Love is something if you give it away, you end up having more
It’s just like a magic penny, hold it tight and you won’t have any
Lend it, spend it and you’ll have so many, they roll all over the floor
Multidimensional hearts float around in a happy song, and red is the colour of choice. Ah, love does make the world go round, and the retail stores too. So, how could I not succumb to the emotional quotient? After all, love, as I had been told, was about caring, sharing and giving.
Earlier in December, I had attended the Indiblogger Milaap Meet. One of their better blogger meets, if I may say so. For the uninitiated, Milaap is a crowd funding organization that is helping rural women become independent. Not satisfied just blogging about it, I was craving to do more. On a whim, I posted a plea for a loan of Rs 500/- as my Face Book Status, with a promise to repay it. I posted a link to one of Milaap’s borrower profile. Before I knew it, friends began showing their solidarity to the cause. We managed to fund not one, but three different initiatives in less than 24 hours. A shout out on Milaap’s Social Media Page and all the donors were gratefully acknowledged. For once, as a blogger, I had a chance to make a difference at the grassroots level. I was very proud and happy that I was blessed with friends who thought alike.
When Indiblogger announced a contest to raise funds for the #HopeProject, I knew I’d be participating. And so, I went to the page to see who I could extend a helping hand to. All the women had one thing in common, they were Ex-Devadasis. A system that we, the cocooned citizens, believe has been abolished. These women have lived their worst nightmare, and have chosen to start afresh, leaving behind the scarred memories. Every profile was one that radiated a desire to make it on their own. They asked not for charity, but a helping hand. As I browsed through, this one woman caught my attention. While most of the women went for conventional businesses like animal rearing or setting a small shop, Yallawa Shinge had a business plan. She wanted to expand her beauty parlour! I was amazed, and at the same time excited. Looking pretty and well kempt is not the prerogative of the urban fashionistas, now is it? She also had two other ladies who were looking for funds for their buffalo business and an auto rickshaw investment. Something about her made me care enough to share her story and give of my resources. I had found my Valentine.
Of the Rs 60,000/- loan, we need Rs 59,500/- as of date. Would we reach the goal? I had no clue. All I knew, I was going to appeal to one and all, again. And so here I am, with an appeal to your pockets, and your hearts. Remember, this is a LOAN. You will get your money back within the stipulated time frame. With this generous gesture, you just might alter someone’s life path. Someone who you might never meet, but who will always send up a prayer of gratitude for making a difference in her life. Spread a little love and watch it grow into a mighty oak. And then, live to tell the tale.
Happy Valentine’s Day, from my heart to yours.
To donate, click on this link.
http://milaap.org/fund/yallavva-shinge-and-group/2023?&referrer_id=8420
PS : This post has been/will be updated to thank those who have generously contributed of their hearts and their pockets. Thank you guys. Much love and gratitude.
- Arpita Mudit
- Rachna Srivastava Parmar
- Roshni AaMom
- Susan Deborah,
- Vidya Sury
- Afshan Khan
- Pooja Abhay
- Vasudha Rao
- Bhavya Nandakumar
- Laxmi Chundi Addanki
- Ritu Lalit
- Mohit Advani
- Lolita Fernandes
- Ruchira Shukla and her gorgeous mum
- Shail Mohan
- Kajal Kapur
- Deepshikha Patania
- Sharmistha Kobarghade
- Poornima Kulkarni
- Imran Khan
- Pratibha Pal
- Nabanita Dhar
- Aabha Vitsa Midha
- Pankti Mehta
- Rickie Khosla
- Uma Jeena
- Roshan Radhakrishnan
- Ghata Singhal
- Avni Gandhi
- Poonam Relwani
- June Paul
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