Premium
This is an archive article published on March 10, 2013

Click to help

An idea floated by a Mumbai-born professional working in Chicago is helping NGOs find the right volunteers

On her most recent month-long visit to her birthplace Mumbai,Saloni Behl wanted to volunteer with an NGO. The consultant with a Chicago pharmaceutical company found that most NGOs had their own website,but there was no proper directory for volunteers to find the right place to offer their services.

The 26-year-old says when she is in Chicago,she works with autistic children and senior citizens on weekends but when she came to Mumbai on her annual visit she could not find a portal for a volunteering job.

“Some four or five NGOs had posted their requirements for volunteers but if somebody had preferences,they wouldn’t know where to go,” Behl said.

That set her thinking and she wanted to do something about filling the gap. She and her 23-year-old sister Ruchi,who works with a leading MNC in San Francisco,got together and floated http://www.volunteermumbai. org,the website they call “one search closer to your cause”,two months ago.

Whether it’s to tend to an elderly or babysitting a kitten,the website has made the hunt for a volunteer in Mumbai easy.

The nascent site needs some modifications though. “It’s been two months and the process of improvement will take some time,” Behl said.

The website has also given the sisters a new perspective of people in the financial capital. Going by the response,Behl says a good number here want to volunteer for causes.

Story continues below this ad

The website has partnered with nine NGOs in fields like education,animal care,environmental conservation and assistance for senior citizens.

“Some NGOS screen volunteers. But that job is already done by us when we get people who show interest in the posts on our site. NGOs tell us we are making their job easier,” Behl said.

Behl explained that they have a questionnaire for volunteers to fill. “If some answers are vague,we ask them for more information,” she added.

The efforts are getting praises. Dhwani Shah,an assistant school leader with Akanksha,said,“We worked with them for two events. The response is good.”

Story continues below this ad

Behl said those who sign up,always show up. “Sometimes,college students sign up to meet mandatory social involvement programmes. They don’t usually show up. Most NGOs told us that everyone who responded to our posts showed up.”

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement
Loading Taboola...
Advertisement