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Girl Child

National Girl Child Day: Five Ways To Support Our Daughters

National Girl Child Day: Five ways to support our daughters
National Girl Child Day: Five ways to support our daughters

India observes National Girl Child Day every year on 24th January. It is an attempt to spread awareness about the discrimination faced by girls in our society. It is also crucial because the day is observed to highlight some of the burning issues like female feticide and the skewed child-sex ratio.

Intending to increase societal awareness of the female child so that she would be valued and respected, the Indian government announced January 24 to be observed as National Girl Child Day in 2008.

Ever since then, this day has been observed every year through various events and is spearheaded by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. According to a press statement issued by the government last year, the objectives of National Girl Child Day are the following:

“To create awareness about the rights a girl owns and to give girls the opportunities like everyone else, also to support the girl child of the nation and remove gender-based biases. Another objective of celebrating this day is to promote awareness about the inequalities that a girl child faces and educate people about girl’s education. Basically to value them and to respect them like everybody else and give a new perspective towards girl child and to decrease discrimination. The main focus is on changing society’s attitude towards girls, decrease female feticide and create awareness about the decreasing sex ratio.”

Why The Girl Child?

Various initiatives have been taken to support the girl child over the years. Initiatives like Save The Girl Child have been taken to stop female feticide and infanticide.

On the other hand, Post Office’s Sukanya Samridhi Yojana allows parents of the girl child to save money on her behalf. Other policies by both state and central governments aim to improve the status of girl children in India. Subsidized education, reservation in educational institutions, and free transport are some examples.

However, even today, many people might not be aware of when is National Girl Child Day celebrated in India. It can also be confused with the International Day of the Girl Child which is celebrated on October 11 each year. 

Recent Policy Initiatives

As we saw, the Indian government has been making policy decisions to support the girl child. However, even after all the efforts, the Child Sex Ratio continued to decline over decades. In the 2011 census, the CSR reached an abysmally low number of 918 girls for every 1000 boys.

Due to these worrying trends, PM Narendra Modi launched the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative in 2015. The Scheme’s first phase, which took place in 100 districts in 2014–15, was followed by a second phase in 61 more districts in 2015–16. After the program’s initial success, it was expanded on March 8th, 2018, to 640 districts around the country.

So, as we can see the government has been taking many initiatives for girl children. On National Girl Child Day 2024 in India, what are the things that you can do to contribute? Let’s take a look:

Ensuring Equality of Opportunity

The first step towards supporting a girl child is to ensure that she has an equal opportunity as boys. Even today, girls do not receive adequate nutrition because boys are given more food than them. That’s still a sad reality for many young girls in our country.

Girls are also more likely to drop out of school or not pursue higher education. This is because of the societal beliefs which give precedence to boys as potential breadwinners. Therefore, on National Girl Child Day in India 2024, we all must resolve to ensure equal opportunity for girls.

Whether it is education, career, lifestyle, freedom, or anything else; we must strive for an equal approach towards both boys and girls.

Freedom of Choice

One of the biggest challenges that girls face today is that they do not have absolute freedom to make their own decisions. We do not have to look too far to observe this. Do girls have the same freedom as boys when it comes to mobility?

Can girls choose where they want to live or whom they want to spend time with without having to negotiate through various excuses? This restriction of freedom can create a lack of confidence among individuals. This further reduces their chances of succeeding in life.

If we want to see more women as leaders, entrepreneurs, changemakers, and impact creators, then we must give them the freedom of choice that they need.

Moral Policing and Body Shaming

This is one evil that has existed in societies across the world from the beginning. Whether it is the obsession with fair skin or a slim body, or it is the opinion on how one should dress; women are the first targets.

In the age of social media, we are seeing that girls are constantly facing unpleasant comments related to their attire, body shape, or how they choose to behave socially. This is again a way of restricting the freedom of girls.

If we want to provide equal opportunity to girls, then we must create safe spaces for them online and offline where they can express themselves freely.

Hyper-Masculinity and Sexual Harassment

Another big problem is the culture of hyper-masculinity where men try to dominate women. Whether it is movies or social media, behaviour like stalking or violence is shown as a romantic approach.

All this can create an unsafe environment for women which makes it difficult for them to feel safe. This is also the genesis of sexual harassment where women are objectified constantly. This may lead to crimes against women. 

While strict laws and improved security are imperative, society also needs to introspect and ensure that the reasons for such crimes are eradicated.

Patriarchal Practices

Lastly, we must work towards completely eliminating patriarchal practices. Whether it is dowry or share in the property, men find themselves in an advantageous situation. This makes the whole experience of being a woman difficult as if one is treated like a burden.


Therefore, we must identify all the small and big patriarchal practices, the taboos, and the rituals that we can do away with in the 21st century. This is the only way to move forward in a positive direction.

Smile Foundation and Girl Child

Smile Foundation through its initiative, She Can Fly is making efforts to give wings to the dreams and reality of a girl child so that can truly fly in her life in every way. Learn more here!

She Can Fly, let’s give her the sky!

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From The People, For The People

One India, One Festival: Many Celebrations

One India, One Festival: Many Celebrations
One India, One Festival: Many Celebrations

India is an interesting potpourri of languages, religious faiths, customs, beliefs, and cultural traditions; each adding its charm and vigour to the colourful mosaic of India. Festivals are an integral part of Indian culture as they provide expression to our traditional heritage and cultural legacy. Makar Sankranti donation is also integral to the festivities as doing good makes one enjoy the festiveness more!

India, predominantly an agricultural country, has many of its festivals around harvest seasons to express gratitude to nature and celebrate the agricultural yield. Makar Sankranti is one of the oldest and perhaps the most important harvest festivals in India.

This festival encapsulates the essence of India’s diversity as it is celebrated along the entire expanse of India, from north to south and east to west in multiple states with different names and different traditional customs but the same spirit of happiness. 

This year, let’s add a new colour to our festive celebrations by contributing to positively changing the lives of our less privileged fellow Indians through some meaningful Makar Sankranti donations.

Significance of Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is a special occasion in many ways. It is not just an Indian harvest festival but holds great cultural, spiritual, astronomical, and mythological significance in the Hindu religion. Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the sun into the zodiac of Capricorn or ‘makar rashi’ and is celebrated on January 14th every year, as it follows the solar cycle.

Scientifically, Makar Sankranti is the time when the sun starts moving toward the northern hemisphere. This marks the beginning of longer days and shorter nights. This transition has a great astrological and religious value attached to it too and is believed to be the beginning of an auspicious phase of the year.

As per Hindu mythology, Saturn or ‘Shani’ is the son of the Sun god or ‘Surya’ and they are always at loggerheads. However, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, Sun successfully enters the house of Saturn or Shani and remains there for nearly a month.

It is considered that during this time Sun forgets all the bitterness and makes peace with his son. Thus, Makar Sankranti symbolizes an occasion where we all should bury the hatchet and move forward peacefully in our lives.

Celebrate Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti celebrations might follow varied traditional practices in different states, but there is something common in all celebrations. People worship and express their gratitude to the Sun God, the source of life-supporting energy and seek blessings for wellness and prosperity. 

Being a harvest festival, the traditional offering to God on this occasion is mainly rice and lentil-based, which are mostly from the fresh harvest. Besides rice and lentils, the other most common Sankranti preparations are various sweets made from sesame (til), jaggery (gur), and ghee.

Below is a glimpse of the grand Makar Sankranti celebrations across India, highlighting some specific customs and rituals observed in different states:

Celebrate Lohri

Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Lohri in Punjab and is considered a New Year by the farming community here. On this day holy bonfires are lit and farmers show gratitude for their crops and also pray for prosperity and abundance in the New Year.

Black sesame seeds (Til), gajak (til-based sweet), Jaggery (gur), peanuts, etc. are fed to the holy fire as part of the harvest ritual. It is believed that offering these to fire or ‘agni’ takes away the negativity and ushers in prosperity in their lives. Traditional Punjabi dishes like makke di roti, sarson da saag, makhaane ki kheer, til ki barfi, pinni, panjiri etc. are included in the Lohri delicacies.

Celebrate Pongal

Pongal is an ancient harvest celebration in South India dating back to the Sangam age (200 BC-200 AD) and finds a mention in the puranas. It is a 4-day long festival in mid-January mainly celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.

This multi-day festival begins with Bhogi Pongal where old and useless articles are piled up after cleaning the house and burnt along with cow-dung as part of a ritual that symbolises getting rid of negativities and making new beginnings.

The second day which coincides with Makar Sankranti is Surya Pongal as it is dedicated to the Sun God. It is called Thai Pongal in Tamil Nadu as it marks the beginning of the Tamil month ‘Thai’ and is known as Pedda Panduga in Andhra Pradesh which means big festival.

On this day freshly harvested rice is boiled in a pot along with milk and jaggery and allowed to overflow. Both this dish and the process of boiling and overflowing are called Pongal.

On the 3rd day of Pongal known as Mattu Pongal, cattle are decorated and worshiped as a means of expressing gratitude for their help in farm work. The fourth and last day called Kannum is considered auspicious for starting new relationships and people usually rest, relax and feast together on this day.

Celebrate Magh Bihu

Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu in Assam and is an occasion of eating, feasting, and merriment. It marks the end of winter and also the harvesting season. People celebrate the abundance they have reaped and welcome the spring season with traditional rituals.

Celebrate Uttarayan

The event of the sun’s movement from the southern to northern celestial hemisphere is called Uttarayan. Since this transition begins on Makar Sankranti, this day is celebrated as Uttarayan in Gujarat. Celebrated over 2 days, this is one of the most colourful festivals in Gujarat.

Kite-flying competitions are the major attraction of the Uttarayan celebration. Undhiyu and chikkis are among the prominent Gujarati delicacies served on this occasion.

Celebrate Poush Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Poush Sankranti or Poush Parbon in West Bengal. On this occasion, a grand Ganga Sagar Mela is organized every year at Ganga Sagar, the confluence of River Ganga with the Bay of Bengal.

People take a holy dip in this water on this auspicious occasion. Bengalis celebrate their Poush Sankranti with many delicacies like Paayesh, Puli Pithe, and many other sweet treats.

Donation on Makar Sankranti: A Unique Way to Celebrate

As Dr. Shashi Tharoor, author, politician, and public intellectual remarked, “India is a ‘thali’ with a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls. Each tastes different and does not necessarily mix with the next but they belong together on the same plate, and they complement each other in making the meal a satisfying repast.” Makar Sankranti is one such unique Indian festival that manifests this unity in diversity.

Amidst all the varied celebrations typical to different states and their cultures, there is an underlying spirit of love, gratitude, and making peace on Makar Sankranti. This is an excellent occasion to stand up for our fellow Indians, the ones in need of our help, to stretch out a helping hand and bring a positive change in their lives.

Smile Foundation wants to bring the warmth of a bonfire to underprivileged children this festive season. Please come forward with your donations towards the health, education, and welfare of underprivileged children and the livelihood of their families.

Any small or big donation on this Makar Sankranti can end a harsh winter and usher spring into someone’s life. Make Makar Sankranti Donation here!

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Education

NGOs Working for Education

Gender Stereotyping Bad for Both Girls and Boys
Gender Stereotyping Bad for Both Girls and Boys

Data confirms that at least 35 million children aged 6 – 14 years in India do not attend school. Of this, 53%  are girls who are kept at home and illiterate. Another alarming fact is that only  53% of the population of the country has access and means to a primary school. Child Education NGO do their part in bridging the education divide.

Education Rights of Children

Fulfilling the need for compulsory education for all children in the age group of 6-14 is empirical to the Government of India, which is directly mentioned via Article 45 of the Indian Constitution. However, this mission remains incomplete. 

The government has made several inroads to fix lapses that exist in children’s education systems to fulfil the fundamental right provided by the Constitution of India. 

Partnerships of NGOs and the Government of India

To continue an upward economic path, the government understands that it needs skilled and trained manpower to commit to providing education across the length and breadth of the country. This makes the collaboration of the government with NGOs possible. This is done to ensure that child education in India starts at the grass-root level and upwards to strengthen the education system. 

NGOs can also play the role of education ambassadors who can spread awareness about the importance of education and help enroll as many children as possible to avail of basic and primary education for their betterment in life .

There are many leading lights who are are committed to the cause of education and contribute towards child education in a variety of ways. 

Child Education NGO

Many NGOs are committed to promoting literacy and higher learning in the country, especially for the girl child. There are several schemes and initiatives have been undertaken to improve the lives of deserving students through education which ensures that girl children from socially and economically marginalized families have easy and free access to quality education, which in turn decreases the high dropout rates. 

These NGOs also run parallel programs to help kids ages 4 to 6 years from low income communities prepare for school. The idea is to build a strong foundation in language and social skills in a safe, secure and happy learning environment. Even after the kids start school, they continue to support them through those years until they become employable.

Education and Technology 

Some NGOs  help underprivileged children in rural India gain access to quality education using technology. As there is a severe shortage of skill teaching staff in government schools, they make up for it by providing access to education through remote learning. This way children connect to volunteer teachers worldwide through live and interactive classes. It also provides students from under-resourced schools computing and problem-solving skills. 

As most students in marginalized communities live in remote and far-flung parts of the country, most do not have access to the knowledge and skills that will make them part of the productive economy in tomorrow’s workforce, these initiatives go a long way to supporting aspirations of the marginalized youth.

NGOs and School Building

Many NGOs take the route of active school participation by contributing to the government school infrastructure, while some others build schools for the needy. This offers a stronger sense of support to destitute children from backward and marginalized backgrounds, as they are assured of a steady and free primary education, along with shelter and opportunities to succeed in life. 

They also help in setting up libraries in schools to inculcate the reading habit and enhance comprehension, by providing financial support to improve school infrastructure in government schools. Their aim is to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged children belonging to socio-economically marginalized sections of society. 

NGOs for Bright Minds 

Some NGOs mainly focus on identifying and working with bright students from economically disadvantaged families. Their aim is to nurture these high achieving children until they complete their higher education and are then helped in finding a suitable job. 

Working with the knowledge that intelligent students can come from any strata of society, and those that come from low-income families have limited access to resources and opportunities to shine because of low-quality education and lack of financial help. Therefore complete financial support is offered to these deserving children from economically challenged backgrounds into higher education until they graduate and find employment.

Smile Foundation

Smile Foundation is primarily a child education NGO that wants to empower children through education. Our flagship program Mission Education has been working with the objective of empowering underprivileged children by providing education and healthcare support. We follow a four-pronged holistic approach, with a focus on children, teachers, learning environment and community engagement. 

There are also scholarships and vocational training programmes to facilitate easy transition from learning to earning and giving less privileged children equal opportunities to pursue higher education, professional courses and technical careers.

Final Thoughts

The country needs this collaborative partnership to achieve its goal of 100% literacy amongst the children and youth of India. The next 25 years will be critical in measuring the strides made in the fields of education and literacy because when India turns a century, it must have a solid educational foundation as its backbone. 

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Partnerships

Significance of Cause Related Marketing (CRM) in NGOs

Cause Related Marketing For NGOs

Non-profit organisations or NGOs need to continually work towards gathering funds for a cause. Whether it is a cause dedicated to education, health, livelihood, or any other developmental issue, funds are crucial for the initiatives. NGOs use a range of ways to collect funds, including Cause Related Marketing.

What is Cause Related Marketing or CRM?

The phrase was initially used by American Express to characterise its 1983 fundraising effort for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. Every time someone used an American Express charge card, the company gave one penny toward the repair.

Cause marketing definition, thus, can be any collaboration between a non-profit and a business. The collaboration is aimed towards increasing sales for the business and promoting the NGO’s cause.

There are instances of Cause Related Marketing everywhere in today’s world. You might have come across it while ordering food, buying clothes, or booking your airline tickets. Businesses urge customers to donate a small amount to a particular fund or dedicate a share of the earnings to a cause.

Benefits of Cause-Related Marketing

As mentioned above, CRM is a unique tool for consolidating support for a cause. At the same time, it helps a business grow. This benefit that it provides a business pushes them to invest a healthy amount in the marketing efforts. 

Non-profit organisations often find it hard to spend a lot of money on advertising or marketing. Therefore, this partnership enables them to gain visibility and reach the masses. While helping the NGOs, it is also beneficial to the businesses.

The ways in which CRM benefits businesses include fulfilling their corporate social responsibility, boosting the morale of their employees, improving their image in public, creating a unique image for the brand, etc.

Communities gain from cause-related marketing as well. A greater awareness creates opportunities for advancement. The campaign and its backing have significantly advanced social issues.

With the advantages, there are also some disadvantages of cause-related marketing. One of the biggest concerns is that it can badly affect the image of the NGO and the business. People might accuse the non-profit of engaging in commercialism.

At the same time, CRM may also be used as a tool to only benefit an organisation while ignoring the end result of the cause. 

Cause-Related Marketing Examples

While there are many examples of Cause Related Marketing around the world, let us look at a few of them. One of the latest examples is Squarespace’s Act with Pride campaign. 

Website host Squarespace made the decision to highlight LGBTQIA+ community members with motivational tales for Pride Month. The “#ActWithPride” campaign provided free Instagram Story Templates that users could download and use when creating stories. Following that, winners were highlighted on Squarespace’s Instagram profile page and story.

Another example is that of the Leftovers Challenge by Mythical Kitchen. Josh Scherer, a chef on YouTube, runs the Mythical Kitchen channel where he posts recipes for comfort cuisine. To launch the #LeftoversChallenge, he collaborated with a number of hosts from culinary channels, including Andrew Rea of Binging with Babish and Alvin Cailan of First We Feast.

The #LeftoversChallenge challenges participants to create original dishes using leftovers and post them on social media with the hashtag. To help restaurant employees if they lost their jobs, the organisers gave them 50% of the proceeds. 

Additionally, 25% went to charitable organisations that support restaurant employees, and the final 25% went to low-interest loans for failing businesses.

Future of Cause-Related Marketing

As businesses grow, it becomes imperative that they help and support the communities they operate in. At the same time, we are seeing the world is getting smaller. Today, businesses cannot escape their corporate responsibility.

It matters how businesses choose to participate—or not. Consider Nike’s response to the Black Lives Matter movement as an illustration of how companies are utilising their platforms to engage on issues that have the greatest impact on their target audiences and communities.

Consumers are also more aware today as they wish to associate with the brands that work for the community as well. Therefore, we can expect that more and more businesses will indulge in Cause Related Marketing in the future.

The rise of big charities and successful mass campaigns is also emerging as a healthy trend. Large charities require a lot of funds to create impact at scale. This makes it crucial for them to parent with for-profits too. So, as we move forward, we can expect more creative and more impactful Cause Related Marketing campaigns in the future.

Smile Foundation and CRM

Smile Foundation is always looking for opportunities to collaborate with brands that share with us the ethos and values of child education and the holistic development of families. Learn more about the cause-related marketing partnerships of Smile Foundation here!

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