by Asmita Kothari
A LITTLE DREAM, is an initiative that infuses ‘art’, ‘dreams’ and ‘color ‘into the lives of underprivileged children. Started in September 2010, this project was the brainchild of Reena Chowdhury, an IT professional who has rallied likeminded IT personnel who want to make a difference in the lives of these children. She was inspired by a basic thought – if a privileged child has the right to dream why not an underprivileged child? She believes that every child, given the opportunity can do extraordinary things. A Little Dream sees itself as the catalyst in the lives of these less fortunate children, helping them to put their dreams down on paper.
A little Dream is one of a kind initiative sustained and run by IT professionals working in prominent software companies in Bangalore and Mumbai, and students studying at premier institutes. This project is an effort by a core team of 14 members. They organize a day long art based fun camp, where they inspire children to visualize their dreams and express it through art, and also attempt to give the child an experience out of the ordinary, with art, live music performance, food, magic show and games – a day that they will cherish forever!
Apart from art camps, A Little Dream also organizes the following:
-Fun camps for underprivileged children at hospitals, especially for children suffering from terminal diseases
-Dental camps at slums and orphanages, teaching young people dental hygiene through storytelling and distributing dental kits
-On occasions like Diwali and Christmas, A Little Dream organizes various events at various slums in Bangalore were they distribute food and toys to the underprivileged
Their overall accomplishments include conducting several art camps across orphanages and slums in Bangalore, rural Karnataka and Mumbai, affecting nearly 6,500 kids and covering several cancer hospitals in Bangalore. But above all what matters most to the organizers is the joy, satisfaction and happiness of bringing smiles and touching the childrens’ lives.
Their ultimate endeavor would be to nurture talented artists among these children and assist them on their journey to realize their dreams by giving them the means to fulfill their dreams through multiple scholarship programs. Finally, Reena gives the credit to the Landmark Self-Expression and Leadership Program, where the seeds of ALD were sown.