Manvi Abrol, an active member of the youth organisation AIESEC-Delhi IIT, has spent the last 365 days working for various humane causes. And she swears to stick to all of them through her life. Abrol is not alone. This socially conscious, 20-year-old DU student has many friends who are also sailing in the charity boat, vowing to spare their time, energy and sometimes money to help the deprived get some solace.

“Most of my friends, family members and others I know are keen to associate with humanitarian causes. The power of a good act can make a quality difference to someone in need,” she says from experience.
Welcome to the new India that is just being promoted on a charity survey conducted among 153 countries globally. The survey, World Giving Index 2011 by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), ranks India in the 91 slot, better from 134 last year, but way behind other Asian countries like Sri Lanka (rank 8) and Thailand (rank 9).
In India, there was a 14 percentage point growth in ‘giving money’, a nine percentage point rise in ‘helping a stranger’ and a growth of six percentage points in ‘volunteering time’. Observers agree that this positive change is driven by multiple factors such as emotional drivers (someone they know going through a similar problem), a sense of responsibility towards the have-nots, dispensable money situations, and access to better and more organised welfare bodies that people can trust.
“Humans in principle are good at heart. Most of us help a blind person cross the road and are ready to help the maid’s child in his or her studies. It is a connection we often lose when we are busy studying or at office. Any good way that connects us to these strangers is often welcomed,” says Dhaval Udani, CEO, GiveIndia.
Harish Nandan Sahay, director operations, Smile Foundation, acknowledges the role of the youth in the big charity picture. “The Indian youth is more aware than ever and now setting the trend of spreading awareness and seeking answers from those who are responsible,” he says. While many onlookers underline social media (something mainly driven by the youth) and convenience (with donating now a click away) as other enablers to connect with needy strangers, the foremost killjoy is inertia to the cause. And so, poverty may not be an immediate issue to donate, but a victim of an earthquake would be, says Amita Puri, CEO, CAF. “But, the best part is that people today are more vocal. They associate with a cause, declare their commitment to it, and invite each one they know to be a part of it. They are also very professional and assess its impact,” she adds.
While India is still taking baby steps towards building a tribe of change agents, the list of social challenges makes giving a very involved process. Aware of the mammoth task, Manvi Abrol too is just getting started.