Happiness Inc.

The twinkle in seven-year-old Laxmi's eyes was hard to miss. Sitting expectantly amidst a group of children from Rabindranath Tagore school in Pune,Laxmi kept throwing glances at the huge carton box in a corner.

Toy Bank works on a simple premise – give children in need their right to a happy childhood by providing a variety of toys

The twinkle in seven-year-old Laxmi’s eyes was hard to miss. Sitting expectantly amidst a group of children from Rabindranath Tagore school in Pune,Laxmi kept throwing glances at the huge carton box in a corner. Around 30 minutes later,she was engrossed in finding the last piece that would complete her jigsaw puzzle. Volunteers from the organisation Toy Bank had just distributed games and toys to these kids and for the members of this NGO,it is savouring this excitement on the children’s faces that make their cause a success. Formed in 2004,by Mumbai-based engineer Shweta Chari,the organisation works out of five cities – Pune,Mumbai,Delhi,Bangalore and one in Bhutan. Chari had given up her corporate job to work full-time at the Toy Bank after she had surveyed the way children live in India. Her stint with an NGO had also acquainted her to the level of deprivation that children in the country face. “I,of course,understood that food and shelter were important must-haves for these kids,but I also realised that their childhood was colourless and plain.” And that is when the Toy Bank was formed. The organisation works on a simple premise – give the children their right to a happy childhood by providing a variety of toys. Close to 8000 children have been touched by this generosity so far.

In Pune,the toy bank has over 70 volunteers. Working along with their regular jobs,these volunteers meet every month. Shares Avni Pattani,an IT professional,who looks after the Pune chapter,”We identify places where toys are required and deliver it there. For an outsider,it may look like we are a mere interface between the giver and the takers. But these acts of giving are the most cherishable moments of this work.” Before every collection drive that the Toy Bank takes up,societies and schools are listed down. “We go and collect toys. We are very sensitive about what kind of toys we are picking up. Every toy collected is then segregated and stocked,” shares Pattni. Once sufficient toys have been stocked,they narrow down the NGOs and schools which could require them. The organisations are contacted and the toys,all packed with newspapers,are distributed to kids. “But it’s not just a distribution process. We mix our visit with activities that aid learning,like plays and interactive games. And it is such a joy to see children smile and play,” says Chari.

The organisation also creates toy libraries for social organisations like schools,NGOs and hospitals which are in need. Last year,in September they had set up a toy bank at the play therapy department at the Deenanth Mangeshkar Hospital. For volunteers like Pattani,this is an important part of their lives “We just want every child to grow up with the joys of childhood,and once we do that,our objective is met.”

(You can donate toys too. Visit http://www.toybank.org or

write to mail@toybank.org)

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