Social media plays the hero
Netizens with a conscience have started initiatives to help those in need
By : priyanka sundar
Update: 2015-09-14 00:55 GMT
Social media has taken on the role of the knight in shining armour by evolving into a platform to help people in need. From raising funds for wildlife campaigns to helping refugees in need, there are a lot of possibilities. The current trend is to raise awareness about people in need through social media. One of the popular such campaigns was organised by photographer Brandon, of Humans of New York who raised funds through his page for a neighbourhood shelter and to help Fatima end bonded labour in Pakistan.
And closer to home we have actor Rana Daggubati, who has collaborated with Vyn Vyn to pitch in for children’s rights through CRY. He posted a picture asking for his fans to join him for lunch. All one has to do is donate a minimum of Rs 200. A lucky winner will be chosen to have lunch with Rana. When asked about this campaign Rana said, “There are a large group of people we can reach through social media. When I heard about the initiative and the idea to raise funds to help CRY for child relief, it seemed like a good idea. The idea was conceptualized by Vyn Vyn, who work with a number of initiatives.” He also added, “The response that we have got through social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, has been amazing. The donations have been pouring in, and I am glad I could help.”
The popular RJ Balaji of Big FM helped a 13 year old girl, Kavya, get a donor through social media recently. He explained that Kavya’s father had raised the required amount for the surgery, but the girl was on the waiting list for a donor for the longest time. “So I recorded some details about the girl and her family and shared it on Facebook and Twitter. It had a great reach amongst social media users and also resulted in the Government of Tamil Nadu noticing the issue. Kavya then got a donor for the surgery. Even today, when I see people need help for education or health, I try to help them in any way possible, and social media has been a great help,” he said.
International designer and social activist Sanjana Jon also agrees that social media is a great help when it comes to raising funds for causes. “It also helps activists like me get in touch with people who need help. From animal shelters that do not have funds for building kennels, to teenage suicide rate in Jabalpur, I came across many instances through social media and have become a part of them. I mostly concentrate on issues that need immediate help,” she concluded.