Sometimes life gives you everything and sometimes it takes a lot from you, but the choice of giving back all the time is totally upto you. Our visit to Smile Foundation’s Mission Education centre- Niveda Vidya Mandir in Nithari, Noida, a school which gives the children of the lower strata an opportunity to learn and grow, was a visit to remember. Started by a group of friends living the area it is a place which has turned the lives around of children in the area.
When I first entered the school not knowing what to expect, was in for a surprise, and a surprise it was when I saw the talent the kids had, the attitude of taking the lead from the front, helping each other to learn, play, draw, fight, sing and bond. The passion and expressions they depict in everything they do is commendable. The students who once worked as rag pickers with their intent to perform are now excelling in all the activities. Abhishek (Bachchan as he calls himself), Yash (the Mr. Mischief), Shravanti (the master of poems), Gopal (an aspiring doctor) are just some students amongst the talented lot we met.
The teachers, Shilpa Ma’am, Neha Ma’am, Monica Ma’am and others are the ones who give their all to bring out the best in these kids. They are the ones we must congratulate for the efforts they put in. They motivated the parents of the students to send them to school to lead a happy, prosperous and yielding life. They changed the social mindset of the parents and thought of only the betterment of the kids in their efforts to get them to school. They not only involve themselves with kids, but also with adults by organising different workshops on social abuse, skill development, healthcare etc. to integrate all in their mission of uplifting the neighbourhood.
I feel that visits like these are experiences that all of us should have because after going there you realise that the lives that we lead are so luxurious in comparison to the ones these children suffer through. Yet, we are the ones who are always complaining. I just wish and hope that I could get the spirit these kids showcase, the determination they have and try to imitate that in every aspect of life. This was an opportunity for me to grow. I am pleased that I was able to touch and make an impact on the lives of others directly!
To know more about Smile Foundation’s education programme, please visit our website.
