|
Empowering grassroots
Participants engaged in an interactive activity
|
|
Smile
Foundation, with support from Wilde Ganzen, conducted a 3-day free
residential capacity building programme for community based organisations
under ‘Empowering Grassroots’.
The participating organisations were selected
from Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Maharashtra,
Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal for
the programme held between July 10 and 12, 2013 in New Delhi. Local
fundraising for project management, communication and sustainability,
good governance for organizational development and strengthening,
building organisational competencies through 5 C model were among
major sessions conducted by various subject experts, trainers and
guest faculty. In the last two years, Smile Foundation has built
capacities of 500 grassroots organisations under Empowering Grassroots
programme in India.
|
Air France – KLM and Smile go Green
Air
France - KLM supported Smile Foundation through its ‘Go
Green’ initiative on World Environment Day. The celebrations
of the same were conducted at the premises of the Air France
KLM office.
The enthusiastic volunteers were divided
into teams and were given various tasks to perform. They
were judged and rewarded on the basis of these tasks. The
activities involved effectively disseminated the message
of keeping the environment clean and saving the earth.
Aware of its responsibilities and the
issues affecting the shared growth of its business, the
Air France - KLM group has chosen to place CSR at the heart
of its organization and has been recognised by various nonfinancial
rating agencies as a frontrunner in CSR. It has done several
successful campaigns with Smile Foundation previously.
|
|
|
 Air
France employees cheer with representatives from Smile Foundation
|
Campaign on Nutrition for Better Literacy with IIT Madras
Chairperson, IIT Madras, hands over the cheque to Smile Foundation
|
|
IIT
Madras partnered with Smile Foundation, under its annual festival
‘SAARANG’, to launch Nutrition for Better Literacy campaign
by providing yearlong nutritional support to 100 underprivileged
children.
Malnutrition is one of the
biggest issues faced by our society today. Around eight million
children in India are currently out of school, with many of them
forced to work for a single meal a day. Provision of nutrition would
serve as an incentive for these children to not miss school and
further result in better learning outcomes for them.
A two-month campaign against
child labour was also held between November 2012 and January 2013.
An inter-college Choreo Night was conducted on January 10 and the
proceeds of the show were given to Smile Foundation at a ceremony
held on April 9, 2013 at the IIT Madras campus.
|
Jackie
Chan asks children to believe in their dreams
Jackie Chan has fun interacting with Smile kids
|
|
Renowned
Hollywood star and martial arts legend Jackie Chan visited Smile
Foundation’s integrated community development project to motivate
children and provide them valuable self-defence tips at Health &
Care Society, Sri Ram J. J. Camp in New Delhi.
Mr. Chan said that children
held a special place in his heart and talked about the indispensability
of education for any kind of social development. He also shared
insights from his own life, encouraging the children to cherish
their dreams. He congratulated Smile Foundation for its initiatives
in building an aware and educated generation next.
Mr. Chan spent quality time
inquiring about the progress of children studying at the centre
and shared some light moments by dancing with them. He also took
a round of the centre, discussing various facilities such as classrooms,
computer rooms and livelihood training section.
|
JK Tyre takes Smile kids on an F1 ride
|
Smile
children pose at the Buddh International F1 circuit
|
|
JK
Tyre invited a group of 25 children from Smile Foundation to Buddh
International Circuit for a memorable racetrack experience, on May
12.
The children got an opportunity to visit the
circuit, get a glimpse of trackside facilities including the race
control room, team buildings, and team garages, visited the pit
lane and also got to do one lap of the 5.14km circuit, one of the
fastest F1 tracks in the world.
The children got to meet and interact with
racing drivers from JK Tyre’s Motorsport Program and VW Polo
R Cup series. They spoke to the children at length sharing their
experiences of racing and guided them on the requisites for a career
in motorsport.
|
Smile kids celebrate Independence Day with Prachi Desai
Independence
Day was celebrated in its true spirit, by the children of
Smile Foundation, in Mumbai. Actress Prachi Desai joined
the celebrations along with her mother and spent some quality
time sharing her experiences with the kids.
Showcasing her support for the education
of underprivileged children, she pledged the cause by signing
a specially designed banner. “I congratulate Smile
Foundation for the commendable work of putting wings to
the dreams of these children through the beauty of education.
Getting education is one of the best ways to celebrate the
spirit of true independence,” said Prachi Desai.
The children had a great time with
Prachi and celebrated the occasion by cutting a cake with
her. They too signed the banner symbolically signifying
their journey from a thumb impression towards signing their
own names. Prachi also released balloons with the kids in
the spirit of freedom.
|
|
|
 Prachi
Desai releases balloons with Smile kids |
Soft Skills for women and older kids
|
Rita Chhawchharia imparts training to the women |
|
FICCI
Ladies Organization, in association with Smile Foundation’s
local partner UTSAH, organized a Soft Skills Training Programme
for the women and older children of the Hafiznagar slum area in
Guwahati at the Community Youth Centre, on May 20.
The session was designed to enhance the skills
of the women and children, by training them to make simple utility
bags from old newspapers and magazine covers. This non-formal initiative
would help to improve their chances of employment and supplement
their income.
The training was imparted by entrepreneur Rita
Chhawchharia who is the Treasurer of FICCI Ladies Organization,
North-east chapter.
|
Celebrities walk for a cause at Ramp for Champs Bangalore
Smile
Foundation staged the fourth edition of its unique initiative
Ramp for Champs in the garden city of Bangalore in June.
Initiated in 2011, this was the third Ramp for Champs held
in the city. While the event has supported thousands of
underprivileged children throughout its three seasons in
Bangalore and Mumbai, this edition for Bangalore, presented
by Skylark Mansions as the title partner, focused on sending
1000 girls to school.
The evening began with the lighting
of the lamp by Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Member of Parliament,
who was the chief guest for the occasion. A spectacular
performance of classical guitar orchestra was given by the
students of William Joseph International Academy for Performing
Arts. This was followed by the ramp walk of celebrities,
who were accompanied by children of Smile Foundation.
Among the multi-faceted and acclaimed
celebrities extending their support for this event included
Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Member of Parliament; Ms. Sudha
Murthy, philanthropist, author and Chairperson of Infosys
Foundation; Ms. Vani Ganapathi, classical dancer, choreographer
and designer; Mr. Saleem Sheriff, Managing Director, Skylark
Mansions; Mr. Upendra and Ms. Priyanka Upendra, Kannada
actor; Ms. Tara, Kannada actress; Ms. Rubi Chakravarti,
entertainment professional; Ms. Nisha Millet, national level
swimmer; Dr. Ashley Williams, Chairman, William Actor Upendra
and wife Priyanka walk the ramp with Smile kids Joseph Music
Foundation and Director & Conductor, Indian National
Symphony Orchestra; Mr. Kartik, Kannada actor; Dr. Mohammed
Rehan Sayeed, Director, Motherhood; Mr. Rasheed Sait, Vice
President & Managing Director, George P Johnson ; Mr.
Srinivas Reddy, CEO & MD, Tusker Harley Davidson; Mr.
Chandra Mauli, owner, Judge Press; Ms. Aviva Bidapa, super
model and actress; Ms. Kate Elizabeth Hallam, singer; Mr.
Vinod Valson, General Manager, Vivanta by Taj, M.G. Road;
Ms. Lakshmi Rebecca, producer and anchor of India’s
first award-winning online talk show Chai with Lakshmi;
Ms. Nadira Iqbal, fashion designer and woman entrepreneur;
Ms. Kulsum Shadab Wahab, Hothur Foundation; Ms. Naina Sultan
Ahmed, Associate Director, EduMedia India; Rashmi Vallabhajosyula,
CEO, Altius Consulting; Mr. T. K. Srivastava, Field General
Manager, Union Bank , Ms. Vasanthi Hariprakash, media personality
and Mr. Dakshath, Branch Head of Renault Bangalore.
|
|
|
National Award winning actress Tara backs every girl child to
school
|
The event was made successful with support
from partners like title partner Skylark Mansions, powered by and hosted
amid the beautiful ambience of Vivanta by Taj, M.G. Road, cause partner
Renault, couture partner Nadira Iqbal, philanthropy partner Union Bank
of India, outdoor media partner Ripple Media, co partners Motherhood,
George P. Johnson, Judge Press and EduMedia, printing partner Varada Flexography
and kids fashion partner Megamart.
| Actor Upendra and wife Priyanka walk the ramp with Smile kids
|
|
Mr. Saleem Sheriff, MD, Skylark with Smile Kids
|
GO TO TOP
|
