In February 2019, Project Mumbai signed an MoU with the government of Maharashtra, to create a mental wellness curriculum for adolescents, parents, and educators, thus giving birth to the Smiling Schools Project.  A growing body of research shows that a negative school environment is directly related to poor student attendance. Moreover, it severely undermines students’ capacity to learn and dramatically increases the likelihood that they will develop significant psycho social problems over time. On the contrary, students receiving support from their teachers and peers are likely to have positive self-esteem and fewer depressive symptoms.

The Smiling School Project by Project Mumbai aims at creating and enhancing a positive school climate and building the psychosocial well-being of students and other stakeholders of the school. TSSP aims at creating and enhancing physical, emotional, mental, and socially safe learning environments for children and other stakeholders in BMC schools in Mumbai.

TSSP curriculum is based on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). SEL has been defined as “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decision.