Light Up A Life This Diwali

Mumbai, October 10, 2009: This Diwali, LIFE Trust, a registered public charitable trust, will put a broader smile on the faces of many less fortunate children in the city. Through a unique fund-raising initiative called the “Lantern for Life” the Trust hopes to collect funds to facilitate better education of underprivileged children whilst building awareness about the cause among like minded individuals.
 
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Indu Shahani, Sheriff of Mumbai, Zayed Khan, Bollywood Actor and Poonam Lalvani, Managing Trustee, LIFE Trust at High Street Phoenix today.
 
LIFE Trust will make available specially designed lanterns across Lifestyle stores in Mumbai and Bangalore. The lanterns will also be available at a specially created kiosk at High Street Phoenix. The funds collected will be solely used to supplement the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), instituted by the Government of India. The lanterns will be priced at Rs. 100.
 
Speaking about the initiative, Mrs. Poonam Lalvani, Managing Trustee, LIFE Trust said, “LIFE Trust works with 475 Anganwadis across Bandra and Dharavi and has introduced several innovative teaching techniques – the most recent being imparting English Learning Skills to pre primary public school teachers using DVD’s. The funds generated through this initiative will be used to support these initiatives and will benefit around 9500 children in the coming year.”
 
Speaking on the occasion, Alex Coutinho, Head - Marketing, High Street Phoenix, said, “LIFE Trust is one of its kind that distinguishes itself in its commitment in the field of public school and slum literacy. At High Street Phoenix we are deeply delighted to partner with them, and enhance their capacity building abilities. This is an additional opportunity for our shoppers’ during the festive season and gives them a chance to lend out to a worthy cause in a special manner and also light a lantern in their hearts and home this Diwali.”
 
LIFE Trust conducted a lantern design competition among students of three design colleges. The competition drew tremendous participation and a vast number of lanterns were made and submitted. The winning 3 lanterns were designed by Dwyaneshwar Pokharkar from L. S. Raheja School of Art, Worli, Ayushree Khadtare from Sophia Polytechnic, Breach Candy and Viraj Kale from L. S. Raheja School of Art, Worli – and will be the symbol of this initiative. The festive season provided an opportune time for LIFE Trust to roll out this initiative and citizens of Mumbai can positively influence the lives of young students during Diwali, which is the festival of lights.
 
“At LIFE Trust we believe that we must partner and work with our community in building awareness about education problems we face in India. Through the ‘Lantern for Life initiative’, we appeal to the citizens of Mumbai to join in our efforts to make quality education a right for every child in India” added Mrs Lalvani.
 
LIFE Trust is confident that the citizens of Mumbai will come out in numbers to support the cause and in doing so celebrate the festival of Diwali in its true sense.
 
About LIFE Trust:
Established in the year 2000 in Chennai, Landmark International Foundation for Empowerment (LIFE) is a registered Public Charitable Trust. With a vision to make ‘school chalo’ the mantra of each child in India, LIFE undertakes several activities for the betterment of the public school education system in India. LIFE has also introduced path breaking initiatives for students with learning disabilities and mentally challenged students. LIFE currently has its presence in Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore and plans to have a pan India presence in the coming years.
 
LIFE’s mission is collaborating and supporting the Public School System along with other agencies and like-minded individuals in improving the quality of education through creative and effective programmes, involving all its stakeholders and the society. In a short span of 5 years LIFE Trust has reached out to over 1 lakh beneficiaries.
 
For Further Information log on to www.lifetrustindia.org or contact:
 
About ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services Scheme):
The Integrated Child Development Sevices Programme aims at providing services to pre-school children in an integrated manner so as to ensure proper growth and development of children in rural, tribal and slum areas. ICDS is a centrally sponsored scheme.
 
LIFE Trust - Integrated Child Development scheme/ Anganwadi’s:
LIFE Trust monitors 475 Anganwadi’s in Bandra and Dharavi Slums catering to 9500 children and 950 teachers. The Trust also conducts several Teacher training programs and workshops on various topics including early childhood care, classroom management, preventive health care, nutrition, child rights and women`s rights, in these Anganwadi’s. The Teachers Training Programs (TTP) reached out to 3668 teachers in 2008-2009.The total number of children impacted are 9500 in the slums of Bandra and Dharavi.