Smiles Part 2

Another Monday morning, and we all deserve to see some more happy faces to begin the week on a good note :)

Well, not everyone is always happy ;)

But looks like nothing can dampen their joy :)

Have a great week!

Slum research begins

A couple of weeks ago, we had told you about our development programme for slums and our plan for extensive research into the needs of the slums and the communities, which our research partner, Approach, is helping us with (Read here: Approach). We are pleased to tell you that this research work has begun in slums around our office in Marol, Andheri (E), like this one in the Marol Pipeline area.

Here you can see chairman Jaume and projects manager Neelratan (right) with two members of the Approach team (in the centre), who are conducting the initial round of research. In a funny coincidence, both of them are called Sachin Bhagat :)

These Approach research officers are in charge of designing questionnaires for the research, and collecting and analysing secondary data, such as demographic patterns, amenities available, the socio-economic situation, employment status, gender concerns, etc.

 They are responsible for reaching out to the slum community and building a rapport with them. This way they can help identify the community's true needs. They are also helping us pick out the best local organisations and self-help groups who can help us with our development programme later on.

As the work progresses, look for regular updates here :)

Buddha Purnima

Today is Buddha Purnima, so we thought we would refresh your memory on what this day means and why it is celebrated. This day commemorates the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, who founded Buddhism, and is celebrated on the full moon night in the month of Vaisakha (either April or May). 

The day is marked with prayer meets, sermons on the life of Gautam Buddha, religious discourses, recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation and processions.

Pilgrims from all over the world make their way to Bodh Gaya in the state of Bihar, which is said to be the place where Gautama Buddha attained nirvana (enlightenment).

For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya, home to the Mahabodhi temple, is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath.

The story goes that Gautama Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha in the ancient kingdom of Kapilavastu. However, at the age of 29, depressed by the ills in the world around him, he renounced his royal life, his family and all luxuries to become an ascetic and search for 'truth'. He finally found his answers, at age 35, under a pipal tree, now known as the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya.

For the next 45 years, till the time he died, Gautama Buddha is said to have traveled across what is now North India and Nepal to teach his discipline and beliefs to people.

His teachings have spread far and wide and are revered even today.

Open House

Here at Mumbai Smiles, we believe that it's not enough to be involved in just one aspect of a child's education. Change trickles in from all directions, and that's why we have become a member of Open House, a network of NGOs and individuals, all working in the field of education and child rights.

Open House provides a platform for all these groups to exchange information and ideas, learn from each other and present a united stand on children’s issues. It pools the resources and strengthens the strategies of various NGOs with the aim of being a bigger influence to bring about change.

Every month, representatives of all the members of this network meet to discuss and tackle issues, in various ways. One of these was the rally organised in April to protest against the new Right to Education Act, which Mumbai Smiles was also a part of (rally). Mumbai Smiles will continue to contribute to this meaningful network and will tell you all about it here.

The more of us that fight together, the more change we can hope to see.

Welcome to the Future Smiles team!

Monday saw new additions to the Mumbai Smiles band of helpers :)

The first members of the Future Smiles team began work yesterday, discussing and planning work for the coming academic year. We have already drawn up a list of students from Karuna orphanage (Mumbai Smiles's first project) and Yashodhan school, who will be the first beneficiaries of the Future Smiles project. In case you missed our earlier post about this project, you can read about it here: Future Smiles

And, here's a quick introduction to our newest colleagues:

Sitting on the left is Sagar Bhandare. He has a Master's degree in Social Work and has worked with the National Domestic Workers Movement, International Institute of Population Science and Salaam Bombay Foundation. He will assess students in need, design development plans, and manage all the information for the programme.

In the centre is Sachin Ingle, who is the office assistant, and will help the other members of the team execute their tasks.

On the right is Chandrakant Sasane, also a post-graduate in Social Work, who has joined the team as a counsellor. Chandrakant has extensive experience as a counsellor (providing career guidance, psychological counselling, conducting motivational and confidence-building sessions, training modules, etc) and lecturer. He has worked with ICRW (International Centre for Research on Women), SATHI (Social Advancement Through Health Initiative), Sidharth College, Acharya College, among others. He is responsible for evaluating and assessing students, preparing development plans, providing counselling and career planning, and more.

With this team of smart and talented individuals, Future Smiles is off to a great start!

Wake up with a smile :)

With the balwadis and Yashodhan school shut for the summer holidays, we've been missing our kids and are sure you have too. So to start your Monday on a happy note, we leave with you the images of the different smiles that are a part of Mumbai Smiles. Enjoy :)

'One who saves a life, saves the world'

The week ends with more encouragement and support from our visitors. Thank you all!

I am very grateful to you for giving me this opportunity to see your projects up close. Thank you for your welcome. I wish you all the best for your projects and hope that you achieve all your goals, and that we all can collaborate with you even in a small way. All the seeds that you have been sowing are bearing fruits now.

Wish you all the luck and keep it up! I wish that all your work brings more smiles. Keep doing such wonderful things and never lose hope. Thank you for helping to make this world a better place.
Maria

I feel fortunate to be able to come here and see the projects. I am proud that the small dreams we have nurtured in our homes are turned into a reality here. One leaves from here knowing that something really important is going on and that it is necessary to spread this message in the world. The people who have already visited you, the ones who are yet to visit, and I, must not lose hope and must never get tired of spreading this message.
Thank you very much.
Jordi

I am pleased to personally come here and see the projects that are going on (and the ones that will be initiated). It is really good! You are very brave, strong and different to do work like this. We are happy to be able to contribute in a small way to your great projects.
Montse and Joaquim
 
A smile is the shortest distance between the two people. Thank you for bringing out so many smiles and for making into reality the biggest challenge of the 21st century, an attempt to end poverty. One who saves a life, saves the world. Congratulations.
Damia

Thank you very much for investing your time in showing us the wonderful work that you are doing here. Keep it up and all the best. We are very glad to have this visit, to see the people and to know more about the projects.
Anna and Rodrigo

Yashodhan in 2010-2011

With Yashodhan school shut for the summer holidays, this is the best time for us to plan the next academic year with the school's management. The school has submitted its proposal for the academic year from June 2010 to April 2011, with budgets for salaries, books, expansion, maintenance, etc.

Our projects department will be going over this proposal with the financial counsellor and chairman of Mumbai Smiles and, after discussing details with the school, we will go ahead with our plans for the year. 

Starting this year, we will take our association further with the Future Smiles project that we told you about a few days ago (http://mumbaismiles.blogspot.com/2010/05/future-smiles.html).

Our collaboration with Yashodhan has been fruitful for so many years and we are happy to continue with it.

Strategic Plan workshop

All of yesterday, the Mumbai Smiles team in Mumbai was busy in a workshop to discuss the strategic plan of our organisation -- which encompasses our vision, mission, plans and policies -- for the next five years. This is the second such workshop being done with members of our organisation; the first workshop was done a few months back with our team in Barcelona, Spain.

Here you can see Monica Grau of the projects department and our chairman, Jaume Sanllorente, conducting the workshop.

And members of the Mumbai team in rapt attention.

The workshop covered the areas of projects, communications, human resources and internal policies, and CSR (corporate social responsibility). It was intensive, informative and full of ideas and plans, which will all translate into a stronger vision for our future.

Beyond borders

Did you know there exists a World Telecommunication and Information Society Day? It was, in fact, yesterday, May 17. We were curious about the significance of this day and found out that it is meant to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.

 

The theme of this year’s World Telecommunication and Information Society Day was 'Better City, Better Life With ICTs' aiming at greener, safer, healthier, more prosperous, more inclusive, and better-managed cities where over half the world’s population dwells. This year’s WTISD endeavors to ensure that ICTs will contribute to improve quality of life for the rapidly increasing global urban population.

 

So what's all this to do with us? Mumbai Smiles is a perfect example of how all kinds of information and communication technologies can help do good in the world we live in today.
Our projects are in Mumbai but our sponsors and supporters are in Spain. We now have offices in three big cities (Barcelona, Mumbai and Mexico City), all instantly and closely connected to one another, helping us spread the scope of our work. We are able to connect to thousands of supporters throughout the world through our blogs, Facebook profiles and websites.
Word is only spreading and, with it, greater good. Isn't it amazing?

Future Smiles

Bright and early on this Monday morning, we have some happy news and want to tell you more about our plans for our NGO and our kids.
Future Smiles -- As the name hints at, this is a project that aims to secure better futures for the many, many children we support. In collaboration with Saprem, an NGO that has been working in various issues -- from education to sanitation to rights of the disabled --  the programme is meant for the students of Yashodhan school (a school in Thane that we support) and the students of Karuna orphanage (an orphanage that we supported for many years and still engage with).

Future Smiles will include arranging counselling, scholarships, job opportunities, legal advice, follow-ups on their home life, a space to study -- anything that would encourage the young students to pursue their studies, find good jobs and build a more dignified life for themselves. Sometimes it's not enough to make sure kids get a good education, they also need to have the right opportunities so they can have a shot at a brighter future.

'Your work will have an impact on the whole society'

Thank you to all our visitors for their thoughtful remarks.

It is great to see these projects going so well. Thank you for your efforts.
Amara, Javier, Elena and Davinia

It's nice to see how money changes the lives of so many people. Keep it up.
Leopoldo

I congratulate you for the incredible work you are doing in a city like Mumbai. This glamorous city hides a whole other harsh reality.
Xavier

I love to visit the Mumbai Smiles projects. You are doing a wonderful job educating children; this is something that will have an impact on the whole society. Thanks for making this possible, and continue to work hard.
Anna March

Thank you for opening the doors of Mumbai Smiles and making us feel a part of your incredible work. Congratulations! Best of luck! And keep fighting!
Anna Zagolin

Congratulations for the work done and may you continue to bring many smiles to Mumbai. Thank you for opening your doors to us.
Lydia

It's been great to see the projects so closely and meet the wonderful people supporting them. My best wishes to Mumbai Smiles and to all the children for a brighter future.
Aleksandra

Rashmi Pai, a mediator for all

Meet Rashmi Pai, a dedicated worker at the Bombay Leprosy Project's clinic in Sion. She has been working with BLP for 33 years and shows no sign of slowing down.

Rashmi first got to know about leprosy in school, when she remembers seeing some slideshows. She had also heard about social worker Baba Amte and his work in rehabilitating and empowering leprosy patients. Always harbouring an interest in helping other people, Rashmi decided to join BLP.

Rashmi's is a familiar face to Mumbai Smiles visitors as she is the one who educates them about leprosy and its treatment.

Her responsibilities with BLP include programming and planning their projects, monitoring patients, supervising admissions and other patient services. She is the all-important mediator between the various arms of BLP.

Rashmi is 58 years old and has one son. Such is her commitment that she travels every day from Borivali to Sion, a journey of several hours. The world needs more people like her.