Puneite collects `80 K via FB to take poor children on a trip

We all have of heard about the proverb — little drops make mighty ocean. But little did Mayur Shah, a travel enthusiast and adventure trip organiser, know that a mere appeal for monetary help on Facebook, a social networking site could gather Rs80,000 for one such adventure trips.

The eighty children at Maher, a home that shelters destitute women and children, are all excited for the trip which has been organised on June 19 to white water river rafting in Kolad, a sleepy village in Raigad.

“I have been associated with arranging adventure trips for over two years now and I have noticed that it is always the children from well off families who come for summer camps. It was in this wake that I was forced to think about all those underprivileged children, who would otherwise not get to go to such trips. I got to know about Maher through a member who was part of my earlier camps, and decided to arrange the trip,” said Shah.

Dinesh Jain, one of the sponsors, said, “I found it very convincing and was happy to do everything possible for the children, who also need to experience the fun of such trips.” 

White water rafting being an expensive adventure sport, the biggest hurdle for Shah was fund raising.

At this age, where technology is handy and increasingly becoming the preferred mode of communication, a mere page on social networking site Facebook requesting for help, did all the needed work. This has lead to help pouring in not just from India but also from Germany and Mexico.

Sister Jenny, an official from Maher, said, “We are grateful to Shah for arranging such a novel trip for our children. They are excited as this would be the first time that they would be rafting. We at the home are making all efforts to ensure that this becomes a memorable trip for them .”