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Under Its ‘Health Cannot Wait’ Campaign, NGO Smile Foundation Is Promoting Hygiene And Sanitation Amid COVID-19

( November 23, 2020 )

NGO Smile Foundation has distributed over 1.5 lakh hygiene kits to ensure that along with awareness, vulnerable families also have access to basic hygiene care

New Delhi: “To kill germs and fight Coronavirus, we should wash our hands with soap for 20-30 seconds. While washing hands, we should scrub all surfaces of the hands including the back of hands, between fingers and under nails thoroughly”, explains Samriddhi Pramanik, a student of class 4, from Sundarbans in West Bengal. Before the Coronavirus pandemic, Samriddhi would practice hand hygiene casually and would wash hands before eating, after using a toilet and at other crucial times. However, now, Samriddhi washes her hands more frequently and encourages her family to do the same. Explaining how the family is practising hygiene, one of the COVID precautionary measures, Pradipta Pramanik, Samriddhi’s father said,

“I have elderly parents at home and it is essential for us to protect both ourselves and our parents, who are at a higher risk of contracting the disease, from COVID-19. My younger son looks up to Samriddhi and learns from her. Everyone in the house washes hands more than they used to and wear a mask while going out and always avoid crowded places.

Meet Samriddhi who has adopted handwashing

Similarly, Manjula from Bengaluru, working as a housekeeping staff in a school supported by NGO Smile Foundation, ensures hand washing every hour. She believes by practising hygiene she will not only protect her children but people around her as well. That’s Manjula’s way of contributing to society. Talking about the lessons she learnt on COVID precautionary measures, Manjula said,

“In a community meeting in school, students and we parents were educated about the need for hygiene practices. We also saw advertisements on TV asking people to wash hands, wear a mask and maintain social distance to fight COVID-19.

Meet Manjula and her family who follow COVID precautionary measures at all times

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, NGO Smile Foundation is sensitising children studying in its Mission Education centres and their parents on precautionary hygiene measures. Under the ambit of ‘Health Cannot Wait’, Smile Foundation’s health team took up the task of education and information through its tele counselling programme ‘Baaton Baaton Mein Sehat’ and WhatsApp and some of the teachers went door-to-door to do the needful.

Talking to NDTV about the idea and motive behind initiating hygiene and sanitation initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, Santanu Mishra, Co-founder and Executive Trustee, Smile Foundation, said,

“With the threat of the virus spreading fast it was crucial to orient and communicate to the community especially the children who fall under the vulnerable group, on good hygiene practices to be followed in order to stay protected and safe. The lockdown followed by a shutdown of schools made it difficult to reach out to the children and the families directly, therefore, it was essential to initiate information and education communication initiatives through tele counseling, messages through WhatsApp and centre staff connecting with the community regularly.

Teachers received training online on hygiene and good practices as precautionary measures for COVID-19 and further trained the students and community. Health and well-being sessions were conducted with parents with an objective to orient them about health and hygiene related practices to be followed; social distancing protocols to be adhered to during the pandemic; ensuring emotional and general well-being of their families to navigate the crisis.

Explaining how the team conveys the message, Tapas, working with Smile Foundation as the Regional Officer of East region, said,

“Without getting into the nitty gritties of the disease, we educate the focused group about basic precautions like handwashing. People say they wash hands but not many wash it with soap that too the right way so we demonstrate the 11 steps of handwashing as explained by the World Health Organisation and how soap kills germs. Secondly, we stress upon the use of face masks so as to protect one from droplets.

NGO Smile Foundation teaching the right technique of handwashing

Priyanka, one of the teachers at Mission Education Centre SHED in Kalina, Mumbai said that they mandated the use of face mask even before the nationwide lockdown and restricted the entries of those not abiding by the guidelines. The team also educated students about the symptoms of COVID-19 so that they can communicate with their elders or teachers if they think they have contracted the disease. Talking about the challenges on the ground, Priyanka said,

Young children don’t necessarily understand and adopt the concept of handwashing. We showed video tutorials; how the disease can affect us and at the same time how handwashing can safeguard us. Secondly, often people living in slums don’t adhere to wearing face masks probably because of the lack of knowledge. We went door-to-door to distribute masks and educate on how to wear a mask and how it protects from getting the virus.

Mr Mishra added that the messages were disseminated through skits, posters, and slogans as well.

Deenu Verma, mother of Surabhi Verma studying at one of the Mission Education Centres in Chhattisgarh, informed that during the nationwide lockdown, Smile Foundation team used to counsel over phone and even distributed pamphlets for education purpose. In addition to this, Anjum Khatoon, mother of Mohd Ejaz, a student of Ina Raja Memorial Education Trust in Delhi, said,

“We were provided hygiene kits consisting of soap, sanitizer and masks.

One of the students practising handwashing in the fight against COVID-19

According to Mr Mishra, the initiative ‘Baaton Baaton Mein Sehat’ has reached out to over 60,000 people across India since April 20. In addition to this, the foundation has distributed over 1.5 lakh hygiene kits to ensure that along with awareness, vulnerable families also have access to basic hygiene care. While signing off, Mr Mishra said,

“Through all of this, there is increased awareness among the community members who are now more cautious of their cleanliness, seek medical help timely, ensure their kids do not venture out frequently and have increased practice of good hygiene.

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.

Source: https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/under-its-health-cannot-wait-campaign-ngo-smile-foundation-is-promoting-hygiene-and-sanitation-amid-covid-19-53301/

Privacy Policy - Smile Foundation

Information Gathering

1. Smile Foundation collects information from the users in a number of ways, for example when the user:

  • Makes a donation
  • Signs up for a campaign
  • Signs up to stay updated

2. While forwarding a donation for Smile Foundation the well-wishers have to submit some personal information as it would help us ensuring genuine contributions:

  • Your name
  • Your email and mailing address
  • Your telephone number
  • Your payment processing details
  • Any other data as required

3. Smile Foundation does not collect or record the user’s personal information unless he/she chooses to provide it.

Use of Personal Information

1. General browsing of Smile Foundation website is anonymous and it does not register the user’spersonal information except the time, date and place of visits and the name of internet service provider. This data is used only for statistics and diagnosis.

2. By signing up for various services offered by Smile Foundation, the user explicitly authorizes us to collect information based on the user’s usage. The information is used to help provide a better experience to the user and is used as per the user’s specified instructions.

3. Smile Foundation keeps the user information strictly confidential and this information is secured safely. All relevant information collected through Smile Foundation website is handled and used by internal and/or authorized officials only. It is nevershared with any external agencies or third party individuals.

4. Smile Foundation uses the information givento it in the following ways:

  • To keep an accurate record of all the donations received
  • To update users about its happenings and developments through bulletins and newsletters, with an option of not to subscribe for the same
  • To make sure the user is receiving the most appropriate and relevant information
  • To find out more about the people who are visiting the Smile Foundationwebsite, donating, or joining its campaigns

5. Usually, Smile Foundation does not store user data. In case of specific sign-ups, the data is stored as per user request. The user can opt to delete all the information he/she has provided by simply requesting such by mail. All information, without exception, will be deleted in two working days.

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Individuals who join Smile Foundation’s mailing lists via its website or through its campaigning engagements are added to its email database. Smile Foundation does not sell, rent, loan, trade, or lease the addresses on our lists to anyone.

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1. Cookies are pieces of electronic information which will be sent by Smile Foundation when a user visitsthe website. These will be placed in the hard disk of the user’s computer and enable Smile Foundation to recognise the user when he/she visits the website again.

2. The user can configure his/her browser so that it responds to cookies the way he/she deems fit. For example, you make want to accept all cookies, reject them all or get notified when a cookie is sent. The users may check their browser’s settings to modify cookie behaviour as per individual behaviour.

3. If a user disables the use of cookies on the web browser, or removes or rejects specific cookies from Smile Foundation’swebsite or linked sites then he/she may not be able to use the website as it is intended.

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1. SmileFoundation uses well-recognised and proven technology for payments. Payment information is transferred by the use of an SSL connection which offers the highest degree of security that the donor’s browser is able to support.

2. Several layers of built-in security, including an advanced firewall system, encryption of credit card numbers, and use of passwords, protect the collected information.

External Web Services

1. Smile Foundation uses a number of external web services on its site to display content within its web pages. For example, to display video it uses YouTube. As with the social media buttons, Smile Foundation cannot prevent these sites, or external domains, from collecting information on the user’s consumption of the content embedded on its site.

2. The Smile Foundation website contains links to other websites for the benefit of its visitors. This Privacy Policy does not apply to such other websites.

3. Smile Foundation is not expressly or impliedly responsible for, or liable to any loss or damage caused to a user by the collection, use and retention of Personal Information by such website in any manner whatsoever. It is important that the users review the privacy policies of all websites they visit before disclosing any information to such websites.

Changes to Privacy Policy

1. As and when the need arises, Smile Foundation may alter its privacy policy in accordance with the latest technology and trends. It will provide you with timely notice of these changes. The users may reach out to Smile Foundation if they have any queries about any changes made to its practices.

2. If you have any questions at all about Smile Foundation’s privacy policy, please write to us at: [email protected]

Refund and Cancellation Policy

Welcome to this web-site of SMILE FOUNDATION. We make public our policy on refund and cancellation of donations received for the social cause on payment gateway as under:-

  • No refund/cancellation for the donated amount by any donor will not be entertained, the online donations through the online payment gateway.
  • No cash or refund of money will be allowed.
  • If any in-kind support received by the donor from any where the material will be reached to the poorest of the poorer communities.
  • Once received the donation for a cause will not be refunded to the donor. No cancellation to be made. The donation will be used for the community development, children education or women’s empowerment.
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If these terms and conditions are not accepted in full, the use of this site must be terminated immediately. SMILE FOUNDATION for Social Welfare Service is a registered at

161 B/4, 3rd Floor, Gulmohar House
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