Riding to pave the road for children’s education

MUMBAI, India - May 1, 2014 - PRLog -- Mumbai:- Smile Foundation in association with Seven Islands HOG (Harley Owners Group) organized a Harley ride today to support the cause of children’s education. Termed ‘Miles for Smiles’, the initiative sought to highlight the plight of millions of children forced in child labour and to spread awareness about importance of education amongst the most deserving children.

The event was flagged off from Bandra, Mumbai around 6:00 am. Around fifty Harley owners from the Seven Islands H.O.G. extended their support by riding 100 kms to Lonavala during this event. The entire journey focused on sensitizing the privileged mass about the importance of education for the less privileged children and appealing everyone to do their bit by helping send one child to school. Proceeds from the ride will benefit the children under Mission Education, a national level programme of Smile Foundation.

Ameya Kapnadak, the Assistant Director of the Seven Islands H.O.G. Chapter said, “It is quite ironic, actually. A couple of days from now, the world celebrates the International Labor Day as a turning point in worker rights. And here in India, we see rampant child labor – right from maids in our homes to farm and factory workers. So we said let’s do our bit to put these kids where they belong – in schools.”

“Education is the most effective tool that can help the less privileged children come out of the vicious cycle of poverty and suffering, and transform into an empowered next generation. By involving the privileged section of the society proactively in the process of child development, we aim to bring some real and permanent change in the lives of the most deserving children,” said Mr. Vikram Singh Verma, Chief Operating Officer, Smile Foundation, echoing the thought.

Jagdeep “JD” Singh Bhatia, the Activities Officer for the Seven Islands H.O.G. Chapter and a moving force behind the initiative added, “It is amazing what the Harley community can do when they come together. This idea really just came up over a cup of coffee, and look what it’s grown into! Just goes to prove that when our passion for riding is clubbed with a social message we can move mountains.”

The Hogs (as they’re affectionately called world over) managed to raise over Rs. 5 Lakhs from this effort.

ABOUT SMILE FOUNDATION

Smile Foundation is a national level development organisation benefitting over 300,000 underprivileged children, their families and the community directly through 158 welfare projects on subjects such as education, healthcare, livelihood, and women empowerment across 25 states of India. Adopting a life cycle approach of development, Smile Foundation focuses its interventions on children, their families and the community.

ABOUT THE HARLEY OWNERS GROUP

The Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) is the official riding club of Harley-Davidson and has over a million members across the world. The community was created in 1983 and has numerous chapters across the world. HOG Chapters are volunteer organizations that organize various riding and other activities for the members.

For more details contact:-

Sumita Bag Tanti

Manager Communication, Smile Foundation

sumita@smilefoundationindia.org

+91-9810405502