BHUBANESWAR: Daan Utsav, one of the biggest giving festivals, is back in the State after two year’s Covid break. City-based Bakul Foundation, promoting volunteerism and small individual contributions since 2007, celebrated the Utsav, famous as the Joy of Giving Week. Around 300 volunteers visited 50 slums and two orphanages and an old-age home in the City to spread joy through fun and learning activities among children and to bring smile on the face of elderly people.
The volunteers, mostly school and college goers as well as young professionals, had the option to choose from different zones and time slots to carry out the activities in the slums, orphanages and the old-age home. The activities included ice-breaking games, art and craft activities and games around story creation.
Organisers said the focus this year was on slums near each of the Bakul Libraries in Satyanagar, Forest Park and Pokhariput to ensure that the service does not end with the event and children to keep coming to the free libraries and continue learning from the wonderfully curated books.
Shruti Kanungo, a student of Ravenshaw University, who has been volunteering since 2018 said: “That I am responsible in some way in spreading joy among children was an incredible experience,” she said.