An online article a few months ago spoke about one of the biggest reasons why people don’t donate – they just don’t know where their money is going. And even years after crowdfunding platforms have made their way into our lives, this worry continues.
However, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Donatekart shifted the perspective of the crowdfunding industry a few years ago. Until then, crowdfunding platforms relied on monetary transactions between donors and the beneficiaries/NGOs to create an impact. And the impact was significant, but the question remained – how do I know people are actually being helped?
Donatekart’s unique model that allows people to donate towards products needed by the NGO has been a game changer. Donors all agree that it’s this transparency that makes them want to donate time and again. The varied products that were donated have created a significant impact, the fruits of which we continue to see even now.
At Donatekart, we’ve been responsible for delivering products ranging from grocery kits and hygiene kits to school bags and construction materials. Here’s a glimpse into the difference these products have made through some of the NGOs we’ve partnered with:
1. A Roof Over Their Heads
Whether it’s Snehgram, a school in Solapur, Maharashtra for children from nomadic tribes, or Ambubai Residential School For Blind Girls in Gulbarga Karnataka, the construction materials donated helped them put a roof over the heads of countless children in need. These materials included bricks, paint, TMT bars, cement and others, with which Snehgram was able to build a hostel to take in more students, and Ambubai School was able to start building a disabled-friendly residential school.
However, the impact was not limited to humans. Girish Anjenappa, an animal activist who looks after over 350+ stray dogs, was able to start building a safe and secure shelter for these fur babies.
2. Fighting Period Poverty
Period poverty and stigma continue to plague thousands of women in India even today. With the help of Pad Squad, Voice Of Slum, Avni and Child Help Foundation we were able to distribute sanitary pads to hundreds of women and girls and spread awareness about menstrual health. Though we’re a long way from being free of period poverty, initiatives like this only take us closer to the goal.
3. Spreading The Light Of Education
Even today, there are millions of children in India who haven’t been to school. Some have dropped out and some haven’t even seen what a classroom looks like. To support these children, we’ve worked with various NGOs to ensure they get essential supplies like stationery and school bags. Courtney Lalotra’s NGO, Samarpan Trust, and Signal Shala were able to get notebooks, pens, paint sets, backpacks and more for countless children. On the other hand, Sparsh, an NGO based out of Mumbai, was able to distribute ZAB bags to over 150 children. These unique bags transform into a school desk which makes it easy for the children to carry books and stationery to school and have an appropriate desk to work at during classes.
4. Empowering People With Visual Impairments
There are over 62 million people in India who are visually impaired, of which 8 million are blind. Among these, about 2 million are children within the age group of 3 to 15 years. The education infrastructure for these visually impaired children in India is very primitive. Annie is the world’s first Braille-literacy device. It helps visually impaired students learn to read, write, and type in Braille on their own, through interactive audio-guided content. We partnered with Thinkerbell Labs to distribute these to several visually impaired children. We were also able to give countless people walking sticks.
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5. Giving The Disabled A Better Life
People and animals with disabilities have to overcome several hurdles every single step of the way, and prosthetic limbs ease their day-to-day activities to a large extent. We were able to provide prosthetic limbs to several people in need with Sudeekshan Foundation, and Shree Krishna Charitable Trust was able to give prosthetic limbs to several cows as well. This made a huge difference in their lives.
6. Protecting Them During The Cold Winter Nights
Extreme weather conditions can be devastating for those on the streets – whether it’s homeless people or stray animals, they often have nowhere to take shelter and nothing to protect them from the cold or rain. Sweaters, socks and other winter wear go a long way in keeping them safe. Through our annual campaign during winter, we were able to give hundreds of children a warm and comfortable winter. Countless stray dogs too got coats to keep them protected from the bitter cold.
There’s no running from the facts – donating products has a more tangible and transparent impact. On Donatekart, you not only get to donate towards products but also receive regular updates regarding your donations and how they’re being utilized. Hear directly from the NGOs and beneficiaries and know that your contributions are truly making a difference.
At Donatekart, we’re constantly striving to curate the most relevant and engaging content just for you. If you loved reading this, then food waste in India will grab your attention too.
Written by Charita Cariappa
