Bhubaneswar, April 18: A group of 70 youngsters from the city have come together to provide a platform for orphaned children to develop their artistic talents. 

The members of Happiness, who come from various walks of life, formed the group in August 2015 and have been conducting a number of events to hone their skills.

Last August, they organised an event, bringing students from international schools to take part in competitions with the orphans. The children showcased their dancing, singing and poster-making skills and were also given a chance to interact with the parents of the participants. The event was conducted along with the students of IMB School of Hospitality at their campus in Rasulgarh. 

“We wanted to spread the message that every child deserves affection and to be treated with dignity and care. The presence of the students’ parents was a unique experience for them. The orphaned children were also given presents and they also promised to help us in the future,” said Deepak Singh, an engineering student and a member of Happiness. 

Pranab K. Aich’s documentary City’s Step Child that chronicles the life of six children from slums in Delhi, Bhubaneswar and Hyderabad was also screened on the occasion. The team also attempted to inculcate the inmates of Ashraya orphanage with English communication skills. They also hosted a dance and painting workshop. 

“We invited experts to enhance the spoken English talents of the children. Our members visited the home regularly and interacted with the children engaged them in various activities to improve their communication skills,” added another group member Saurav Verma. 

“The idea came when we went to meet the children during a festival and found out that they did not get the chance to take part in extracurricular activities. Many were very interested in dancing and singing but did not get the opportunity. So we thought of taking some proper steps towards it. Our basic aim is to provide proper training facilities to brush up their talents,” added Saurav.