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However, the challenge today needed immediate action and to the tune of several lakhs, a sum that no single High Net Worth Individual had ever given to us or been asked for hitherto as unrestricted funds.
It was the year 2010, we were yet a small non–profit establishing our roots, and the horizon was looking bright. Our fundraisers in several cities of the country over a period of two years, had been fairly successful, providing us with unrestricted funds to start the projects that the board had zeroed in on.
We had successfully established corporate partnerships, prepared course curriculum, set up internship methodologies, and started remedial education and skill training centres.
But almost towards the end of the year our General Secretary said, “Sanjana, let’s gather the team. We are short on funds and paying staff salaries is going to be a challenge coming two months”.
My focus was, as is expected in a start-up of any sort, multi-dimensional. It included, working with the board in strategizing and giving shape to set programmes, hiring and managing teams, setting systems, raising funds from CSR mandates. All this while functioning closely with the events team in ensuring a smooth fundraiser towards the specified end goal.
Times were challenging and exciting, days were long and meaningful. It was the last quarter of the year, and here comes a new challenge putting a spanner in our ongoing work.
I was and have been more of an instinctive fundraiser. All my fundraising is geared towards business development via the relationships I have built.
Relationships have been the foundation of my existence, the exchange of information, thoughts, ideas, and knowledge. Disagreements and agreements have proven to be transformative, leading to the realisation that all change, small or large scale, depends on social context; without it they remain but, ideas.
We are emotional, feeling humans relying strongly on intuition and perception. Cognitive thinking alone is not optimal in instances of emotional moments, thus, failing to give us the expected outcomes, at times.
During my stint representing one of the founders of the office at this non – profit amongst others, I had focussed largely on building a rapport with high net worth individuals. That the board entrusted me with the task to manage relationships was a matter of great honour for someone with next to little experience in fundraising then.
However, as they say the dots always connect backwards. I realise today that my work in the hospitality sector had groomed me in social skills for interaction with High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI’s), while providing a platform in the non-profit space that ensured true heart to heart communication.
Buddhism has taught me that life is all about our ability to harmonize with those around us. It also taught me that it is also about how to become individuals who can bring people together, technology, tools, knowledge, learning all help in fructifying this.
We as an entity qualified a major donor as one donating 1Lakh INR. The definition of a major donor is not carved in stone, each organisation can qualify a major donor basis their own set criteria.
The last two years had seen me interact with some major donors, in my case HNWI’s; I had been busy building interpersonal relationships resulting in multiple gifts of increasing value.
However, the challenge today needed immediate action and to the tune of several lakhs, a sum that no individual HNWI had ever given to us or been asked for hitherto as unrestricted funds. It was a matter of sink or swim!
Of the calls made, one donor agreed for a late evening meeting. I reached armed with the ask and relevant paperwork. It was a time to practice the strategy of “faith in higher power”, combined with human action. I was heard patiently, all details graciously accepted and informed that I would be reverted to by later that night. By about 930-10 pm I got a call stating that the driver would reach me the next day before noon with a cheque, the amount wasn’t mentioned and I did not ask.
Come next morning 11:30 am the driver came with the envelope. A bag full of mixed emotions coupled with anxiety and anticipation, we opened the envelope. Lo & behold! We were sorted for three months! The envelope offered us UR funds three times the ask!
Adopting the famous words: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. ~ Helen Keller
Image source: Freepik, provided by author
Sanjana is a budding actor and a Tarot Reader. She is also independent consultant for the social sector. Her specialiaation and passion lie in helping non-profits fundraise for their development activities and a short read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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