CHENNAI: Giving can take many forms. It could be a few hours spent helping someone, sharing a skill, lending a hand to a community or doing something that makes a difference. That is the idea behind Daan Utsav, India’s festival of giving, celebrated every year from October 2 to 8. In Chennai, the spirit of the festival is being carried forward through initiatives that bring together organisations, volunteers and communities.
Chennai-based NGO Thuvakkam, which works in environment, education and humanitarian causes, is hosting 'Nights for Impact' from October 11 to 19. The programme will bring nine social issues into focus through daily conversations at Thuvakkam’s head office in Alwarthirunagar. Volunteers will also take part in activities connected to each theme.
“The programme is aligned with the spirit of Daan Utsav, which invites people to give their time, skills, resources and money to causes they care about. Nights for Impact extends that idea beyond a single week. It treats giving as a continuing habit of volunteering and community action,” says Jaylogeshwar MD, Executive Associate, Thuvakkam.
The nine themes include civic sense, environment, water crisis, waste management, alternative education, AI and learning, responsible communities, humanity in action and sustainable living. The sessions are designed as a journey from individual responsibility to community action, with experts from the respective fields leading the conversations.
The programme will also offer volunteers hands-on opportunities such as water and waste audits, biodiversity mapping, mentoring, learning support, digital literacy sessions and neighbourhood improvement activities. "Participants can also take part in initiatives such as the One Question Wall, Impact Lab and Volunteer Action Board. 'My 2035' will invite children to imagine the city they want to live in, while 'Commit to One Change' will encourage participants to take up one action as part of the programme," he adds.
The initiative brings together corporates, CSR professionals, NGOs, educators, environmental practitioners, government stakeholders, students, families and community members.
Another NGO, Bhumi, is also marking Daan Utsav through its various programmes. Its Bhumi Fellowship, a two-year paid programme for young leaders, gives them hands-on experience in working towards transforming schools. Its STEM programme uses hands-on activities to encourage creativity and critical thinking and draw more students towards science, while Bhumi Clubs focus on volunteerism and leadership among young people.
“Bhumi Fellows will conduct Daan Utsav activities in more than 70 schools across Chennai (27 schools), Coimbatore, Trichy and Anaimalai, centred on kindness towards self, others and the world. The program team will also run one or two activities involving fellows and team members. These include creating safe, engaging spaces for children going through legal procedures, in collaboration with Tulir NGO,” says a member of the Bhumi team.
As part of its STEM programme, Bhumi has designed eight activities for schools, including Fistful of Joy, Clean Your School, Waste to Art, Knowledge Daan, Paper Bag Donation, awareness campaigns, placing water bowls for birds and animals and creating posters and pledges. STEM trainers will take up one activity in each participating school across Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Chennai, Thiruvallur, Hosur, Anekal in Karnataka, and Mahbubnagar and Ranga Reddy in Telangana.
"At the Bhumi office, employees will spend October 7 painting pouches and making greeting cards as part of Daan Utsav. On October 11, Bhumi Clubs in Chennai will bring volunteers together at the Alandur office for a seedball-making session, which is open to everyone," adds the member.