Smiles of hope

Behind the glitter and glamorous gathering of the fashion world is an honest attempt to reach out and help the lesser privileged section of society. Recently, Sangita Mehra of Spread A Smile Foundation organised a charitable fashion event to help raise funds to set up a vocational training centre for children who live on the streets and beg at traffic lights.

An initiative of Mehrasons Jewellers Charitable Trust, Spread A Smile was founded 10 years ago by Sangita Mehra with an intention towards the overall improvement of underprivileged kids. “I started with providing basic amenities like food, clothes and shelter to 10 kids from the local area. Today, the foundation works with approximately 170 children who are between 4 to 17 years old,” shares Sangita.

The charity fundraising dinner and fashion event was held at the Australian High Commission as a number of diplomats and families have been involved in supporting the school since last year. Hosted by Vikram Baidyanath and Anish Chanana who came forward to show their support along with designers Gauri and Nanika, Pia Pauro and Malini Ramani, who contributed their designer wear to raise fund for the cause. Sangita says, “I am thankful to the kind of support I received from the fashion fraternity and my close friends. I am overwhelmed by the support, love and commitment from the Delhi community to support vulnerable children. There are also many corporate brands that have come forward to support the cause.”

She continues, “Moving forward, we aim to establish a vocational training and skill development centre that will help in keeping the children off the streets permanently. If step one was to expose the children to school, then step two would be to help these kids get a job so that they can be financially secure and independent so that they may stay off the streets.”

Through this event, the foundation aims to spread awareness about these beggar children and raise funds to establish a better tomorrow for them. “Born and raised on the streets, these kids are extremely aggressive and violent in nature. Consumption of alcohol, smoking and eating tobacco, gambling are usual phenomena and a common occurrence, even for a five year old child. The foundation works towards educating these kids about the ill effects of these habits and wean them off these habits and to choose a better life for them through presenting them with the option of enrolling themselves in a school. We have successfully helped over 100 kids do so and have interfaced between the school administration and families of the children to facilitate the admissions of their children. It may be prudent to point out that the children that are now attending the schools are all choosing not to beg any longer and are taking steps to secure a better future,” points out Sangita.