Action for Children  
An Act for Positive Impact

‘Action for Children’ (AFC) is an initiative by Smile Foundation. AFC is directed to stimulate ‘fortunate’ citizens to ‘stand up and act’ to transform the lives of underprivileged children and youth thus contributing to the process of social development. The programme is designed by a consortium promoted by the Government of the Netherlands.

India is a country of contrast! The country has 53 Billionaires, fourth highest in the world. But the same country stands at 105th place on ‘Education for all’ index. Among the world’s 10 richest persons, four are from India. India’s economy sounds conquering with 8% GDP growth. But also, 17 million children of country work as labourers!

An honest search to this thought would reveal that this happens only when the privileged masses of a country are oblivious to the plight of its underprivileged. Action for Children [AFC] is based on the premise that development is a people’s issue and not just the government’s concern. It aims to sensitise people through advocacy on child related issues. It encourages the privileged to stand up and ‘act’ to make a difference in the lives of the disadvantaged.

The programme permeates from the context that:

‘Action for Children’ aims at encouraging various civil society groups like rotary and lions club, trade, industry and professional associations, schools, colleges, youth clubs/ youth wings and corporate employees etc.

‘Action for Children’ programme broadly has 4 arms/components to accomplish its objectives:

Local Action

It refers to an event or an activity involving coming together of individuals, groups and institutions to raise funds for a child designated project in their local area. Local action encompasses sensitization and consequent involvement of privileged masses in fundraising activities.

KidsXL

School exchange programme networking a privileged school with an underprivileged school through special interactive activities. It aims to bring the children from both the segments closer, sensitizing them towards each other thereby reducing social disparity between the two. Children involved in this exchange programme also learn to be sensitive and responsible towards their society.

Media Advocacy

It encompasses involvement of media as a major player in spreading awareness and publicizing the cause of underprivileged to a wide audience. This is achieved through airing of Documentaries, Public Service Advertisements on child-centric issues, publishing of articles and stories on relevant child related issues and coverage of advocacy campaigns and rallies on the said subject.

CSR:

Involves sensitization of corporates culminating eventually into a corporate supporting a child-centric project. Corporates are receptive to the concept as it gives them an opportunity to project themselves as ‘Socially Responsible Corporate’. Based on partnership model, corporates partner with Smile either to support the whole or a part of capital cost or running cost of a project.