Bringing Smiles

On the eve of Baisakhi(12 April 2023), the spread was wide. This was no lavish or wasteful party spread of food but it was a spread of smiles. Yes, Bringing Smiles had spread itself to include more awareness and more support to the differently abled. As in the past twelve years or more, and particularly since its NGO status in 2019, Bringing Smiles steered by its team and support from well-wishers has continued on its journey to provide tools for self-sufficiency to those who cannot walk or those who cannot see or those who cannot use two hands for simple everyday functions. Functions that we, the able bodied, take so much for granted.

But changes in Society and young minds are setting in as was visible today; almost thirty young men and women led by Mr Gautam Sehgal had come from Dell to support and cheer. They shunned the plush and air-conditioned comforts of their cabins for the April heat touching 36 degrees Celsius with strong surface winds and dust. These young men and women are taking back images of empowerment and are sure to do their bit in times to come.

As always Bringing Smiles had tricycles, wheelchairs, walking sticks, smart sticks, smart phones for the visually challenged, rollators and vending carts for the more enterprising ones, who want to challenge their disability and turn it into an opportunity. Apart from the vending carts, they went back with starter kits to flag off their business with many eager first customers among our group.

At Brining Smiles, it’s not a feeling of charity which binds everyone. It’s more like coming home and going back with fond memories. The team keeps hot samosas and tea ready for all. There is a sack full of rations and blankets for the cold weather and there are good clothes that you take back to last many seasons. All the beneficiaries are treated with respect and bon homie.

Guddu who has minimal, or no vision, was shown the way to complete his schooling. The smart phone he received was going to be a life changer for him.

Muskan and Sonu came with their parents and went back happy to be in their own spaces and felt suddenly grown up in their new wheelchairs.

Kalipodo Mandal forgot his problems and was busy counting money his wife handed him on selling eggs and packaged items.

Jagdish looked proud and happy behind his cart loaded with onions and potatoes. He was waiting to reach home and then planned to start early tomorrow to load his cart from the vegetable Mandi.

Rajesh Kumar Ray, Arvind, Vipin and Karan Singh wheeled away merrily on his wheelchair provided by Dell Technologies, seeking newer avenues now that his mobility had been taken care of. We are also ever grateful for the support given by “Bakshi Jagmohan Singh Charitable Trust”, as in the past several events. They sponsored four tricycles this time too, thus enhancing four young lives by encouraging them to take their challenges head on.

We thank the Dell Technologies team, especially Mr Gautam, for their support and turning up in large numbers and igniting interest among their young stakeholders towards this cause.

We thank our whole Team for always standing by for this periodic celebration of Bringing Smiles.

Bringing Smiles 3rd December.

International Day for the Disabled!

There was an air of a Carnival today, the 3rd December 2022, at Bringing Smiles.

In the run up to this day too, there was frantic activity for a month preceding the event and all focus being on sending back smiles with those who were our guests, waiting to be enabled to lead better lives.

There were the tricycles, the wheelchairs, the paediatric wheelchairs, the hand cart and cell phones for the visually impaired. The tricycles had been ordered, assembled and given a roof, painted a shiny and bright yellow and finally each bore a nameplate of the beneficiary. Cell phones needed to be wrapped and the hand cart given a festive look and laden with stationery and packaged items for potential sale outside a school gate. The cell phones were waiting to be claimed by young men of the Janata Rehabilitation Centre for the blind which Bringing Smiles has been patronising for the past so many years.  Most of these young men are in various stages of their education, from high school to post graduation. The smart phones are aimed at improving lifestyles, assisting in education  and bringing a sense of relief to those who, by a stroke of fate, were not endowed with normal limbs or sight.

This morning then, forty beneficiaries came with their respective assistants, usually a member of their immediate family. Most of them left independently and without assistance. Each was served breakfast on arrival. And they left with bags of clothes, woollen wear, blankets and ration for at least a month.
 
Many of our donors were present in good numbers and helped make the event a huge success. They witnessed first-hand how faces lit up on receiving modes of liberation and all wowed to continue on this path of creating self-sufficiency. 

Each beneficiary had a story and after listening to them there was a sense of gratification all around as on the ground reality hit most and all  pledged to do whatever each  could do to enable, empower, assist and facilitate those whose lives  could be touched  and brought smiles in their lives. 

Bringing Smiles thanks all our Volunteers and contributors and pledges to Bringing even more Smiles.!!

Baisakhi heralds the harvest season and is marked by fun and celebrations.

Team Bringing Smiles organised a carnival for those who did not experience new beginnings before. Shiny yellow tricycles, wheelchairs, leaf spring boarded heavy duty crutches, Smart sensors embedded Vision Impaired stick, Walker, a brand-new fruit Cart along with weighing Balance, were lined up waiting for new owners and new beginnings.

Bittu Pandey did a small jig and a "" Balle Balle "" as he was hoisted on to his own tricycle ending years of discomfort and lack of mobility.

Rohit Singh loved his new pair of crutches which were light and contemporary though he would not let go of his old wooden one which had stood by him for many years! But of course, ^Upgrade* was in order.

Lalit was thrilled in his new wheelchair though he could not express his emotions clearly. The mentally and physically challenged child was overwhelmed and proud. His devoted parents carried him the last mile to a waiting auto to start a new chapter with their son who could now move without their strong and willing shoulders.

Vinod Kumar from Sohna became the proud owner of a fruit cart to start a new life vending fruit. His added joy was to see a fully loaded cart with apples and bananas and papayas and melons and grapes and he made a quick sale with the volunteers and well-wishers of our Team. A first-time entrepreneur, the future looked bright for him as seasonal fruit is everyone's delight and need.

All beneficiaries got new clothes and rations. Hot Samosas, biscuits and chai were quickly devoured even in the hot weather.

The carnival of Bringing Smiles continues with the support of our donors and well-wishers!

Good Morning Friends.

Dt: 7th February'22

An able person and yet differently abled ? That is how person with vision debility may be classified. A sad reality that while being physically fit and active they are not able to achieve their potential what most of us take as our birthright .

Times are changing: Smartphones for the vision impaired are bringing new hope in their lives .

Bringing Smiles Team supported by the BNI Sanskruti Group, today handed over 18 smart phones to the vision impaired and set off a mission for NAB in Hauz Khas, New Delhi. 18 Vision Impaired of NAB will now have a new dimension in their Lives.

Mrs. Nitasha Kachru, the gracious head of the institute appreciated BRINGING SMILES for this initiative .

Bringing Smiles Heartily thanks all our Donors for fulfilling our mission of empowering Vision Impaired in NCR.

Team BRINGING SMILES