Giving is one of the most underrated actions but one that leads to the most amazing change. Everywhere around us, there are people in need of a little support to help them during a difficult time in their lives. It could be something as simple as helping at home with one household chore or paying for a child’s school fees and making it possible for them to get an education.
Simple for some, but life changing for another.
Most of us agree that helping others is what makes the world a better place. But when we think about all the times our lives have been changed because somebody helped us, it becomes personal. If we look hard enough, there are times that people changed our lives when we needed it the most and without it, we might not have been able to do something that we consider important to us.
Perhaps generations ago, someone helped our grandparents get an education. Because of that, our grandparents were able to get jobs, earn an income and improve the lives of their children and grandchildren – leading to a direct impact on our lives. It all started with an act of kindness toward someone who might not even be able to repay them or someone who might even be a stranger.
How do we feel when someone helps us?
There are times throughout the year when we prioritize charitable acts and the impact we can make through giving. It makes us feel good about ourselves and gives purpose and meaning to the season we are celebrating. But if we ever struggle to understand if giving ever makes a difference, here’s a simple exercise we can do to help us see the impact of our charitable acts.
Make a list of all the times we have been helped by others. It could be something as small as a colleague offering us a ride home to a loved one paying for a medical operation when we couldn’t afford it. The more we see how much we have been shaped by the kindness of others, the more encouraged we will be to pass that kindness on to others in turn. In other words, “pay it forward”.
Joy of Giving Week is a good time to start
Each October 2nd to 8th, we celebrate Daan Utsav or Joy of Giving Week. It is a week-long observance that focuses on doing acts of kindness for others who are in need of them the most. In schools, colleges, offices and communities across India, people come together to donate their time, skills, resources or finances to make the lives of other people a little better.
On social media platforms, the hashtag #DaanUtsav brings up videos and photos of people doing acts of kindness such as placing bowls of water outside for street animals or cooking fresh meals for people who are unwell. Such posts inspire others to come up with their own ideas to help others around them in the spirit of giving without expecting anything in return.
How does giving change us?
In addition to making others’ lives better, giving also inculcates a crucial value in each one of us – having concern for others. This is a value that leaves a positive impact on the lives of everyone. The characteristics associated with being kind and generous are qualities that are admired around the world and are sought after by those who want to build homes, companies and communities that last.
In the run up to Daan Utsav next week, it is worthwhile to reflect on how giving has changed our lives and shaped who we are as people. Recognizing this helps us understand how impactful it can be to invest in someone else’s life. Because when we do, we impact their lives, the lives of their children and the futures of the communities they live in.
The concept of “pay it forward”
There are a lot of things we can do in our own capacities to make the lives of other people better. It could be a one time act of kindness or a longer term investment that we commit to each month. For some, it might be feasible to help someone look for a job. For others, providing financial support to an individual or an organization helping people in desperate need might be a better option.
Based on your individual interests and abilities, take some time to think about how you can help another person or people in need of something you can provide. It can be victims of an earthquake who would benefit from your financial support or a friend who would appreciate being accompanied on their hospital visits. Based on what you can do, giving is an act that goes far and wide.
Join United Way Chennai this Daan Utsav!
Throughout the year, United Way Chennai runs programs that work with local communities to improve their lives in ways that will lead to long term and lasting change. These programs focus on education, employment, health, environment and disaster aid in times of natural disasters. When you support these programs, this is what you will enable us to do:
- Project Aakkam helps us renovate classrooms, refurbished toilets and ramps for differently abled children
- Project Thulir helps us provide skills training for women from underprivileged backgrounds
- Project Nalam helps us equip hospitals and PHCs with state-of-the-art medical equipment and resources
- Project Valam helps us plant trees, restore water bodies and fight pollution and climate change
- Project Karam helps us provide both immediate and long term aid to victims of natural disasters
Joining hands with United Way Chennai makes you our partner as we locate communities who are most in need and help them access their rights such as education or employment. These are among the most basic rights that people need to improve their lives and without them, people are stuck in the cycle of suffering. But with your support, we can empower these communities and improve lives.
This Daan Utsav let’s make an impact in the lives of people across India!
