Stories Of Change

15 years ago, when Dr. Shalini Malhotra saw children wandering aimlessly at a construction site, she could not stand by. Driven by a deep sense of responsibility, she was determined to give these children a chance at a better future through education. However, translating this vision into reality needed guidance and support.

Smile Foundation emerged as a crucial ally, assisting in securing approvals and corporate funding. With these foundational elements in place, Dr. Shalini’s dream materialized. Today, numerous children nurtured by her organization, NeeV, are pursuing education at esteemed institutions such as Delhi University and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. This transformative journey showcases the power of collaboration and underscores the positive impact of dedicated efforts in shaping a brighter future for these children.

When Haradhan’s father decided to build a school over his ancestral land in Sunderbans, people were surprised. In a village that had no electricity and people were living from hand to mouth, education was hardly a priority. Years later, Haradhan Sahu continues to nurture his father’s dream in the form of Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha.

Haradhan and the BTS team encountered many challenges, starting right from convincing the parents to send their children to school. The partnership with Smile Foundation helped them build the school’s capacity and infrastructure, and they never looked back. Powered by solar energy, the school is now offering education to hundreds of children.

Three decades back when Kalappa Lakshmaiah and his friends established the BMV Education Trust in Bhakthrahalli, they had just one objective – to ensure that the village children did not have to go far away to get an education. They worked tirelessly with the limited resources they had and set up a primary school.

In 2008, when the school was on the verge of closure, Smile Foundation intervened, providing essential facilities like transportation, computer labs, libraries, nutritious meals, sports, and co-curricular activities for the students. A full-fledged formal school now, BMV has continued to thrive, leaving no student or their dreams behind.

Sandeep was always clear that real contentment in life comes not from money, but from doing something meaningful for others. In 1998, he started with his mission of educating children. What started with just two students in an 8×6’ room evolved into something extraordinary as more children kept joining.

Sunita, Sandeep’s wife, got inspired by his sense of duty and joined him to lay the foundation for Jupiter Academy. Though they had the will, they lacked the means. Smile Foundation stepped in to support their dream project. Today, the seeds planted by Sandeep and Sunita have blossomed into 8 branches of Jupiter Academy in Lucknow.

Janki’s life took an unexpected turn at a young age when she became one of the passengers held hostage during the Panama flight hijack in 1986. This harrowing experience propelled her to find the real purpose of life and she made a personal commitment to bring positive change in the lives of underserved children. In 2003, giving her compassion a name, Janki founded Samvedana.

Janki started with 70 children and seed funding from Smile Foundation. The partnership flourished with time, as did Samvedana, which is now benefitting more than 3,00,000 children and women through nutrition, education and skill-building initiatives.

Prafulla Kumar Panda was still in college when he visualized a unique educational community near Sambalpur, Odisha. Prafulla and his friends began a study circle specifically tailored for the tribal community. They made the village their home, lived alongside the tribals, eventually founding Udiyaman Matrukshetra to promote education, healthcare, and better living conditions for the local community.

Smile Foundation partnered with Udiyaman to develop their education center by providing critical support to improve the quality of education. The centre has already witnessed many success stories with its alumni studying in reputed universities and securing good jobs, uplifting not only the children but the entire community.