“Ahh ! Now we have some time to breath…” Everyone in Seva
Fair team thinks after the event is over just before Diwali. That’s when the
time running out sends a suttle smile
and whispers ,” oh lad… no way… you have to start with Seva Darshan so that you
are prepared for School Kit Drive.”
Yes .. The month of January , Month of new year comes with
new dreams, new energy , new horizons… and with Kishorji’s mailer with title “
Kick off meeting for School Kit drive”.
The system gets the alert and everyone in Seva Sahayog starts thinking
about School kit drive… the most popular and magnetic show of the foundation…
the event which connects us to maximum number of volunteers… the event which is
entry point for people to get connected with some social cause or the other.
Now those who know the drive will say the drive is always in
the month of May and June… so what is it that starts in the month of Jan? Yes,
for me too, the School kit drive meant School Kit assembly and distribution, 4
years ago.It was about the fun at kitting program with 200+ people together on
every Sunday in May and then distributing the kits in June… Now when it’s not
just event but a part of my system…
moments and efforts put by volunteers, behind the scene, become inevitable
part. May it be drama, show, or any event…details behind the scene makes
everyone curious… So here’s the story of school kit drive…. Behind the scene….
So, as I mentioned it starts with Kishorji’s mailer to
invite core team for kick off meeting. (Kishorji is back bone of every event
happening in SS so if you are connected to him… you will not miss any updates.)
The first foremost job is to form a team which will lead and take
the drive to the success. Seva Sahayog is all about volunteer driven work and
that implies dedicated long term volunteering. Atulji and other core team
members have put a lot of effort and the thoughtful ways in everything about
SS. They know that success lies in connecting and retaining the people and
using their strengths. So here is the best way for firm bondings… trust people
and give them responsibility. Yes, newly joined volunteers during the year are
generally the members of this team. Once they drive one event they don’t leave
the family. Founders and seniors are ofcourse there to help but this creates
trust in what we do and this also gives importance as well as sense of
responsibility.
And the team is formed… new energy, new vigor… and loads of
work to do. The work is divided roughly into 7 different catagories…
Requirement analysis of school kit(NGO Connect), MARCOM(marketing and
communication),CSR connect , donation collection ,Procurement,Assembly
management, Distribution management. People are welcome to choose the
department of their interest and one of the team members lead respective teams.
Chief co-ordinator is of course “THE RINGMASTER” to make sure that everybody is on track & just in time frames…
Then the weekly meetings, updates, tea parties at office and
dedicated efforts in respective areas…. NGO connect team starts gathering the
requirements from the NGOs while CSR connect team makes every effort to connect
to the corporate world and help donation team to gather the most required
factor …. THE FUNDS…Donation team is backed by every one irrespective of teams
to get the donations required. MARCOM team plays key role in drafting the
effective mailers, creating innovative posters and pamphlets, inviting some
“role model” kind of people so as to keep the people motivated, making the best use
of technology and innovative ideas to create story videos ,banners… Social
media is one of the key factors helping this team to spread the word around the
world…Distribution team decides where, when, how much, how to give… Deciding
the reach of course depends on funds collected and accordingly….
Procurement
team manages to get us everything we want… receipt books, bags, note books, pencils,
crayons, mattresses, fans, ohh and what not… And the Assembly team, they are
the HEROS …. They are on screen managing people, managing actual kitting on
field, making the kitting interesting enough so that people keep coming,
planning the games and breaks and managing lunch and beverages for all 300-400
volunteers…..every Sunday.
No job is easy and less important… All of us go hand in
hand… support each other…spread the word about the drive everywhere
possible…get donations…. enjoy doing every small task …..and Be proud of
ourselves and each other…. Yes we are the one blessed who see the smiles on
those innocent faces in the month of June.. We see those right from kick off
meeting in our hearts…..And the month is over…. Wohhh…. The clock runs soooo fasttttt….
And here starts the assembly drive …. Shooting, Editing , technical stuff all
in place…..The 70mm movie is now about to start…. Next week…. But yes you can
still be on the screen … THE HEROS of this film….. How? Stay tunned for the
sequel of this post or better join the drive directly on coming Sunday….
Explore yourself starting from27th April 2014…. Educate…Encourage…Enlighten…… Happy Kitting……
