10 Ways to Make Your New Year Celebrations Meaningful: Donate Now 

One of my fondest memories from New Year’s Day in my childhood was making halwa-puri to distribute to those waiting outside our neighbourhood temples. Though many people engaged in similar acts of kindness, my mother and I always found ourselves running out of the food which we prepared for distribution.

In those moments, I was assigned the task of hurrying to the nearby grocery store to fetch Parle-G packets, which never failed to excite the children. As a socially anxious child, I would linger behind my mother and observe the gleam in those children’s eyes as she handed over the packets.

As I grew up and moved to different cities for education and work, this practice, once a cherished mother-daughter activity, got lost in time. With New Year’s just around the corner, feeling homesick and away from home, The Better India and I decided to compile a list of charities that you can visit with your child on this New Year’s Day.

1. Shaheed Ramashray Welfare Society 

Situated in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, the welfare society is a haven for young children who have endured assault and violence. Founded by Devanshi Yadav, who survived an acid attack at the age of 14 and faced abuse from a family member at 18, the NGO provides a secure refuge for survivors.

In addition to offering shelter, Devanshi provides free education, legal assistance, and counselling to young survivors. To date, she has assisted over 1,000 victims of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and assault.

You can donate or visit the place by reaching out to her here.

2. Seneh

Situated in Guwahati, Seneh was established by an 80-year-old retired IAF officer to assist abandoned senior citizens. During a rescue mission in the aftermath of a devastating flood in Assam, Barua, the founder, was unable to aid a trapped senior woman. This experience haunted him and motivated the inception of Seneh.

Fondly called ‘deuta,’ meaning father in Assamese, Barua provides food, shelter, and medical aid until the end of the seniors’ lives. He has rescued and assisted over 60 women to date. As a self-financed NGO, Barua is constantly in search of support in the form of financial contributions or manpower.

If you wish to help, you can contact him at 9810791818.

3. Imagine Trust

The trust located in Bengaluru was founded by four friends inspired by John Lennon’s famous song “Imagine,” where he dreams of a utopia devoid of poverty, where everyone is happy and content. With this vision in mind, Melisha Noronha, Vinod Lobo, Nitin Kumar, and Vignesh launched the trust in 2013.

The group collects pre-loved clothes from people willing to donate, sorts them by size, colour, and usability, and displays them in their showrooms for anyone to purchase at just Re 1. The trust has benefited over 10,000 families so far. 

If you wish to donate or volunteer with them, you can reach them at 9916404003.

4. Sukla Debnath’s beautician course

Growing up in the remote village of Hasimara in West Bengal, Sukla experienced poverty. Despite her father owning a small sweet shop, the primary concern for her family was arranging her marriage. In an area prone to trafficking, safety was a constant worry. Although many girls from her village chose the conventional path of marriage, Sukla decided differently.

She sold her bicycle to fund her training in a beautician course. Despite finding job opportunities outside her village, Sukla made a conscious choice to stay and empower more women by providing them with training to achieve financial stability. To date, Sukla Debnath has empowered over 5,000 Adivasi women.

If you want to support her cause and contribute to training more women, you can reach out to her at 8967012077.

5.  Ashray

Founded by Anil Joseph in Agra, this rehabilitation centre serves as a home for children with disabilities who have been abandoned by their families. Anil, driven by a longstanding desire to contribute to society, was inspired to start the NGO after a visit to a government hospital. During the visit, he encountered a woman contemplating abandoning her child due to threats from her husband.

Established in 2015, the NGO provides children with disabilities comprehensive support, including medical aid, counselling, food, shelter, and education. Currently, Anil oversees the well-being of over 72 wards living in the NGO, funding its operations through a combination of personal funds and donations. Recognising the need for a larger space, Anil seeks assistance and invites volunteers to contribute or donate. 

If you wish to support, you can reach out to him at 90585 96091.

6. Association of People with Disability

Founded by N S Hema, who lost her legs and one arm to polio, the NGO is a legacy of her work before she passed away. Home to several abandoned people with disabilities, the NGO not only gives them shelter and food but also helps them become financially independent. 

The NGO trains the people in horticulture and helps them find jobs in the garden city of India — Bengaluru. They have trained thousands of people with disabilities so far. 

If you wish to visit the NGO or donate, you can reach out to them here or at 8025475165.

7. Matoshree Ambubai Residential School

Living with visual impairment, Dattu Agarwal consistently pondered over the lives of individuals akin to his own. He admits he comes from a privileged family, his struggles do not match those from underprivileged homes. To help people like him, he started a residential school for young girls with visual impairment. 

In the boarding school nestled in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, the girls are provided with more than just academic instruction — they are also given clothing, shelter, and a chance at life. Presently, 75 girls are living with Dattu and there are many on the waiting list. 

If you wish to help Dattu in his cause or fund the education of the girls, you can reach out to him at 9535393900. 

8. Planet Spiti Foundation

Grieving the recent loss of her father, Portia Putatunda sought solace in Komic—the last village in India. A former journalist, she discovered peace and purpose there. Located a drive away from Spiti, Portia initiated a residential school for children from remote mountain villages, whose parents were unable to care for them.

Pouring all her resources into this endeavour, Portia provides the children with shelter, food, and free education. Describing her work as “a tribute to her father,” she single-handedly cares for and raises 10 children.

If you wish to support Portia, you can contact her at 93680 68121. (Due to Komic’s remote location with low network connectivity, messaging through WhatsApp is the preferred option.)

9. Paribesh Suraksha Abhijan

While most people eagerly await retirement to finally take a breather and rest, Pradeep Kumar Rath had a different plan. After serving the country for several years as the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner in the East India division, he decided to embark on a new journey. He founded an NGO and, under its banner, planted more than 60,000 trees in rural parts of Odisha.

“I had to do something for nature,” he says. Beyond planting trees, he has also provided support for nearly 40,000 women and children from rural backgrounds who engage in the essential tasks of sowing and preserving these trees. 

If you wish to volunteer or donate to Pradeep’s cause, you can reach him here or at 9437500556. 

10.  Kalvi Thunai

Realising that children of daily wage earners attending government schools were struggling to understand their lessons without assistance, and with their parents occupied at work, these children lacked the support needed for their homework. In a bid to help, Swamy and Mahalakshmi initiated Kalvi Thunai in Coimbatore.

Established in 2014, Kalvi Thunai offers after-school support to students from classes 4 to 12. The organisation assists them in grasping concepts, helps with homework, and organises extracurricular activities for their holistic development—all free of charge. To date, over 1,000 students have benefited from the centre, and at least 350 of them now have jobs.

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You can reach out to the couple here and spend a day volunteering at the centre. 

(Edited by Padmashree Pande)