Source: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

100 Smiles is an annual flagship project by One Degree Initiative Foundation (1di). Every year, it is held area wise where volunteers appointed by 1di are present to accompany the underserved community children present for the project. This year, being the 5th year of 100 Smiles, the event was hosted at the Lalmatia Housing Society School and College field where over 400 children and over 300 volunteers got together and celebrated in a makeshift carnival. The event consisted of activities such as face painting, henna application, photo booth, flash mobs and more. Along with such activities, they had food for the children, gift baskets for each child consisting of toys, accessories, toiletries, henna tubes and more. 1di team in Chittagong had around 150 volunteers and over 250 children at the celebrations.
“The outcome of the event was absolutely brilliant! It was better than I had expected. And everything went smoothly. The volunteers worked up to the mark and the children seemed to have a blast,” says Mushfiqur Rahman, head, Active Citizens, One Degree Initiative Foundation. He continues, “The main thing we want out of every 100 Smiles project is for these children to have an Eid they will remember forever, so that one day they can talk about this day and remember how much fun they had had.”
100 Smiles is also a project where 1di meets new volunteers from all over, and allows them a space to develop their skills. But the focus is truly the children. “This is my third time at 100 smiles," says 10-year-old Shoikot. "My favourite part of 100 Smiles is when I get my face painted!"
1di plans to further extend the project and make it bigger over the years. “We want to make it bigger and better and soon, by the grace of Allah, we will be able to even invite the parents of these children to attend the event and celebrate Eid with their kids as a family,” says Mushfiq. With the noblest of intentions at heart, One Degree Initiative Foundation, once again, makes sure to bring about more than just a 100 Smiles around the nation.