VOLUME 1 - 2019
smilescapes
Teachers' Training Workshop in Mumbai
Teacher's Training and Capacity Building Workshop was organized for teachers of Mission Education centres in Mumbai. It was a step further in ensuring quality education and accessible learning for children from marginalized sections of the society. The workshop was aimed at enabling all round development of children, and focused on sharing innovative and interactive pedagogical methodologies for the primary and middle classes with the teachers.
Chandigarh holds its first Children's Parliament
A one of its kind Children's Parliament was organized in Chandigarh to provide a platform to the city's children to voice their issues and concerns. It was part of the Child Friendly City initiative by Smile Foundation's Mission Education partner Don Bosco and supported by the Govt. of Chandigarh. 2700 children from various government and private schools participated in the event, along with Smile children. All the children confidently debated and discussed on vital social issues at th session.
Special camp & awareness session on Menstrual Hygiene
A session on menstrual hygiene and a special health camp was organized for girls from Udaan Rose Homes for orphan girls under the Smile on Wheels mobile hospital programme to sensitize them on adolescent health issues. The discussion on menstrual hygiene included videos and pictorial presentation, explaining concepts of reproductive system, menstrual cycle, and importance of sanitary napkins to the participants. Free of cost medical counseling and medicines were provided at the health camp.
STeP alumni meet organized in Kolkata
An alumni meet was organized for former trainees of the Smile Twin e-Learning Programme (STeP) in Kolkata. The students met to discuss ways to inspire more youth from challenging socio-economic backgrounds to join the skill based training programme that had given them an opportunity to change their lives for the better. All of these STeP alumni now have a steady source of income, are supporting their families and making their own lives better.
Painting exhibitions by school students in Bhopal & Nagpur
Painting exhibitions were held at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) in Bhopal and Central Museum in Nagpur to celebrate National Day of the Girl Child, under the Child for child programme. The exhibition, titled “Swabhiman - Pride & Dignity”, presented paintings made by school students from Bhopal and Nagpur. The students worked for weeks to prepare and put together the well-applauded exhibition.
New Smile on Wheels launched in Pune
A new Smile on Wheels mobile hospital project, supported by Ericsson Global Services Limited, was launched in Pune, Maharashtra. The project will take healthcare services to doorsteps of families consisting mainly of daily wage laborers in 14 slums of Pune. Powered with a team of doctor, nurse, lab technician, pharmacist, driver and a group of volunteers, the project will benefit over 16,000 people directly every year.
Capacity Building for Women Entrepreneurs in Bengaluru
A pilot training session on entrepreneurship, facilitated by expert trainers from Skore was held for women beneficiaries of the Swabhiman programme. The main objective of the training was to enhance the entrepreneurial skills and knowledge of 20 women entrepreneurs through activity based and participative learning methods so that they understand the science and art of the business, and its management to increase efficiency and profitability.
Bridging the Gap through Music & Dance in Zirakpur
Privileged and lesser privileged children came together through songs, dance and mime to spread the joy of empathy and togetherness at The Gurukul, Zirakpur under the Child for Child programme. Trained by the teachers and students of the school, Smile Foundation children performed like stars on the school's Achievement Day. The children presented various performances on themes related to child labor and Right to Education which were much appreciated by the audience.
Communication Specialist volunteers to train STeP students
A communication specialist from France, Marco, volunteered to take a series of English communication and personality development sessions for STeP trainees in Kolkata, bringing fresh knowledge and techniques to the classroom. Volunteer Engagement is an important aspect of STeP, under which students from colleges, universities as well as corporate professionals volunteer to add value to the learning process of the youth trainees in addition to the regular training curriculum.
Telemedicine Project with Karma Healthcare & Australian High Commission
Smile Foundation, in partnership with Karma Healthcare and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australian High Commission have initiated a telemedicine project to serve the needs of communities in the remotest parts of Bhilwara, Rajasthan. Based on the 'hub-and-spoke' model, the project will provide diagnostics and medical consultation services through video conferencing with specialized doctors and equipment available at the telemedicine clinics.
Empowering Grassroots NGOs with Mobilizing Support Training
Smile Foundation conducted a 10 day long Classroom Course on Mobilizing Support in Delhi for grassroots NGOs and community based organizations from 8 states of the country. Special emphasis was laid on empowering the participants to get more support from stakeholders and decision makers with an action plan that helps them move towards self-sustainability. The training was part of the international e-Learning initiative Change the Game Academy.
Swabhiman Scholars attend Business Conclave at SRCC
A team of 40 Swabhiman scholars was invited to attend the annual Business Conclave at the reputed Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi University. The scholars participated in panel discussions on the present economic and political challenges in the country with students from different colleges, and were enlightened by a speech on microfinance by the CEO of Bandhan Bank, among various other engaging sessions.
Community leads Women's Day celebration in Gurugram
International Women's Day was celebrated by over 100 community women and adolescent girls in Gurugram under the Swabhiman programme. The celebration started with a street play performed on the importance of a woman in our society, followed by a skit by community women on impact of Swabhiman programme in their lives, and engaging games and performances. Children from the community presented a puppet show on the importance of education for girls.
Mumbai youth get Industry Exposure at leading retail mall
Youth from STeP centre in Mumbai went out for an exposure visit to the Seawood Mall. The trainees interacted with managers and staff of the major retail brands outlets from the mall. They were oriented on work culture, sales promotion strategies, and client handling through role plays and practice sessions. Industry exposure visits equip the youth with first-hand industry knowledge, thus enhancing their employment opportunities in the service, retail and ITES sectors.
300 children benefit from Health Camp in Sangareddy
Children from Mission Education centre in Sangareddy, Telangana, attended a school health camp along with their parents. Besides regular health check-up and growth monitoring, free of cost medicines were provided to the children. In severe cases, reference was provided for concerned specialists. The community was also made aware of the importance of health and nutrition and the role of parents in ensuring a healthy lifestyle for their children.
