CHENNAI: The Express Avenue Mall was filled with cheers. Tiny tots from different government schools in Chennai filled the lobby as part of a social initiative by non-profit Rajasthan Cosmo Club. As part of their on-going social ventures, the club marked the distribution of 15,000 new school uniforms to children in a function attended by movie stars.
“Rajasthan Cosmo Club has three main social initiatives, of which the New School Uniform Scheme is one,” said Ravhee Laddha, managing trustee of the club. The main aim is to provide them with equally good uniforms as those in private schools. Around thousand students are here today to take part in the formal inauguration of the scheme.”
“We have been conducting this programme for the last ten years. Close to 2.5 lakh students have benefited from it,” said Hasmukh Munoth, chairman of the New School Uniform scheme. “We identify schools whose students can’t afford uniforms, we take their measurements, stitch the uniforms and finally distribute it to them every year. Each time we try to target different schools. Last year, we had the distribution at Kishkinta Park,” he said.
The children seemed ecstatic as they were wearing red, blue, white and yellow caps and cheered the arrival of several entertainers who were lined-up for them. M Saravanan, managing partner of AVM studios was the chief guest. director and producer K Bhagyaraj had an interactive session with the kids, while popular comedian and actor Robo Shankar had the crowd in splits with his comic timing.
The event concluded with a massive flash mob with the children led by dancers from John Britto group.
Besides the new school uniform scheme, Rajasthan Cosmo Club also promotes two other activities — the old clothes scheme, where used unwanted clothes are collected, washed and redistributed to the needy, and also the new clothes scheme, where new clothes are procured for old age homes and orphanages.