A non-governmental organisation in western Assam’s Barpeta has turned to humour to tackle the grim nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.
The initiative, says NGO Shubham, is for a cause — to collect funds to fight hunger — with donors getting a ‘smile profile’ in return.
Members of the organisation got in touch with cartoonist Nituparna Rajbongshi to take forward the idea to gift each donor a caricature of their profile picture. And the ‘Your photo can bring a smile’ campaign was born.
“Donors usually do not expect anything in return. But while encouraging people to donate for the needy and hungry people struggling to get essential commodities, we wanted to give each of them smile in return,” Kuldeep Das, the NGO’s secretary told The Hindu.
So the NGO’s appeal came with a request for donors to send a good-quality profile photograph via WhatsApp and an email to the organisation.
“We have received 98 photographs so far in our initiative to provide food for the needy people around,” said Mr. Das.
The seven members of Shubham got together in 2010, concentrating on environmental education such as promoting natural colours for children to play with, organising science congress and camps on climate change issues.
“I liked the idea from the group that I have known to be serious about what they do and sniffed an opportunity to contribute the way I know best. But caricature that conveys the personality of a subject takes time,” Mr. Rajbongshi said from his hometown Sorbhog, west of Barpeta.
He has completed the caricatures of 20 donors so far, taking time off from his professional engagements.
Shubham has engaged 35 volunteers to provide ration to more than 100 families for at least five days.
“If we receive more funds, we can support more needy families,” Mr Das said.
