals in terms of Human Rights.

 

In India, most of the underprivileged population resides in rural areas and urban slums. People are deprived of basic human rights mostly because they are unaware and illiterate about the rights they can exercise. As a result they are deprived. In a crisis situation such as Covid-19; women, children and the elderly are the most affected sections. Hungers, illness, shelter, having little or no knowledge about Covid-19 precautions have been the most pressing problems in the current scenario.

 

The need of the hour is to end discrimination of every kind. The first step is to end structural discrimination against women especially underprivileged women and the poor population. Structural discrimination is rules or norms and behavior of institutions and other societal structures. They create obstacles to groups or individuals in achieving the same rights and opportunities that are available to the majority of the population.

 

By addressing inequalities and by the promotion of economic, cultural and social rights everyone can play a crucial role in development. We must encourage participation from all sections of the community to build a more sustainable post-Covid society. We need to ensure that the voices of the most vulnerable and underprivileged are heard and their problems are addressed.

 

 

With the vision of the bringing sustainable change through the life-cycle approach of development Smile Foundation through its various programmes is directly benefitting more than 15,00,000 underprivileged children and families every year. With a special focus on education for the underprivileged children, especially girl child education Smile Foundation seeks to empower the society from the grassroots.
Through it’s initiative India Shares Smile Foundation has provided Hunger Survival Kits to children and families in rural areas and urban slums across 22 states of India.

 

To know more about Smile Foundation visit https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/

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In The Spotlight

Preparing teachers for Inclusive Education

Inclusive education (IE) is a new approach for educating children who are differently abled and face learning difficulties. Inclusive Education seeks to address the learning needs of all children with a specific focus on those who are underprivileged, vulnerable to marginalization and exclusion. The approach implies all learners – with or without disabilities to be able to learn together through access to common schools and community educational setting with an adequate network of support services. The principle of inclusive education was adopted at the World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality held at Salamanca, Spain 1994and was restated at the World Education Forum at Dakar, Senegal 2000.

 

Teachers play a critical and decisive role inthe processes of inclusive culture in a teaching-learning environment. The attitude and values of teachers have a major and everlasting effect on theself-esteem and emotions of young learners. The policies and efforts for facilitating inclusive educationwill not be successful if teachers, are not well equipped with the appropriate knowledge, skills and values.

 

Classroom teachings need be based more on realistic and honest experiences, a component thoroughly highlighted in the New Educational Policy 2020. When children share their experiences, it helps teachers understand the psycho-social attributes and needs of the learners, their special abilities and characteristics, their preferred mode of motivationand learning which most of the times results from home and community socialization. Hence it is very important that teachers are trained adequately and sensitised to the needs of each and every child in a classroom.

 

 

In a country where traditional forms of learning — such as blackboard teaching and reading from the textbook have been more prevalent, teachers will now have to unlearn their traditional approach to learning and once again learn how to use a new experiential framework while guiding students.The COVID-19 pandemic has given an unexpected push to online education in India, it facilitated the continuation of formal education as schools were closed to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. In times such as these when everything is being conducted online it has become all the more urgent and important that teachers mainly those belonging to remote rural areas be enabled and empowered in all aspects of digital education which in turn will help the children with limited or no access to proper digital education which is also inclusive in nature.  An optimal teacher training program will prepare teachers for the future, help them become more literate digitally and help in incorporating digital learning with the traditional methods.A change in the attitude of teachers can have an influential effecton the successful implementation of inclusive education, children will be more attentive and empathetic towards the needs of their peers.

 

Teacher Training programmes do not only deliver basic education to teachers but also help in creating awareness towards issues like educating of the girl child, women empowerment, awareness on the eradication of casteism, equal civic rights among all individuals, etc which will help lay the foundation of a better and promising India.

 

To know more visit https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/education.html

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In The Spotlight

Celebrating International Volunteer Day

International Volunteer Day is observed every year on 5th December to recognize the contribution of volunteers, to support volunteer efforts and to promote volunteerism. The theme for this year’s International Volunteer Day is Together We Can Through Volunteering. Amid the pandemic the volunteers have been at the forefront acting as responders for medical, societal and community needs. From providing assistance to the elderly to helping the most vulnerable volunteers have done it all.

 

We at Smile Foundation would like to highlight some of the experiences of our volunteers who have worked with Smile to reach the most underserved and spread happiness.

 

Anitha

 

 

“I have always been taught that ‘Service comes before Self’, which implies that if you want to do good, start with doing it for others. Supporting other people in their time of need became the motivation towards doing more and more community work as I grew up. However, this pandemic has been the test of all times. Some people said that it feels like a punishment to have been born as a human because there was so much suffering. But as I had been taught since childhood, in any calamity, it is always the community and the society that comes to the rescue of people struggling the most. I decided to bring back the faith which people were rapidly losing in the changing times- the faith in humanity. Through healthcare and awareness sessions provided by Smile on Wheels doorstep healthcare team, I spread the message of togetherness among all the villagers who visit this mobile medical van. From door to door, I try to connect with people who might be in dire need of medical care but can’t access it due to the pandemic. In the past few months, the health conditions of all community members has improved vastly, thanks to Smile on Wheels team. When trust, faith and compassion was restored in this village, I finally realised that ‘Service before Self’ is nothing but a ray of hope to bring the biggest change in this world- the change of heart…to see the best among ourselves!”

 

Jahanvi

 

 

Every time I am with these new found friends, I come back with a feeling of hope and inspiration. Their bright eyes, smiles and laughter, fill up my heart with an energy unlike any other I have ever experienced. A couple of weeks back, I started contributing my time to teach these children studying in Mission Education Centre (Dhaula Kuan). They reside in a slum nearby. I have come to realise that the lack of resources they live with, has not diminished their sense of purpose and positive energy towards everything they do. They have taught me more than I could have imagined when I walked into the small but very vibrant space that they have made their own. They have given me a sense of purpose. I have become aware and thankful about the privileges I have. And at the same time, I feel inspired to look at these little friends of mine. I have realized that with all the means I have been given, I can work towards handholding more and more such kids. I’m grateful beyond measure to have met them. I now want to give back to society in ways that matter.

 

Narsi

 

Narsi, volunteered at a Mission Education centre of Smile Foundation. She says, “these children lost their parents at a very young age. All they need is a little love, care & hope. I do not miss a single chance to make them feel special. It is a blessing to give your smile to someone who needs it the most.”

 

To know more visit https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/

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