What do you think would make a Mercedes Benz fan happy? The sight of a well used W123 early in the morning or maybe the growling sound of the erstwhile 6.2-litre V8. But not just that, Mercedes Benz India has found a new way to bring joy to both fans and a lot others. The company has partnered with Laureus Sport for Good to help underprivileged children in the country.

There will be two sport-related programmes, one by OSCAR Foundation and the other by YUWA. Both of these are backed by Laureus, and thus use sport to ensure that needy children don’t fall prey to violence, drugs, etc. Said programmes will in Mumbai and Jharkhand, and will focus on empowering young women.

With Mercedes Benz and Laureus’s help, OSCAR (Organisation for Social Change Awareness and Responsibility) will further widen its reach to girls of four new slum communities in Mumbai: Mahalaxmi, Mahim West, Jogeshwari, and Thane. Both football and interactive games will be the media to educate girls about social and community issues.

On the other hand, YUWA, in Jharkhand, gives girls ‘leadership opportunities’, which eventually helps in ensuring that they attend school regularly. That and the endeavour to reduce child marriages are two agendas of the organisation. While YUWA also uses football as the medium, with more support now, it will continue education via the on-site school for girls.

A lot of responsible companies engage in social initiatives, and Mercedes Benz India has successfully shown that it’s the right way forward. It’s not the first time the company is doing so, and certainly not the last, either. And while the sight and sound of lovely Mercs continue to keep the automotive fan happy, this display of benevolence is good enough to bring a smile to our faces.