City NGOs come together to promote joy of giving

“Since 2009, Daan Utsav has been celebrated in the city and across the country by bringing together socially conscious volunteers to encourage the act of giving and raise awareness. 

For example, there is a dexterity activity where you have to throw a ring around an object to win. It’s an act that requires good hand-eye co-ordination, which many physically challenged people don’t have. 

We use fun activities like this to draw attention to each cause that an NGO stands for. A percentage of the money collected from these activities, and even from food stalls, will be given back to the participants as coupons which they can then donate to their preferred NGO stall. 

Apart from money, people can also donate their time and talents. 

For example, people can choose to come and teach the differently abled for a few hours every week. We also have a 20 feet hundiyal in front of the exhibition so that even a child who wants to donate Re 1 can contribute,” explains Aarti, one of the volunteers. 

The organisers claim the hundiyal is the largest one in India. Some of the other activities set up as part of the event are learning Braille and reading blind folded, playing chess with the visually challenged and learning to dance with transgenders.