project SMILE pioneer edition

At MV Foundation

The Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya Foundation (MVF) is a registered trust that works to end child labour and ensure that all children are enrolled in school. The foundation's vision is to provide access to education for all children between the ages of 5 and 14, so that no child is forced to work.

About the Workshop –

The workshop was planned around the idea of using the therapeutic aspects of art to register and uplift the mood of the kids and infuse them with zeal to study learn and grow with a better persona, the concept “SMILE” was born out of a random encounter with a random kid while travelling, just gazing at me and smiling, I went along and followed and then the next one and the one after, and I thought why not just transform this interaction into an activity and make the best out of this short intersection. The science says that a sincere grin has the ability to profoundly heal on an emotional and physical level. A genuine Duchenne smile, the one that reaches the eyes, hugging the corners of the mouth, is more than just acceptable social behaviour; it's a window into real enjoyment. Dopamine and endorphins, two naturally occurring substances that improve mood and lower stress, are released in response to this sincere emotion, so calming the body's stress response. According to studies, smiling the Duchenne way engages the parts of the brain linked to controlling emotions, providing an all-natural cure for anxiety or loneliness. These smiles have an impact that extends beyond one's own wellbeing, strengthening empathy and trust in others. The act of smiling has the power to reduce cortisol levels, relax the heart, and promote deeper connections in a society where stress is a common occurrence. The Duchenne smile turns everyday events into chances for emotional resilience and wellbeing, and it becomes a potent instrument for healing oneself and others.

The results equally promising as the activity, we could already notice the mood upliftment, their presence and rise in the confidence level at the same time, a lot of them took initiative and stood for themselves talking and presenting their work.