Journalism of Courage
Members of the group Youth 4 Change,a student organisation that works towards various social causes,sold lemonade on the street in an effort to raise funds for charity
In a unique initiative to contribute to society,a group of students spent Friday afternoon selling lemonade on Fergusson College road in order to raise funds for social events. The students are a part of Youth 4 Change,the youth wing of the Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA),an organisation that currently comprises of 100 members from all over the city and provides a platform for the youth to do their bit for society.
We want to show people that it is not at all difficult to do their bit for society,and if many people contribute in their own small way,there is a lot that can be achieved, says Tanya Ginwala,Secretary of Youth 4 Change. Ginwala adds that the idea for a lemonade stand came about because of the intense summer heat that has laid siege on the city. We used paper cups because they are biodegradable,and mineral water because it provides people with a hygienic option, she smiles.
Ginwala and her core team of 10 volunteers prepared the concentrate,arranged for filtered water and planned out the other logistics in advance,before taking up the job of selling it to pedestrians. They charged Rs 10 for a 300ml glass of lemonade,with Rs 6 going to charity and the remaining used to cover the costs.
We made sure that people who contributed knew exactly where their money was going,and were very pleased with the response from passers-by, says Ginwala. When given a chance,people are always eager to contribute for a good cause, she says. They managed to sell 120 glasses in the span of three hours. Many people also contributed extra money when they realised that it was for a social cause,and we were pleasantly surprised by their sense of responsibility towards society, she adds.
Buoyed by the success of their first attempt,the members of Youth 4 Change are planning to make their lemonade stand a weekly occurrence,branching out to different areas of the city for fundraising.
