Community groups light up lives of underprivileged

Community and charity groups organised activities across the city to spread Diwali cheer among underprivileged children.

- FPJ News Service

Volunteers from Ismaili CIVIC celebrated the festival of light with 130 underprivileged children from Shaila Balwadi, managed by the Shaila Welfare Trust. The young volunteers from the Shia Ismaili community, also known as Against Khanis, joined the children, aged three to five, to engage them in interactive games, art and craft sessions, songs, and Diwali storytelling, introducing simple ideas to enable care for the environment, sustainability, and wise usage of resources.

Each child received a recycled compass box crafted by Project Mumbai using plastic waste collected and donated by community members. Bilkis Merchant, trustee of Shaila Welfare Trust, said that the volunteers brought the true spirit of Diwali into the hearts of the children. Mumtaz Amlani, volunteer and member of the Aga Khan Council for South Mumbai, said, "Seeing their joy was the brightest light of Diwali".