Free health checks were offered to children with underprivileged backgrounds by Aster Volunteers at India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai on Sunday. The children also enjoyed activities organized by Aster. The ‘Smile 4.0’ initiative was a part of the celebrations for India’s Children’s Day (November 14).

Around 70 children of various nationalities, including those from conflict zones and orphans, were a part of the fourth edition of Smile by Aster Volunteers (part of Aster DM Healthcare), in partnership with a local NGO in the UAE. 

Free Medical Checkup

Aim of programme was to provide free medical check-ups for the children along with entertainment and wellness activities such as aerobics, karate, and arts and crafts. The children met super-speciality doctors from Aster and Medcare facilities in the UAE for a check-up. They also visited multiple pavilions at Expo while enjoying refreshments and goody bags, Aster said.

Alisha Moopen, deputy managing director of Aster DM Healthcare, said: “The entire purpose of the Smile programme is to bring joy, happiness and well-being into the lives of these young children who have been through so much at such a young age.” She added: “Some of them have been brought in from war-torn countries, some are orphans, while others come from difficult and underprivileged backgrounds. Putting a little smile on their lips and caring for their health and well-being is the least we can do for them.”

Movie entertainment

India Pavilion also screened a short film on unity and tolerance by Looking Glass Film Club, on Sunday. “It will be the first in a series of films to be screened as part of the Children’s Film Festival,” the pavilion said. On Monday, another short film was screened on Indian folk tales for schoolchildren.

Massive cloth portrait

Students of Dunes International School in Abu Dhabi marked Children’s Day by creating a portrait of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who was fondly called ‘Chacha (uncle) Nehru’ for affection for children. Nehru was born in 1889 on November 14, which later came to be celebrated as Children’s Day in India.

Dunes International School’s principal and director Paramjit Ahluwalia said: “To revere the birth anniversary of our first Prime Minister, our students created a colossal portrait of him, measuring 5.5m in length and 4.5m in width at the school reception.”

Students used multi-coloured clothes to make the portrait of Nehru on the floor under the guidance of the school’s art teachers Taranjit Kaur and Vivek Murukan Revathy. Studnets also added a red rose to portrait as Nehru always pinned a red rose to his coat.

“The recyclable clothes will be washed and donated to charity,” the school said.