Sunday Musings - Contribution to Society



 More than a decade back, I was part of a volunteer group in Dubai where we could participate in various social events and contribute our time and effort to them.

I got an opportunity to volunteer in a food box packing activity during Ramadan in Dubai. It was a huge space where more than 200 people were involved in packing more than 200 boxes with food and daily-use hygiene items - almost 20 items in each box. We did the packing overnight and early morning, these were loaded in truck and some of us volunteers went and distributed these in labor camps.

Donating or contributing to society was not new for me. I had seen my grandfather and then my father donate money for people, animal welfare, temples and several social causes since childhood. BUT, I had not done this myself. This event triggered the 'giving' in me.

I started donating when I got a chance. I discovered an orphanage for girls in Andheri, Mumbai where I chose to sponsor a child's education for a year. Felt pretty happy doing that year after year.

A few years ago I came across 2 initiatives that donate food at different scales ... and I started donating to them.

The '1 Billion Meals Endowment' campaign reflects the vision of His Highness HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It is an ambitious campaign to serve meals to the underprivileged on a massive scale.

The other one is the Food Box Foundation in India led by Sudhir Singh. The foundation was started in Feb 2021, amidst COVID-19, when the impacts of hunger were at their peak. Food Box Foundation focused on distributing nutritious food to the poor needy along with clothes and necessities support across the country. They are also educating 50+ underprivileged kids through their #educate initiative in Prayagraj, India.

While I donate to 1 Billion Meals once a year; with Food Box, I have a different approach; I donate 2000 INR every time I sign up a coaching client. And if I manage to sign-up 5 coaching clients within a span of 1-2 months in a single batch; I will double the donations :) <20K instead of 10K INR>.

In fact, the 1 Billion Meals inspired me to conceptualize the idea of the #BillionSmiles - an initiative to remind/inspire people to spread smiles around them with simple and small acts of kindness and gestures.

More recently, I came across a lady in Ajman, UAE who runs a kitchen providing food to the labor at just 3 AED - probably the cheapest I have seen in UAE. During Ramadan, she is also accepting donations to distribute 8000 gift meals on daily basis.

Today's post is a gentle reminder to all. Find your way to contribute to the society. There are thousands of initiatives and organizations in need of funds and also your time and effort. Find a way to contribute and do it.

For those interested to read more about the initiatives described above; here are the links.

Food Box Foundation in Prayagraj, India - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7172470439993131008/

Food ATM in Ajman, UAE - Iftar meals in AED 3 - https://www.instagram.com/p/C4Kg3RdI-JB/

1 Billion Meals Endowment by Dubai Ruler - https://www.1billionmeals.ae/en/

Find a cause you identify with and find your way to contribute to society.

#CoachHemant #GrowthMindset #ContributionToSociety

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mumbai Local - First Class v/s Second Class

Image
    It is an old joke that the difference in the first class and second class of the Mumbai local trains is that people in first class use deodorants and hence you are exempted from the smelly underarms while travelling. The mute point being; both class of travel experience a passenger overload during the peak hours and you are almost equally squeezed and pushed around in both. Of course, the seats in First Class are cushioned (unlike the hard seats of second class) but then that would make a difference only if you get to sit (which would be a likely probability only if you get into the train from the station it originates). My father holds a first class pass from Churchgate to Andheri (since past 7 years, ever since we moved to Andheri). He often travels by Second class in the evening. Strange, isn't it? This is why he does it … In the First class, there is an unwritten rule that on the seat, only the designated number of people (which is 3) will sit. No sq...
Read more

Tongue Twister - V for Vendetta

Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V." - V for Vendetta
Read more