In less than a month, the ‘Joy of Giving Week’, or ‘Daan Utsav’ as it is now known, will begin, to celebrate the giving of time, money, resources or skills to society.
And it is not just individuals who contribute. Companies have, for some years now, made corporate social responsibility (CSR) an important part of their agenda. Blood donations and volunteering with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), for instance, are actively encouraged.
Recently, Ford India kickstarted its ‘Global Week of Caring’, with the launch of the ‘Happy Schools’ programme.
Through the programme, the company will work towards improving access to holistic education in schools, by addressing gaps in academic support, health, nutrition and infrastructure.
It has tied up with NGOs, and in the first phase of the initiative, 21 schools in the city will be targeted.
This apart, Ford employees will also conduct science workshops for children, plant tree saplings, install reverse osmosis purifiers in neighbourhoods, and build toilets for girls in schools, says Nigel Harris, president, Ford India.
For ‘Daan Utsav’, some exciting projects are under way, says Aarti Madhusudan, a volunteer.
“One is to have spoken-English sessions at 50 places across the city. This will involve teaching autorickshaw drivers and vegetable vendors, for half an hour, 10 sentences of English they can use in their trade,” she says.
A new toy collection drive and collecting Re 1 a day for various projects are some of the other initiatives.
“People from all walks of life are participating. The idea is to make it more individual, ensure there are things that can be done by anyone, by just spending a little time, and that way, we ensure greater participation,” she says.
