'Mumbai is a large and magnetic city'

It's Friday and it's time to share our visitors' feedback again. Enjoy!

Thank you very much for a wonderful visit. The name of the organisation makes sense when you see the faces of the children. Mumbai is a large, magnetic city, thanks to the kindhearted people and the hope that can be seen on their faces. You fill a gap in society so that people can continue to grow in the future. Thank you very much, and I will follow your work closely. There are many people supporting you.
Ana

When I discovered Mumbai Smiles on television, I imagined the wonderful people taking care of others and what has surprised me most was that it is completely true. We've all heard on countless occasions that India is a country that changes you deeply and now when I've finally come, I have seen and understood. But very few people have the courage to leave everything and come here and start working for the needy people instead of crying and suffering looking at their condition. Hence, thank you very much. It's amazing what you have accomplished in so little time and I'm sure it will be a project that will run for a long time and get many more smiles.
María

What shines the most in the world and in this city is the smiles of children… pure and contagious smiles that we have got from the children we visited. Thank you very much for making this possible. We wish you all the luck to go on making this city, this country and this world a place full of smiles.
Francesc, Xevi, María

Career guidance workshop

A couple of weeks ago, Mumbai Smiles organised a career guidance workshop at Yashodhan school along with the NGO Saprem, as a part of the Future Smiles initiative.

The workshop was for students of classes 9 and 10 at Yashodhan, and their parents and teachers.

Here you can see the members of the Future Smiles team and the two principals of Yashodhan's English and Marathi-medium sections, and a trustee.

A resource person, who is an expert in career counselling, was brought in to talk to the gathering.

She spoke about the range of career options available to students in the Arts, Science and Commerce streams, going into great detail about what each one entails and what the requirements are.

The point of an exercise like this to empower the students and their parents with valuable information so that they are aware of what the world has to offer them and can then make the right choices for themselves.

We are sure it will make a big difference...

Meeting with balwadi helpers

As we told you in this post, we have started new balwadis in partnership with the NGO Saprem. With 25 new balwadis opening, we are particular that we want everyone involved -- coordinators, teachers, helpers etc -- to be on the same page with the same focus -- that of giving the kids the best care and learning. After a workshop for teachers and self-help groups, we had a meeting yesterday with the helpers who take care of the kids in the balwadis.
As always, the event started with lamps being lit. Here you can see the delightful rangoli with the Mumbai Smiles logo :)

The meeting started off with some of the helper women singing a song, after which one of the balwadi coordinators introduced the Mumbai Smiles team members, who were also presented with small bouquets of flowers.

The point of the meeting was to connect with the helpers and talk to them about their responsibilities and functions. The helpers are crucial to the smooth running of the balwadis as they assist the teachers and also look after the children. They will also help keep a check on the self-help groups who will provide the food to the balwadis, and observe if the teachers are performing their duties correctly.

At the meeting, the women were also given ID cards, which will not only help us track them but also gives them a sense of belonging and responsibility.

Each helper was presented with a rose and an ID card, by the Mumbai Smiles team.

Ending with tea and snacks, it was, all in all, a successful meeting :)

Students design for Mumbai Smiles

Throughout June and July, students studying for a Masters in Graphic Communication at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain, have been working on their final project – which was to develop a proposal for a campaign, e-banner, stand, A4 folder or annual report for Mumbai Smiles.

Their work was judged by a jury that included Silvia Montoya, who heads the department of design and artwork at Mumbai Smiles. The students were judged for creativity, methodology, theoretical evidence and formal production and defence of their campaign. The works of three of the students – Gabriela Muñoz Hidalgo, Desiree Castillo and Dario D. Aguillon – stood out.

 

We are likely to use some of their designs and ideas in our upcoming campaigns, and we hope this collaboration between the Barcelona university and our organisation becomes a regular feature.

Welcome, CHIP!

Starting this week, we have new inhabitants in our office in Mumbai. We had told you before that the office was expanding to two more floors, so now that we have all this space, we decided to share it with people in need.
In this case, the people in need are CHIP (Children in Pain), another organisation that works for children's education in Mumbai. The CHIP team needed an office space to work out of, so we have given them some space on our fifth floor, absolutely free.

The team came over with their things on Friday, and here you can see Monica Grau of the Projects department giving Novela, who heads the CHIP operations, a Mumbai Smiles welcome :)

With all the unpacking done, they should be able to get to work today.

 Welcome, guys, we hope you'll love our office as much as we do!

'You know how to put smiles on children's faces'

As always, we had some lovely visitors who had wonderful things to say about our work:

We came here with high expectations to see Mumbai Smiles and meet Jaume, and the experience was not at all disappointing. In fact, it was quite the contrary. You know how to put smiles on the faces of the kids in Mumbai, and those who visit you projects and we learned something from you. Monica and Jaume are very kind, and Nehal is a great guide and host. Thank you very much for your time. Keep it up.
Sonia and Carlos

When we planned our trip to India, we were sure that Mumbai Smiles would be one of our final stops. This was a good choice and our expectations have been met. We congratulate you on the work you carry out from the time Jaume decided to come to Mumbai and start this efficient and useful organisation. Thank you very much for your welcome.
Ana, Natalia, Silvia

I always wanted to know more about an organisation like this, especially outside Spain. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to see your work. I've been a student of social work, but did not pursue it as I was frustrated by the bureaucratic work. Thank you very much again for this opportunity and congratulations on making a better world.
Pablo

Finding a career path

More news from Yashodhan school this week, but this time to do with the older students and Future Smiles. As we told you before, we are working closely with the Class X students of Yashodhan to help them plan their further studies better.
To continue this process, when the Future Smiles team met the students a couple of weeks ago, they discussed their specific study plans and identified their requirements.

The team also talked to them about their aims, and helped each student chalk out their goals.

The group also discussed this graphic below, which lists out the career options available according to each education stream. This helps students streamline their choices and pick the right career path.

Useful, isn't it?

Barcelona La Mercè Festival -- here we come!

For the second consecutive year, Mumbai Smiles will be present at the famous Barcelona La Mercè Festival in Spain. This festival is usually five days long and is held in the end of September in honour of Mare de Deu de la Merce, the Patron Saint of Barcelona. Bidding goodbye to the summer in Spain, it is a hugely popular street carnival with hundreds of activities planned all over the city. Getting to participate in the festival is a big boost for our organisation as it will give us visibility and help us connect with thousands and thousands of people.

This year in addition to having an information stand to disseminate our work and projects, we will also conduct fun-raising activities aimed at the youngest people: children's play on the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The purpose of this game is to promote the MDGs and to mobilise people against poverty.

Setting the Millennium Development Goals is a global movement against poverty. At the Millennium Summit held in 2000, all member states of the United Nations adopted the Millennium Declaration which reaffirmed the universality and timelessness of the purposes and principles of the United Nations. The Declaration established eight goals, listed in the graphic below:

2015 is the deadline set for achieving these eight objectives to which all countries have committed themselves. There has been a great deal of progress but there is still much to be done. And the carnival is one platform for that.

Tree's company!

Last week, some of the kids at Yashodhan school had great fun even as they were doing some good for the world around us.

Supervised by their teachers, they planted a variety of saplings around the school ground. Isn't this a great way to learn about the environment and do a good deed too?

We all could learn a lesson from these kids...

Workshop on nutrition and child development

As you know, we now have 25 new balwadis in the Andheri (East) area that we have opened in partnership with the NGO Saprem. To make sure that these balwadis are in harmony and accomplish certain goals, we organised a workshop with the teachers of the balwadis and members of the self-help groups (SHGs) that provide food to the children. As you can see from this poster, the idea behind the workshop was to get everyone on the same page with regard to how important nutrition is to a child's development.

The SHGs are mostly from the same communities where the balwadis are, making the child's development, in a way, a community exercise. Which is why, it is essential that everyone works together.

The workshop started off, typically, by lighting a lamp, followed by introductions by members of the Mumbai Smiles team.

Various members of women's organisation MAVIM (Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal) also discussed key issues with gathering:

• What constitutes nutritious food, what kind of diet the children should follow.
• The deliverables for the SHGs -- what food they will cater, how it will be packed and transported, when it is to be delievered, etc.
• Mutual monitoring between the balwadi teachers and the SHGs -- each group will watch over the other's work to ensure good quality education and nutrition. 
• The need for everyone to take responsibility for their work and services.

We trust that workshops like this -- which will be a regular part of our process -- help people understand their goals, and each other, better. Which will ultimately benefit our kids.

'The seeds you have sown are strong'

Another busy week and here's what our visitors had to say:

My dream is reflected in your work. I wish you all the best in this wonderful journey of life.
Maria del Carmen

I can only thank you for delivering hope with your work and letting us be a part of it, though it was “only” a few smiles. To see these projects grow and see their excellent results gives us a boost and the energy to make a better world.
Samuel

Sometimes it is not enough to say thanks and congratulations. This is one such occasion. The work that you are doing is incredible and serves as a motivation to many people, including me. May your work enlighten the path of people who are following you. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.
David

SMILES, SMILES & MORE SMILES! Because the person who cannot laugh cannot be happy either! I met Jaume Sanllorente in an interesting conference at Palacio de Congresos in Madrid two years ago and since then, I have been waiting to come to Bombay and visit the amazing project that he started and now it is supported by so many charming, sweet and adorable Indians like Nehal who received us and treated us in an excellent manner during the visit.. It’s my first but definitely not the last visit to Mumbai Smiles. I WILL SEE YOU SOON.
Leticia

Curiosity killed the cat, they say. But it is also the basis for education. That is what we saw this morning in the school. Curiosity in the first few days of a new course, curiosity about our presence, curiosity about the lessons they were going to learn . Curiosity, curiosity, curiosity.

Thank you (Mumbai Smiles) and thank you (Nehal) for the visits, for your work and your smile. I will definitely take this back home.
Josep
 

A great opportunity to see the work you do as well as the opportunity you offer these children. I hope your current and future projects have a great reception and eventaually become self-sufficient. Good luck for your work and keep up your daily effort to achieve equality of opportunity.

Aurora

Today was a great day. The school was a beautiful one in the most beautiful of places. I was very impressed to see how well the school was being run and I hope that it continues to do well.
Theo

You have a long way to go but the seeds that you have sown are strong and long-lasting. Never stop supporting HUMANITY in order to make a world full of love.
Thanks a lot for the visit.
Sonia

It has been an enriching and emotional experience to see that there are people who are working for the equality of men, people who collaborate in social projects and that they are winning the smiles of many children. Congratulations!
Eva

It was a great experience. We are pleased to see that the projects have become a reality. The work in the school is great because it is the future, and in this future I hope and pray that you succeed in all that you want. The school is already done, and now it requires support and perseverance in these projects.
My sincere congratulations for the results achieved and for the work done.
Ibrahim

Thank you very much for letting us all come & see your school. It was a really nice visit and I was surprised to see it in such good condition. The teachers' equipment and facilities were in a really good state, thanks to the donations. I really hope it continues to improve. Thank you very much.
Barnaby

I came to see something different and to gain a greater insight into Indian society. I am glad to say I have not been disappointed! Having read the Mumbai Smiles literature, I have a better understanding of the magnitude of the problems facing Mumbai and applaud your efforts.
Philip