All Aboard

The varied nature of events at the current JGW due to begin on Sunday, is astounding. It is also heartening to note that the nature of events is slowly moving away from an act of charity to one of philantropy. The difference between charity and philantropy can be found in this earlier post.   The Crafts Mela to showcase products made by NGOs, the Karmayog Seva Mela and the Awareness programme on Women's Rights, both events at Hyderabad are proof that the focus of the JGW is not just charity. We at JGW claim no credit for this change. But we are nevertheless pleased to have contributed to the climate of giving in the country and as we have been saying repeatedly, humbled that our small initiative has caught the collective imagination of many and has begun to be embraced as a personal event, an event to be marked in their calendar and celebrated in a fitting manner. Two major factors that contribute to the success of this festival are : the all inclusive nature of the festival and secondly, the positive atmosphere the JGW evokes in a climate of cynicism and hopelessness. In 2009, the JGW was celebrated in an atmosphere of despondency when Swine Flu had its grip across India. 2010 saw the JGW being welcomed soon after the uncertainty caused by the Ayodhya judgment and the series of scams that accompanied the Commonwealth Games. This year, the anger at the large scale corruption in the 2G scam is still widespread. Amidst all this, comes the JGW that invites us to do nothing except give : a smile, a hand, some time, a little money and our hearts. Let us embark on our journey of giving and learn to feel the joy, the Joy of giving

308 and Counting

Only three more days and the third chapter of JGW will begin and we have 308 events registered on our website already. The number of events this year will definitely surpass that of last year. Some events are old but many are new and we delight to note that many more individuals are coming forward to organise events. This is important and it has been our refrain that when each one of us stands up to be counted, we can make a difference. We need to believe that our contribution to spreading joy by giving, however insignificant it may seem to us is one of the many seemingly insignificant acts, all of which collectively lead to change.

When the idea of JGW was first mooted, one wonders whether those initiating the idea had themselves visualised the extent of support. That support for the JGW has been immense is undeniable. The media, the celebrity, the government, the men, women and children all over India, in a tearing hurry to get on with their lives, have all begun to pause, they have begun to think about how they can contribute to the  lives of others meaningfully and it is humbling to note that many feel that participating in the JGW will enable them to enrich the lives of others. And so we declare 308 and still counting........

Joy of giving Week, 2nd to 8th October

a week long affair

The 2011 chapter of JGW begins on Sunday and will last for a week. As the week approaches, more and more Indians have begun their own private affair with the week, individually or collectively. We have in earlier posts, focussed on how some individuals plan to celebrate the week. There is also plenty of media attention paid to corporates and institutions on their plans to celebrate the JGW.  Housing societies are not lagging behind either and have in the past contributed tremendously to the success of the week and hope to do so this year also : recycling, donating, volunteering, are just a few of the activities the members of housing societies plan to indulge in. The societies have found a great way to mingle fun with charity by planning myriad activities during the JGW. A sample is reflected in the poster designed by Sterling Society.

a taste of the week

10 days to go for JGW 2011 and the participation can only get better. The media as usual, has begun to embrace the JGW  as a personal mission and is committed to portraying on its pages or channels, this story of positive change.  this link from the Hindustan Times and then this from the TOI seek to create awareness about the JGW across India.

The Power of One

Very often, we tend to forget that even a single person can make a difference. Amongst those who bear testimony to this today is Irom Sharmila, who has been fasting for years, to protest against the Armed Forces Special Act, in Manipur. Her fast gets a mention in the papers off and on and she is force fed. More recently, her silent protest out of the public eye, was given attention because it was linked to the fast undertaken by Anna Hazare who has begun a crusade against corruption. Aung Suu Kyi, the Burmese leader, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King,  are all icons who exemplify the ability of an individual to capture the imagination of millions and with their silent non-violent protest, emerge victorious. All of them of course owe a debt to Mahatma Gandhi for showing them the way to victory through peaceful means.

That is the reason the JGW is held to coincide with Gandhi Jayanthi. By participating individually in acts of giving, we can make a collective and positive difference to society. A single individual has the power to influence millions. Each one of us can harness the power we possess to change ourselves and by extension the world for the better. Let us resolve to do that during JGW 2011. The power of one can be transformed into the power of many. Let us discover within ourselves the power of one.

JGW and Creativity

Innovation is a word that can be increasingly associated with the JGW. Not only is the concept new in India, but the creative manner in which it is sought to be celebrated all over India by ordinary men and women, takes the concept of JGW to a new level. As all festivals go, the JGW also involves a lot of food and eating but with a difference : food is either donated ( the Annadaanam by the auto drivers in Chennai) or food is sold to raise resources for organisations working for social causes:  the Battle of the Buffet, creating new dishes especially for the week, restaurants setting aside specific tables, revenue from these going to social causes ('While you were Eating', to be held in Bengaluru this year being an example of this).

Creativity comes through in celebrity participation also : from auctioning their time,  walking the ramp, this year they will also auction some of their memorabilia. 8 leading CEOs come forward to literally sing for, well , others' supper, by donating the proceeds from the sale of their special cd for the JGW, to a charity of their choice.

Creative posters designed by those who are participating ( see the visual in the previous post ) motivates one to participate. Sterling Terrace is a housing society that has a beautifully designed poster which deserves a post of its own. Yet another innovative way in which 3 Frenchmen and an Indian plan to celebrate the week is by riding their Enfield from Bengaluru to Paris to raise money for Baale Mane, a home for underprivileged girls. To read more about this, click here,  Combining fun with charity is always welcome.

Creativity in the JGW is best exemplified in the Design for Change contest, where children design innovative solutions to problems in the community. The DFC as it is popularly known, recently won a prestigious design award.

What are we then waiting for ? How many ways can we give ? To find out, simply visit our website and celebrate the Joy of Giving Week.

plan the good.....

The image says it all ! What are we waiting for ?  Let us plan to participate meaningfully in the Joy of Giving Week 2011, less than a month away. To inspire more to participate, all we need to do is register our event . If we are stuck for ideas, all we need to do is call, mail or take time off to look at the JGW website. Ways of participation are numerous. All we need is the inclination. Giving has never been this easy. Begin to list out all the ways you can give and help spread joy. The Joy of Giving Week, 2011

the measure of a man

the measure of a man lies not in how long he lives, but in how much he gives

the measure of a man lies not in how big is his house, but in how generous is his heart

the measure of a man lies not in how many people he knows, but in how many friends he has

the measure of a man lies not in how much knowledge he has, but in how much he shares

the measure of a man lies in the tears he wipes, the smiles he brings and the joy he spreads

Let us measure our worth during the Joy of Giving Week 2011. October 2nd to October 8th. Stand up and be counted. The measure of a man.....