An open source platform that enthuses all walks of life in rendering their joy of giving back to the society in all forms
Enmark Gandhiji’s 150th birth year by celebrating India’s biggest festival, the Joy of Giving
Bangalore, October 01, 2019: From over a decade, DaanUtsav has grown up to be most efficient and effective platforms to celebrate the joy of giving. Many corporates, NGOs, associations and individuals have come forward to celebrate this week in huge numbers. Bangalore has been celebrating DaanUtsav since the idea of the festival was mooted in 2009. Last year an estimated 60-100lakh people from all walks of life participated nationwide, donating their time, money or goods.
NGOs around the city will spend time this week for fundraising activities and undertake awareness campaigns. Abhyudaya, an NGO who work with children in slums have planned a 1 km rally and the theme of the run is #SayNoToPlastic in Konankunte, will be distributing 10,000 cotton bags along the way on October 2nd and honour BBMP pourakarmikas who clean our streets.
To specially mark the 150th birth year of Gandhiji, the Bangalore Apartments Federation (BAF) have encouraged all the 520 apartment complexes it represents to participate in India’s biggest festival of giving. About 50,000 residents of apartment blocks all over Bengaluru are expected to join the weeklong DaanUtsav – Joy of Giving Week celebrations, which start on October 2.
N.E. Kumar of BAF said: “Celebrating DaanUtsav in a residential complex gives a great opportunity for residents to get to know each other. It can also be a platform to show gratitude to staff who make your lives comfortable and safe. We expect about 20% of the apartments to take it up.”
Raj Lakeview Apartments in BTM Layout are planning a grains collection throughout the week to donate to a home for destitute women and on one of the days inviting support staff for ‘tea and chaat’ with senior women residents.
IFIM Business School is creating a real buzz in Electronic City with giving activities planned on all seven days. From serving hot tea and biscuits to night watchmen of gated communities, to spending a day of fun with children in a local government school to participating in the nationwide India Plog Run – a DaanUtsav event that began in the city last year.
This year over 2.5lakh ploggers – joggers who pick up discarded plastic on their paths – are expected to be part of the event in 50 cities in India. It is planned as a clean-up event and an awareness building campaign, citizens giving back to save their environment.
Last year’s Bengaluru Plog Run made it to the Guiness Book of Records for the most amount of plastic collected in 12 hours – 33.4 tonnes with PET bottles topping the list. A distinction, if a dubious one. This year the sky’s the limit.
Big Basket have again given bags to 14,000 school children to fill them with a fistful of rice, every day from Oct 2-8, while they are away on their Dusshera break. On their return the bags will be collected and distributed by each school to a nearby shelter home, orphanage, old age home or NGO.
Bhumi, one of India’s largest youth volunteer organisations, will be celebrating Dusshera with HIV positive children in JP Nagar, among other things, and Proud Indian will collect groceries from various apartments blocks in BTM Layout and distribute it to Iblur slum dwellers.
A festival in which anyone can participate and give almost anything – even advice, as senior citizens from HelpAge India will be to 400 school children on October 2 – DaanUtsav is like an open source platform for people to give back to society.
Prajwal Hooli, one of 200 IFIM students celebrating DaanUtsav, says: “We have every essential we need to move forward in life, but there are many who don’t. It’s for them I’m celebrating this festival.”
Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)
