Charity begins at home: NGOs raise funds

Citizens of all ages willingly loosened their purse strings to participate in a charity function to help the needy. The charity sale, an initiative of the Rotaract Club of Government Law College (RCGLC), is taking place on the premises of Government Law College (GLC).

A five-day annual event that has been taking place for the past three years, looks to provide a platform to NGOs from across the city and country to exhibit their products. It is organised jointly by RCGLC and Union Bank with BIG FM, Spykar and DNA. “There is no registration fee and all the proceeds from the sale are meant exclusively for the respective NGOs,” said Mohit Puri, vice-president of the RCGLC.

The products being sold include handicraft items, Warli-painted items, bags, clothes, stationery, Diwali gift items, candles, lamps etc. The participating NGOs consist of those working with underprivileged children, women, autistic adults, developmentally challenged adults, etc.  Last year, there were around 27 participating NGOs.

Students and people who had dropped in to buy some of these products complimented the initiative. “I would anyway have spent money buying floating diyas for Diwali. Since here the money will be going in for charity, I made a choice of buying it from here,” said Nandita Das, a 49-year-old homemaker from Churchgate.

“I have bought three items today. They are cheap and have good designs. The fact that the money will be going in for children’s studies is the best part,” said Nazia Kazmi, a 21-year-old GLC student. “The idea is to support the children who make these products,” said Reeti Datta from Swami Vivekanand Shoba Jeevan Jyoti Sangh, an NGO that runs a school for children.

However, some NGOs just put up the stall for only a day to promote awareness about their cause. Sankalp put up Warli products on sale. “The idea was not just to sell things here. We wanted children to learn about Warli art,” said Charul Joshi from Sankalp.