Have time on your hands and want to do something socially useful? Let Khushiyan connect you with like-minded individuals in Delhi who are volunteering with different NGOs to help them with their work.
Residents of Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram, run by the NGO SHEOWS in Mathura, had an extraordinary Diwali this year. Children from three different children’s homes presented performances for the elderly and Diwali was celebrated as it’s meant to be – with joy and laughter.
The celebration was made possible by Khushiyan, a Gurgaon-based volunteer-driven organisation that brought together four NGOs for the occasion.
“As the children were excitedly getting ready to perform backstage, the grandmas and granddads in the audience were waiting with anticipation to watch the little ones perform. It was a joyous occasion for everyone,” says Rohit Gupta, an IT consultant by profession, who founded Khushiyan in 2013 with the aim of ‘connecting helping hands’.
An organisation comprising 30-odd volunteers, all working professionals, Khushiyan’s mission is to be a platform that connects people who have the time and inclination to be involved in social work with the initiatives run by different NGOs.
“There are so many NGOs doing good work; most of the time what is lacking is the exposure the good work gets,” says Rohit, speaking about the reason he founded Khushiyan. “On the other hand, there are people like me, working in our own fields, who cannot give up our jobs to take up full-time social work. Nevertheless, we want to help in any way we can. And I know by experience that there are many like me out there. Through Khushiyan, we’re trying to bring these two sections of society together.”
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For the last three years, Khushiyan has been involved in various initiatives. The volunteers celebrate festivals at different NGOs. They invite people from their own networks – friends, family and colleagues – to the celebrations. Sometimes, they involve multiple NGOs so as to build a connection between them.
“When we came up with the idea of having performances for the elderly at the Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram on Diwali, we knew that we alone would not be able to manage the time for rehearsals and performance. So we approached three NGOs: Khushi Rainbow Home for Girls in Okhla, Ummeed Aman Ghar in Delhi, and Mala Surety Home in Noida. It was a different experience for the children as well. Usually, they are at the receiving end – getting help from others. This time, they could do something for others and this made them happy,” says Rohit.
Another initiative by Khushiyan, called ‘Education Sewa’, is aimed at providing resources for children’s education to NGOs. Every year, in the months of April and May, Khushiyan conducts a book collection drive and donates the collected books to four NGOs: Prayatna School of Excellence and Janmanthan Adhikar in Gurgaon, Shanti Gyan Sewa Trust in Delhi, and Setu Foundation in Noida.
In an effort to connect people with NGOs, Khushiyan provides several ‘organisation profiles’ on its website. These profiles have information about 30+ NGOs working in different fields like children’s education, environment protection, animal care, and help for the differently-abled. Volunteering opportunities with these NGOs are listed on the website as well.
“If someone approaches us – someone who is interested in volunteering – we connect them to the NGOs in our network,” says Rohit.
Soon, Khushiyan will be celebrating the festivals of Christmas and Lohri. Currently, the group is also collecting musical instruments for Muskan Foundation, a drug addict rehabilitation centre based in Dwarka. The instruments are used for patient therapy.
“There’s no fixed format. Mostly, the initiatives we take up are based on what the organisations need. If they require stationery and books, we collect those; if it’s medicines they need, we take up a medicine collection drive. Our aim is to help them keep doing their work without any obstacles,” concludes Rohit.
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To know more about Khushiyan, you can visit the group’s website here or Facebook page here.
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