By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, November 14, 2016 : Drop out girl students from the slums in the capital city here is something to cheer about. Funds are being raised for them by non-government organisations to back them.

Parichay Foundation, an organization engaged in bringing about economic and social upliftment for underprivileged in urban and rural slums of Odisha and Delhi, on Monday organised the Kiah Fashion Show.

Slum girls and eminent personalities from various walks of life dazzled on stage as they walked on the ramp for a fundraising campaign for the flagship project, ‘Alaknanda Scholarship Programme’ for drop-out girl students.

The project focuses on girls who have dropped out of school, mostly after Standard 8th for financial constraints but have an inclination to pursue their education and pass their matriculation.

In the first phase, the foundation has identified 56 girl students followed by an entrance exam from the outskirts of Bhubaneswar and also some from within the Salia Sahi slum, who would be enrolled under National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) by the foundation.

The fashion show witnessed eminent women personalities of the state including social worker Namrata Chadha, renowned singer and writer Adyasha Das, hurdle queen of India and Olympian Anuradha Biswal, eminent singer Susmita Das, homemaker and spiritual master Neelam Kandoi walking the ramp with the girls along with Bollywood actress Mahima Chaudhry.

Eminent socialite Shalini Mohanty, Director, Mayfair Group, Pooja Ray, eminent Odia television actress Usasi Mishra among others were part of the cause and were present as judges during the event.