The Transformative Power Of Giving

 

- Aarti Madhusudan With Abha Srivastava

What makes a young student initiate a collection drive for a retirement home? Why does a college professor start a fundraiser for needy patients? What does an ordinary railway employee get by creating a registry of blood donors? A sense of joy and fulfilment and a more optimistic outlook on life. Knowing that they are able to make a difference and bring a smile to someone’s face improved their confidence. And, they experienced a change within and felt deeply rewarded each time. Here, some life-altering experiences of people who are committed to a life of giving.

“I FEEL BLESSED AND CONFIDENT” For 18-year-old R. Rajeshwari, it all started with a collection drive of a fistful of sugar during DaanUtsav [a campaign that encourages giving] in October 2017. Then a school student, in Chennai’s Royapuram, she was a member of the Confederation of Arunodhaya Children Sangam (CACS)—a programme initiated by Arunodhaya Centre for Street & Working Children— when she and her friends decided to ask people in their slum in Tiruvottiyur to donate one cup or a fistful of sugar. Their idea was to donate the contributions to shelters and retirement homes in the area. The experience changed Rajeshwari’s life.