JoyFest
“If you have food in the fridge, clothes on your back and a roof over of your head, you are richer than 75% of the world.”
India, a country of rich culture and magnificent Heritage, home to over 1.25 Billion ranks 6th in the world for the number of billionaires it has. The other of the coin being the fact that we are home to over 33% of the world’s poor paints a rather bleak picture of the growing divide between the rich and the poor. Ignorance of their plight and the lack of action on our part and the government’s is partially responsible for this.
In order to address the first issue, an idea started over 4 years ago in Mumbai today has become a national movement involving the students of colleges across the country and the youth, in general.
This movement, started by JAM Magazine is known as JoyFest. JoyFest aims to make the youth aware and sensitize them to needs of the poor and the underprivileged and to establish a connection at a human level. It takes after and goes hand in hand with the “The Joy of Giving Week”, celebrated from 2nd to 8th Oct attempts at inculcating the feeling and a habit of giving. The Joy of Giving Week is shaping up into a nationwide initiative with Sachin Tendulkar agreeing to be its brand ambassador and with support from a number of celebrities like Arshad Warsi, Nandita Das, Imtiaz Ali and many more.
JoyFest is generally celebrated for one day in partner colleges across the country. The college generally partners with an NGO, say, a blind school, and any proceedings from the Joy Fest are given away to the NGO. A collection drive is generally held where unused books, stationary, old clothes and furniture etc. is collected and and donated to the partner NGO.
Some colleges invite the underprivileged to their campus and the students spend an entire day with them. Dance shows, skits etc. are held and those people are made to feel as privileged as the rest of us for one day. Some colleges have fashion nights, concerts etc. and the proceeds from these are donated for the upliftment of these people.
So, with a little of effort, we can spread joy in the lives who are less fortunate. A little bit of happiness goes a long way in making these people accepted and wanted. With our country making great progress in Science and Technology and various other fields, we are still ranked very low on the Human Development Index and in order for true progress to occur, there should be overall upliftment of the society. JoyFest and Joy of Giving Week is a very positive step in that direction and the fact that the youth is actively involved in this movement is what makes it a success.
As they say “Charity begins at home”. JoyFest happens in all major colleges across the country in all the major cities and it’s a delightful and a really fulfilling experience being a part of one.
To organize JoyFest in your college, contact the following:-
JAM VENTURE PUBLISHING PVT. LTD.
Off: 312, Commodity Exch Bldg Sector 19 Vashi,
Navi Mumbai 400 705.
Tel: 0091-22-27842181.
Or refer their website- www.joyfest.in
P.S.- For all the Surtis and nearby residents, JoyFest at SVNIT will be held on on 12th January,2014 which is a Sunday. Please do come and spend a little time with us as well as the underprivileged.
