We live in an era where any and all information is available to us at our fingertips. With a few swipes and clicks, we can access any knowledge - whether it be how to make deviled eggs or how to integrate a complex function. With such a technological revolution, the need for reading a book has taken a backseat. But what about those who are struggling for basic needs and for whom ‘books’ are the only doorway to education? Are we disregarding their dreams and denying them a good future?
As most of us reading this article were born in well-to-do families, we have the time and the power to explore such problems; and thus, the question arises - could we do something to make a change, however small?
My friend, Roopashi Mehrotra, and I faced the same question about two years ago. Being book worms ourselves, we noticed that modern society has not only disregarded the values and knowledge gained from reading, but also given this habit, the status of a boring, academically inconvenient necessity. It didn’t take much longer for us to initiate our project, “Donate a Dream”.
It took time and effort as well as plentiful guidance from our helpful teachers to reach out to every student in the school. We talked to them, made them understand the situation of the underprivileged, and persuaded them to help our initiative. Three months later, our part-time project had managed to accumulate more than 400 books which were donated to the Utkarsh English Medium School located in Pune. Their headmistress was gracious enough to let us meet the students. Looking into their joyful eyes, we knew this was not the end of our drive, but only the beginning.
The following year, we reinvested our efforts, this time going beyond our school. We spread the word in our societies and contacted individual businesses; the word spread like wildfire. We met with individuals looking to renovate their restaurant libraries, some of whom donated hundreds of books. After a tedious but fruitful journey, we managed to acquire about 1,000 books in a matter of months. That is when we came in contact with the Princess of Jaipur, Miss. Diya Kumari, and her foundation. It took weeks, but we managed to develop a plan of action, with the goal to set up a school library for the underprivileged girls of Rajasthan. However, now came a problem we had not foreseen. How to transport cartons upon cartons of books from one part of the country to another? With luck in our corner, the Indian subsection of the billion-dollar German enterprise, Hansgrohe, accepted our proposal of sponsorship. They promised to take care of all costs associated with transportation. A month later, on February 17th 2020, Roopashi and I were on our way to Jaipur. The discussions we had with the organisation and the time we spent talking to their enthusiastic students affirmed our conviction. Helping others isn’t something to be praised for, nor is it something to boast about. It's a duty that each one of us has to standby as well as a means to personal fulfilment. Knowing that the time and effort we spend could potentially lead to improved lives of others is a satisfaction and a pleasure far greater than any societal status could ever deliver. So, let us come forward to extend a hand and
ensure that every willing mind has access to books.