Raising money is never easy, especially if you're barely 18, a full-time student and don't have a job. But Resham Mehta in Mumbai desperately needed Rs 20,000. One of her dogs needed an operation. "Going to my parents wasn't an option because they were already shelling out a lot of money for food and other necessities for my dogs," says Mehta, who takes care of stray dogs in the neighbourhood.
"That's when I decided to put my social network to use," she says. With a few clicks on Facebook, Mehta created a 'Cause' on her profile page, asking each of her 1,000 or so friends to contribute to the 'Cure my dog' fund. "Some donated Rs 5, others hundreds. Within 10 days, I had enough to take the dog to the vet," says Mehta grinning.
Increasingly, non-profit groups are realizing the power of 140-character microblogs and social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Orkut. Rang De, a Chennai-based microlending organization, for instance, relies heavily on Twitter (http://twitter.com/RangDe) to raise credit for marginalized communities. They tweet the names and requirements of borrowers and these help garner quick responses to projects, enabling people to start small businesses such as tiffin services and agarbatti manufacturing units.
Akanksha Foundation, for example, has harnessed the power of the social media to recruit volunteers, spread awareness and solicit donations. Their plea for help to educate underprivileged students via Facebook (www.facebook.com/the.akanksha.foundation) – has reached thousands. Recently, one Mr Somshekhar undertook an expedition to the Himalayas and raised Rs 5 lakh for Akanksha by publicizing his trek on the social networking site.
"We have also found social networks to be a potent medium to highlight the achievements of our kids, including promoting the greeting cards made by them during Diwali," says Vandana Goyal, CEO of The Akanksha Foundation. "During recession when big cheques came by less frequently, we tapped individuals online," adds Chitra Pandit, its marketing director.
Social media companies are also making it easier for non-profit organizations to tap into the power of the masses. YouTube, for instance, lets them add a 'call to action' link to their videos, allowing viewers to directly go to their websites and access online payment options.
Teach For India, for example, is using YouTube to foster a nationwide movement, which places graduates and young professionals in low-income schools to teach for two years.
"We made an official film on YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/TeachForIndia) which has been the main driver for the Teach For India channel with close to 5,000 views within months," says Shveta Raina, director of marketing for Teach For India.
Online social networks provide a real opportunity to create a community and spread awareness, says Abodh Aras, CEO, Welfare of Stray Dogs (WSD). "Our blog, wsdadoptions.blogspot.com, helps us initiate a dialogue with individuals interested in adopting strays," Aras says. "Specific events such as garage sales, which WSD holds, are posted on networking sites to help reach out to more people and raise funds."
