Samantha Cameron hosts Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at 10 Downing Street for a charity do

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was hosted by Samantha Cameron, wife of UK Prime Minister David Cameron at a reception at 10 Downing Street to mark the occasion of charity organisation Smile Train's important milestone -- one millionth cleft surgery.

Smile Train’s goodwill ambassador, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, attended the event in support of giving children with clefts around the world new smiles and new hope for the future. For the charity event in the UK capital, the Bachchan bahu wore a floor length, black and gold Sabyasachi lehenga-gown.

Her outfit had a black and gold belt at the waist, full sleeves and gold-sequins at the hem. Aishwarya Rai combined her lehenga-gown with a black and gold clutch and minimal make-up. Meanwhile host Samantha Cameron wore a grey knee-length formal dress nipped at the wait with a white belt.  

Speaking about the recent “smilestone” of one million cleft surgeries, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan said: "There are so many of us who lead such blessed lives. I truly believe it's time to share our blessings.”

“Working with Smile Train, if I can make a difference in families' lives, it will certainly make me feel honoured and blessed,” she added.

According to the Bollywood actress, there are a lot of children with clefts around the world who so desperately need help, but can’t receive timely care because their families cannot afford this surgery or are ill-educated about this condition.

“It's time we smiled together in our lifetime — healthy and happy!" she concluded.

The reception was also attended by Smile Train chief executive, Susannah Schaefer.

“The work Smile Train does is dependent on donations through corporate partners, fundraisers, independent donors and sponsors, and we are privileged to have some of the people who have supported Smile Train over the years with us today,” she said.

“Although we have helped more than one million children, there are still millions more with unrepaired clefts in the developing world who need our help. It is Smile Train’s mission to provide each one of these children with free cleft repair surgery and related treatment so every child can experience the true power of a smile.”

In 2011, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan featured in a Smile Train ad campaign urging the viewers to donate and help give children with a cleft a new life. The ad features Aishwarya Rai develop a cleft as she speaks and she insists that it can be fixed easily with surgeries.

In addition to being a brand ambassador for commercial brands such as L'Oreal, Longines and Lux, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan supports charities and not-for-profit organisations that work for cleft and AIDS.

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