7 Simple Ways To Give Back to Society
You are here:
Mahatma Gandhi
“The Best Way To Find Yourself Is To Lose Yourself In The Service Of Others”
We love to talk about money. And we aim to make sure that you make the right financial decisions. While money is an important need, money alone can’t buy happiness. Giving back to society is one of the important prerequisites for a happy life.
And donating money is not the only way to give back to society. There are different ways through which you can give back to the society that involves little or no money at all.
You can do any of these activities on your birthdays or any other special day of your life. This will help you to feel lucky for the things that you already have.
Here are the seven ways through which we can give back to society:
Donating blood is one of the easiest ways to give back to society. There are many misconceptions around blood donations such as it makes the doner feel weak. But it is not the case. Donating blood every three months is a healthy practice, provided all the vital stats are in place and there are no health complications.
Many blood donation camps and drives take place regularly. You can sign up for these appointments. The health professionals will conduct some tests to make sure that there is no problem and the iron requirements and other things are as per the required standards.
You can also donate blood by going to a blood bank or donating blood during emergencies.
We always like to think that we don’t have enough things. And our favourite things are always out of our reach. This calls for a change in perspective. Spending a day in an orphanage will help you to see the world in a different light.
Many children in several orphanages around the country have been abandoned by their parents and families. They need our love more than anyone. Many of these orphanages run on grants and as a result, few organisations are not able to keep up with the daily requirements. You can donate a day’s salary or two or sponsor their meal to these orphanages.
Also, you can tutor students and help them with their homework. You can also come with your friends and distribute colouring books, storybooks, etc to the children residing in these orphanages.
Organ donation helps you to live on even when you are physically present on this earth. You and your loved one can continue to make presence felt for a very long time. After we die, our organs can save someone’s life.
To do that, you can pledge your organs by filling an online pledge form. In India, all the pledges are registered with the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). Post-registration, you will receive a card. You need to keep in mind that this card does not have legal considerations and is only as sign of intent. In India, the next of kin decides whether the organs can be donated after death or not.
Hence, it is important to have your family’s approval in such circumstances. This will help to carry out your wishes when the need arises. So carry your card with you all the time.
If you are someone who loves animals, then you can look at volunteering in an animal shelter. Hundreds of animals are injured in road accidents, fights, etc, and only a few get proper treatment. Animals also need our love and care. Nowadays, there are several animal shelters especially in the metro cities where you devote your time and tend to little paws.
In a few places, you may have to complete mandatory training sessions or work at least 12 hours a month, to become a volunteer. Spending a Sunday with animals is a way better way to spend your time.
Click here to know more about the different NGOs for animals.
Is your wardrobe overflowing with clothes but you have nothing to wear? In this scenario, it is time to donate the old clean clothes that you no longer wear. And not just clothes, you can donate your furniture and gadgets as well. Someone’s trash and can be someone’s gold. And with so many people without proper clothes, it only makes sense to donate clothes and not throw it away.
This elongates the life of the cloth which means proper use of resources and fewer landfills. So it is a win-win. Several organisations will pick up your old clothes from your house. However, you may have to place an appointment a day or two in advance.
We all love to keep our homes clean, and then why not keep our cities and water bodies clean as well. You can conduct your cleanliness drive or take part in an existing one. Whether it is cleaning a beach, a street or a garden, one person can do a lot of wonders.
Find a group on Facebook that undertakes cleanliness drive regularly.
Teaching is one of the noblest professions in the world. But you don’t have to be a teacher to teach. Many students don’t have access to quality education. You can devote your weekends and teach underprivileged school kids. You can teach in classrooms and share your knowledge, experience, and skills with the children. You can also help to plan, execute and archive events as well. Teach for India is one such organisations that let you teach students.
These were the seven ways that can help you give back to society. So go ahead and do your part.
