Over 100 girl scholars acting as force multipliers in Delhi slums participate in residential learning fest
New Delhi: They are bright young girls bringing about a silent revolution in the slums of Delhi. They are the role models who are inspiring the women of tomorrow. Smile Foundation, a national level development organization has selected 110 bright, scholar girls from marginalized and poor communities to build exemplary role models.
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 event, Learning Fest, took place on 28th and 29th June, 2017 at Viswa Yuvak Kendra, Chankyapuri, New Delhi.
The workshop was 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, police woman 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, career counseling session, planning a common future and meeting the real life heroes.
The program aimed at –
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
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
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 in Delhi only. 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.