Thaindian News

Bangalore, June 27 (IANS) NGOs from across India have joined hands to celebrate the Joy of Giving Week from Sep 27 to raise funds and help around 20 million needy people in the country.
Around 70 NGOs came together here Saturday to announce the event that will conclude Oct 3.

The event, the brainchild of Mumbai-based NGO GiveIndia, is meant to help NGOs leverage the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for their organisations.

GiveIndia said idea behind the programme was to involve NGOs across the country to help around 20 million needy Indians.

“NGOs will have a great opportunity during the weeklong event to raise resources in these difficult times of global economic meltdown. We invite all NGOs to make the most of this opportunity and conceptualise events that they can execute during the week,” GiveIndia director Venkat Krishnan N. told IANS.

“This unique and ambitious initiative aims to get people from all walks of life together to engage in acts of giving - money, time, skills or simple acts of kindness,” said Krishnan.

“We hope to help 20 million Indians through the weeklong programme,” said Krishnan.

A series of events has been planned throughout the country during the week.

“We’re glad that already several corporates, celebrities and sports persons have come forward to be a part of this campaign,” said Krishnan.

The Joy of Giving Week team will assist the participating NGOs in implementing their ideas and access to resources during the event.

“It is a great idea, to bring all the NGOs together and help them raise funds for their various social activities,” Vishal Talreja, who works with Dream a Dream, a Bangalore-based NGO working for underprivileged children, told IANS.

“We’re planning to hold a dreamathon during the week. Around 1,500 volunteers from our NGO will raise funds through various innovative activities including amateur music concerts and photo exhibitions to name a few,” added Talreja.

The New Delhi-based NGO Goonj will embark on a mammoth clothes collection drive across 20 cities all over India, during the week.

Goonj re-uses old clothes to provide clothing for the poor and in work-for-clothes programs to implement the much needed development work in Indian villages.

Bangalore Cares will host Battle of Buffets event, a culinary competition among various five-star hotels of Bangalore to raise funds.

Likewise, JAM Magazine, in collaboration with MTV, will hold Campus Joyfests, mostly concentrating on art and culture, targeting 3,000 colleges all over India.

“We’re expecting largescale participation from various colleges across the country. Colleges will organise Joyfests in association with local charity organisation during the week,” JAM’s Rashmi Bansal said.

“Getting the youth involved is crucial in the process of social change,” Bansal said.