Employees of Genpact, Firstsource & others raise over Rs. 2 cr. for their favourite charity

Nov. 9, 2010 - PRLog -- The second edition of the India Giving Challenge, a Joy of Giving Week event, came to an end today, with the winners of the 2010 leg being announced. With over Rs. 2 crores being raised for charity through 8,500+ donors, the event continues to be India's largest online fundraising event. This year more than 150 NGOs and 19 corporates took part in the event. In contrast, the first edition of the India Giving Challenge raised Rs. 91 lacs from 5,000+ donors through 67 NGOs and 12 corporates.

The Challenge, an online fundraising event, motivates participants - NGOs, corporates and individuals – to raise funds for their chosen cause and get rewarded for their efforts in turn; through a matching grant that is given out in the form of prizes, for fundraising in different categories, during the course of the event.

The matching grant this year was increased from Rs. 56 lacs to Rs. 65 lacs and in addition non-cash prizes were also given. The first 25 donors to donate over Rs. 25,000 will each receive a copy of the book, The Power of Half which tells the story of a family who have given away half their wealth to charity.

The Challenge had 2 categories – Corporate Challenge and NGO Challenge. Top-3 companies in the Corporate Challenge and top-10 NGOs in the NGO Challenge have received matching grants from GiveIndia.

Genpact, the Corporate Champion this year, raised Rs. 28 lacs for their chosen charities, setting a new standard for corporates participating in the coming years. They were followed by Firstsource (Rs. 11.7 lacs) and HDFC Bank (Rs. 4.2 lacs). Paternoster/Jardine Lloyd Thompson were the only company to match their employee contributions and were unlucky to miss out on the top prize by less than Rs. 5,000!

Says Deepa Kapoor, Corporate Social Responsibility Leader at Genpact – “The India Giving Challenge was a very exhilarating experience interspersed with feelings of doing good for society and the competitive spirit to be #1 in the corporate challenge. Ultimately it was the feel good factor that subsumed any feeling of competitiveness. To give back as much to society as we could was the driving force and all that mattered”.

Aashu Calapa, President HR and Country Manager had this to say – “Just like last year we were excited to take part in the India Giving Challenge. It gives us an opportunity to contribute & spread the `giving’ culture amongst our employees. Employees understand & appreciate the need to contribute to organizations that are doing work for people who do not have the same opportunities as us. This is a great idea initiated by GiveIndia & should be supported by all companies. “

In addition companies like HDFC Standard Life and Microland ran various events during the Joy of Giving Week to increase engagement amongst employees such as blood donation drives, clothes collection, NGO visits, charity auctions etc. We are yet in the process of evaluating the best marketing campaigns by NGOs and companies and will recognize them along with their star fundraisers and volunteers.

The NGO Challenge was won by Parivaar Education Society yet again who raised Rs. 49 lacs and were followed by CMCA (Rs. 14.8 lacs) and Operation Asha (Rs. 10 lacs)
Vinayak Lohani of Parivaar Education Society says, “This year, I am seeing the India Giving Challenge as a tool for reactivating persons who are loosely connected supporters, who for some reasons have become slightly out of touch; and using our close supporters to reach out to new supporters. The India Giving Challenge is not merely an annual event now, but a valuable property as it has the potential to unlock substantial gains for all participant organisations.”

Says Lohani of the event, “By being part of the 'Joy of Giving Week' umbrella, the India Giving Challenge is getting benefitted. Similarly, the 'Joy of Giving Week' is getting strengthened from the India Giving Challenge. But most importantly the 'giving culture' is getting a boost."

About GiveIndia: GiveIndia (www.GiveIndia.org) is one of India's top fund raising intermediaries and has channeled more than Rs. 100 crores since its inception in 1999 impacting more than a million lives across India. GiveIndia has more than 50,000 donors and partners with more than 90 companies.

For more information about the India Giving Challenge, visit the website http://www.giveindia.org/IGC2010 or write to tarika@giveindia.org

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GiveIndia is a nonprofit organisation that helps people donate to trustworthy NGOs in India. We conduct a strict due diligence on NGOs so that you may donate without a doubt! Also, you receive a feedback report on whose life you changed and how.