SPREADING JOY BY WAY OF GIVING

Want to donate for a cause this festive season? You can make the usual donations in cash, kind or by way of volunteering to the cause that you care for

- Versha Jain

Last year, Sarika, an IT professional based in Noida who did not want to reveal her real name, spent Diwali with children at Saikripa, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that works for homeless and abandoned children. The family, consisting of her husband and son, decided to not spend anything on crackers, expensive lighting and new clothes, and re-channelled the money as a donation to the NGO.

She says, “We wanted to have a different experience on Diwali with underpriviledged children. It was a wonderful experience. My son was hesitant in the beginning, but was happy at the end of the day.”

Everyone may have different reasons and modes of donating, but for most donors, charity generates positive emotions. A research paper, The Emotional Rewards Of Prosocial Spending Are Robust and Replicable in Large Samples, published in the Harvard Business School’s publications in December 2022, confirms that. In the paper, Harvard Business School assistant professor Ashley Whillans, Canadian researchers Lara Aknin of Simon Fraser University, and Elizabeth Dunn of the University of British Columbia, said that spending money on other people can increase happiness among donors.

Like Sarika, many people prefer to donate during the festive season, though many do it throughout the year. Anant Arora, chief sustainability and communications officer, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, says: “Many people choose to donate at monthly intervals, ensuring consistent support. However, some donors prefer to contribute during festivals, aligning giving with the spirit of celebration and sharing.”

The decision to do charity, however, is only the first step. The next and more crucial step is to select an NGO or a cause close to your heart. For Sarika, choosing the NGO was easy, because she found it in her neighbourhood and felt for the cause.

HOW TO SELECT AN NGO?