Providing education scholarship for The Girl Child

International fashion designer and celebrity stylist Pria Kaataria Puri hosted a fashion pop-up on 16th March in London to raise funds for the Girl Child’s Education Program in India. This was followed by a private champagne reception at the The Mandeville Hotel in London for Be Kind Movement, a UK registered charity, with funds goings towards an ongoing scholarship fund for higher education of girls aged 14 years and upwards. Read more on New Asian Post 

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Champagne Reception in Aid of The Girl Child

With Pria Kataaria Puri, Leanne Claxton, Lucy Choi, Zevar, Rubina Kapoor and Chahat Jewellery

Fashion Pop Up in Aid of The Girl Child

Be Kind Movement collaborated with International Fashion Designer and Celebrity Stylist Pria Kataria Puri to host her London Pop up Show to raise funds for the Girl Child’s Education program. 

Pria has dressed Paris Hilton, Queen Rania of Jordan, Oprah Winfrey alongside Bollywood beauties such as Aishwariya Rai, Deepika Padukone, Sonakshi Sinha in Bollywood. Formally trained in New Delhi, and from San Francisco, Pria is also a winner of Bharat Yuva Ratna Award and the Bharat Vikas Award.

Pria hosts the glamorous celebrity TV chat show ‘Born Stylish’ where she discusses the style quotient of Bollywood and international celebrities. Guests have included Bollywood stars, Jean Paul Gaultier, Massimiliano Giornetti of Salvatore Ferragamo and one of the iconic Fendi sisters Ilaria Venturini Fendi.

Proceeds from the event will go towards raising funds for an ongoing scholarship for the girl child to pursue higher education from 14 years age upwards. Since 2000, 1,000 scholarships have been awarded and this project is now being extended to reach the Indian villages and districts in Maharashtra & Goa to benefit 300 girls. Our aim is to make the girl child self-sufficient and financially independent so she can pursue her dreams and goals to live a life free from abuse and neglect, on equal parity with men.

Be Kind Movement's Pre-Loved Xmas Bazaar

Spreading Xmas cheer with Friends of Be Kind Movement.

This was an afternoon event where pre-loved items never worn or worn just minimally – i.e. beautiful clothes, jewellery, shawls, stilletoes – were be sold at discounted prices.

Keeping in mind the Xmas spirit at this time of the year, we asked all ladies to dress GLAMOROUS with something red.

This was a private fund-raising event to raise operational funding so that Be Kind Movement could continue with it’s efforts to raise funding for women empowerment and Be Kind initiatives. The Founder sold her personal pre-loved items and donate part proceeds to this fundraising exercise.

Many Avatars of the Saree fundraising July 2015

Be Kind Movement hosted it’s first charitable event on Sunday19 July that depicted the versatility, beauty and grandeur of India's most sensuous garment whilst raising funds to support the homeless women in London.

Anchored by BBC Radio 4’s Viji Alles and set against the backdrop of vibrant flowing Sarees and dupattas, the ‘Many Avatars of the Saree’ event saw guests networking, raising funds and celebrating the many manifestations of the Saree.

The funds raised will support Be Kind Movement’s goal to fund initiatives that empower disadvantaged and underprivileged women. Eaves, a women led organization for women, is the chosen recipient of the funds.

Our heartfelt thanks to the sponsors: Asda Feltham, Eden Water, Forever Fairy, Gooseberry Bush Centre, Melissa’s Cakehouse and Nihaar Bakes, to those who donated generously towards the raffle prizes and to the female entrepreneurs who showcased their wares: 101 Creations, Aliveni, Apnas, Bubbles Jewellery, Innate Designs, Jyoti Chandok Ltd, Sreshtha Designs and The Far East Art Studio.

In aid of rehabilitating homeless women

Our "celebration of the saree" fundraiser was feature in Asian Image in July 2015.

Inner Warrior: A Tribute - Art Gallery Exhibition

Wishful Smiles and Milaap, a mission based organisation joined hands to collaborate with Atria Gallery, to celebrate the spirit and struggle of the female warriors in India on Thursday 11th September at the Bhavan Centre, London.

This collaboration aims to support victims of sexual violence - Redbrigade Lucknow and ex-Devadasis (Servants of God) to achieve their goal of financial independence through entrepreneurship.

We raised a generous £1700 towards our cause! Thank you to all those that contributed.

We would like to thank our media partners, Luv Asia Radio Online, for the support and passion they have shown towards this very important cause. We would also like to say a special thank you to all our sponsors for their generous contributions towards this event: Rahul Moodgal, Kish Hal and Sital Patel of Forever Living and Nurture your Future, Dr Deepa Sambare-Apte of Ayurveda Pura Health, Paresh Jethwa Jewelers, Geeta Handa: C-Atomic, Evergreen LTD and Stay Rad Photography.

A special thanks to Zee Tv and Aaj Tak for the media coverage on the night.

Toilets for women

Online fund-raising campaign

Many women in another part of the world don’t have what we consider to be THE most basic and fundamental right. The right to a toilet. Recent rape and sexual violence cases in rural India have been on the increase when women attend nature’s call because they have no toilet facilities in their homes. They have to travel long distances just to relieve themselves. Defecation in the open is very unhygienic for them and also for their village in general. They often fall ill and a major portion of their savings drains as medical expenses. Rajalakshmi (at center in the picture) is also among these unfortunate people however our online campaign enabled her and this group of five women (all daily wage laborers) to collectively be able to install toilets in their individual houses.

Working with Milaap and their field partner, GUARDIAN who have been conducting sanitation workshops to drive home the importance of hygiene and safety, for thousands of women like Laxmi, a toilet at home is a reality now.

Educating the young as a business volunteer

SPLASH with Hackney Community College, London

Working Knowledge is a social enterprise that creates chances for young people aged 16-19 and prepares them for the world of work. Working Knowledge partners with Colleges across the country to deliver employer led, work experience activities. These activities help Colleges meet Ofsted requirements and provide students with enhanced employability skills, confidence and motivation.

Spending a day, packed with activities, involved listening to their business ideas, plans and presentations, and motivating them about the world that awaits. An extremely rewarding day with the following feedback from some of the young people:

“The volunteers taught me what they expect from their future employees, this has made me more confident and ready for hard work in order to achieve what I want in life.”

— Michal, Cadbury College student

“I’ve learnt so much from the Business Volunteers, I learnt what factors to consider when starting and building a business and how to tackle problems I might meet along the way.”

— Howell, City of Bristol College student

Empowering ex-devdasis and victims of social violence

The Bhavan Art Gallery, London

There are an estimated 250,000 girls and women in southwestern India still dedicated to their local temple deities as “Devadasis” (meaning “servant of God”). This ancient and outlawed, yet still prevalent, practice originally gave Devadasis a comfortable life and high social standing, but began to be abused by the rich and powerful. Over the years, Devadasis were forced into prostitution to survive.

We collaborated with UK based charity Wishful Smiles and India based Milaap, a micro-lending for profit enterprise and their field partner, MASS, to provide financial support to former Devadasis women so they did not succumb to poverty and therefore return to the world of prostitution. The funds we raised enabled these former devdasis to start or run small businesses that helped them to pay their children’s school fees, generate a livelihood for their families, and save for their old age. Becoming entrepreneurs also offers their children a better future, helps integrate them back into society, and eventually break free of the vicious cycle of prostitution that most Devadasis are doomed to.

We were featured in Asian Image for our fundraising efforts for this project.