BENGALURU: Shreya Mittal is a concerned 17-year-old student. Turning that concern into a proactive measure, Shreya and her friends brainstormed and came up with an idea, an online music concert, that will fund the meals of daily wage workers during the lockdown. Even before their virtual concert on April 19, the group of nine teens has already collected `4 lakh, all of which will go towards the KVN Foundation and in turn fund the FeedMyCity campaign.
“Our goal was to collect Rs 20,000 but we have surpassed that. We’ve used social media to spread the word, which has been effective,” says Shreya, adding that actor-writer Danish Sait will be hosting the concert, which will conclude with an ‘after party’ by DJ Odd and Eave. “We’ve got a shout-out from cricketer KL Rahul, who recorded a video that we posted on Instagram,” says Shreya about the concert which will be live on YouTube, Facebook and Paytm.
Having seen his parents and grandparents helping out the needy in this hour of crisis, Shlok Mittal (17), has been helping cook meals at home, which are then sent out to be distributed to the underprivileged in the Ulsoor area. While the project took off with about 150 meal boxes comprising a dish like pulav or chitranna, the number has now gone up to over 1,000 meals a day. “While many people were willing to come forward with money, we were more keen to serve home-cooked meals to those who can’t afford it at this point. It’s gratifying that at least 1,200 people a day are not going hungry,” says Shlok.
To display his gratitude to those essential workers, especially the police, who are on the roads to ensure that others are safe, Aryan Kunzang Chawla, a 15-year-old student, has started a Care For Cops initiative (on Instagram), to encourage people to do good, be it small or big, for the khakhi clad men and women. “It started with my going and giving juice packets and sweets to policemen in my locality (Cunningham Road). The gesture was really appreciated, which is how the idea to encourage others as well came about,” says the grade 9 student.