Western Digital has joined hands with The SMILE Foundation to promote the cause of education for kids of underprivileged families in India. The company supported ‘Ramp for Champs’ – a star-studded fund-raising initiative — held in Mumbai on 17th Feb to sponsor the education of 125 underprivileged kids for a year. The initiative was led by fashion guru Prasad Bidappa and The SMILE Foundation, a national level development organization benefitting three lakh underprivileged beneficiaries through 185 projects in 25 states in India.
Ramp for Champs’ brought together noted Bollywood and TV actors, fashion models, and authors to walk the ramp with children from The SMILE Foundation in an endeavour to raise funds and help fulfill their educational aspirations. Khwaja Saifuddin, WD’s Senior Sales Director for the region, was also present to reinforce WD’s commitment to the cause and walked the ramp with a child. Actors Bhagyashree, Mini Ribeiro, Tisca Chopra, Kiran Juneja, choreographer Remo D’ Souza, model Claudia Ciesla, and singer Amit Sana were among the celebrities present at the event.
“These brilliant kids have the potential to become doctors, scientists, teachers or anything else they set their hearts and minds to. WD is elated to be a part of this initiative and empower these kids to realize their dreams,” said Khwaja Saifuddin, Senior Sales Director India, Middle East and Turkey, WD. “We have supported The SMILE Foundation in the past for its great community work and we will continue to do so by engaging our partners and consumers for the cause.”
To build community engagement around the cause, WD is also informing customers and fans through its social media channels on the need to contribute towards child education and create a stronger society.
Going forward WD will also auction some of its products, which will be autographed by prominent Bollywood actors and celebrity personalities. The funds raised through the auction will be handed over to The SMILE Foundation towards supporting child education. Furthermore, WD will promote the cause among its channel base in major IT hubs and invite partners to bid for the autographed drives.
