New Delhi : They are bright young girls bringing about a silent revolution in the slums of Delhi- NCR. They are the role models who are inspiring the women of tomorrow. Smile Foundation, a national level development organization has selected 130 bright, scholar girls from marginalized and poor communities to build exemplary role models through “Learning Fest” – a two-day residential workshop from 6-7 th June, at YMCA, New Delhi.

The workshop will provide a platform to the adolescent girl scholars to learn useful life-skills, exchange their experiences, ideas, aspirations with experts and resource persons as well as a working session as a part of the workshop to enable the participants to build their road maps towards their journey of self-reliance.

As part of its efforts to equip them to face the challenges and complexities of modern times, Smile Foundation, under its Swabhiman programme, imparts practical skills and information to these young scholars, enabling them to explore their potentials and established a positive self-image and develop better career perspective.

The workshop is conducted under the guidance of subject experts, trainers. It gave the students a platform to meet the real life role models from various fields- women entrepreneur, teacher, doctor, lawyer, journalist, woman police officer etc.

The workshops during this camp empowered these young girls through various activities such as Yoga, Self-exploration session, abhivyakti: effective communication through Media and theatre workshop, Self-defence and first- aid, career counseling session, planning a common future and meeting the real life heroes.

The program aimed at –

1. a) Encouraging young girls to share the issues which affect their lives and enable them to understand their potentials and make relevant choices for themselves

1. b) Providing them a strong Leadership orientation so as to enable young girls to put their best abilities for achieving their life goals as per their interests and aptitude

1. c) Providing them access to information and opportunities available

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Santanu Mishra, Co-founder & Executive Trustee, Smile Foundation said “In India, the girl child are usually deprived of their basic rights and education. Through this workshop we want to empower and inspire the younger girls to develop a road map for the future and make them self-aware, confident, take full charge of their own development and become a role model for thousand others.”

 

Smile Foundation, through its Scholarship programme has initiated efforts for the attitudinal shift of marginalized communities towards the girls’ education. The support is for school and college level girls. Most of the scholars strongly agree that due to Smile’s support they are motivated to achieve desirable education. Their families are also encouraged to continue the education of girl children further. They appreciate changes in the scholars in terms of their confidence, personality and information level.