Most of us in India are exposed to poverty at a very young age, through lessons in schools, sights at traffic signals, interactions with our house-helps or watchmen. While it drives some of us to work harder to escape the clutches of poverty, some people are motivated to help. That’s exactly what young Rishi Raj has been doing for the past three years. A third-year Mechanical Engineering student at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Rishi was always driven to do something for the community. This persuaded him to join Make A Difference (MAD), a non-profit organisation which aims to empower young children.
“When I was a child, I learned about poor people and how they live. When I got the chance to work with MAD, I immediately took it up and after seeing the work they did, it made a huge impact on me,” shares Rishi, who has been a part of the NGO for three years now.
Currently the fundraising Head of the Hyderabad division of MAD, Rishi explains the numerous activities he is involved in. “We have three ways to raise funds. We organise several events such as spell bee competitions for kids and other workshops. We also conduct community events to raise funds. For example, we had a diya sale during Deepavali last year, where we managed to raise over `5 lakh,” shares the 20-year-old.
“In addition to this, we have corporate fundraisers. As per rules and regulations, every corporate company with a turnover of Rs 5 crore or more has to donate two per cent of its profits towards NGOs, so we try and tap into that,” he adds.
With his hands full, Rishi admits that he struggles to cope with his academics at times. “Luckily, I get a lot of support from my fellow workers at MAD and since we’re a youth-centric organisation, everyone is extremely helpful and supportive. I also have a good rapport with my teachers and since they’re aware that I’m into community service, they sometimes give me an extra day or two when I miss a deadline,” gushes the youngster.
Displaying fine maturity for his age, Rishi says he has no time for a social life but has no regrets. “It’s a small price to pay for something so rewarding,” he philosophises.
suhas@newindianexpress.com