BENGALURU : It’s a testament to the havoc that the pandemic has wrought, that almost any activity is ultimately aimed at mitigating its effects on badlyaffected people. While many donate directly, Bengalureans are motivating people by even offering goods and services in exchange for financial donations.
City-based illustrator Divya Gupta, for instance, announced on her Twitter and Instagram on May 3, that she would make personalised artwork for those who donated a minimum of Rs 1,500 to any of the organisations she supported. “The response was so overwhelming that I had to close the fundraiser on the same day. About 25 people responded and I knew that was all the artwork I would be able to do in my capacity at the moment,” says the 28-yearold Gupta, who had to take a break from completing the artwork when she contracted Covid soon after.
Now back to work, the illustrator has finished 12 pieces (donators requested portraits of either loved ones, themselves or their pets) and will wrap up the others soon. Gupta has managed to raise Rs 1.16 lakh, which went towards Hemkunt Foundation, Khalsa Aid India, Hasiru Dala, and Give India, among others.
“What’s surprising is that people went above and beyond the minimum amount I had mentioned. The average amount people paid was Rs 5,000- 6,000, and the highest one-time donation was Rs 20,000,” says Gupta, who even got some requests from those living in the US. Gupta plans to run more fundraisers as and when organisations put out a call for funds.
Initiatives like this aren’t just giving people an incentive to donate. The added transparency too is helping, says Sharan Patil, who along with Saagarika Shenoy has been co-hosting a trivia quiz twice a week for a few weeks now. With a minimum participation fee of Rs 250, all funds raised go towards any charity of the winning team’s choice. The week before last,Rs 24,500 was donated to the Mayank Agarwal Memorial Fund. “Since the choice is the winner’s, people have more faith and know that the money won’t be misused.
Besides, when they see how much effort we put into curating an evening of fun for them, they’re more likely to donate as well,” says Patil, who is the director of his family manufacturing business called Basant Betons. Like Gupta, he too noticed that people are willing to shell out far more than the minimum mentioned. Tax lawyer Disha Gursahaney, on the other hand, decided to sell her books to raise funds. But as her initiative gathered more steam on social media, buyers and friends soon started sending their books to the 28-year-old, so that she could sell them and donate the money for relief.
“I started this on April 30 with just 18 books from my library and 15 from my sister’s. Now, thanks to people sending me books - some send big cartons! - I have sold 321 books and donated Rs 1,00,000,” says Gursahaney, whose current aim is to reach Rs 1.5 lakh in donations. “I love the organisational aspect of this so I don’t mind working on behalf of others who want me to sell the books for them. Times like these really remind you of your privilege and I thought this was the best I could do to help,” she says.
REACH OUT
Divya Gupta: @divcookie
Sharan Patil: @shar.patil
Saagarika Shenoy: @epicsaaga
Disha Gursahaney: @dishdashdishoom