Here's How This Non-Profit Is Turning Mumbai Into Kindness Capital Of India

The brainchild of Shishir Joshi, Project Mumbai is an initiative that works on a public-private-people partnership. The project functions on a unique take on volunteerism by creating solutions in different realms of healthcare, environment, governance, education, nutrition, and so on.

The sole idea surrounding the vision is to make Mumbai a better place and rebuild the idea of ownership among every resident. Speaking to the Logical Indian, founder Shishir Joshi elaborates on how being the custodians of even the 100 metres one resides in could bring about a positive change that could start a ripple effect.

By connecting the dots with all these individual efforts, Project Mumbai has now launched the "Mumbai Gives" initiative, which brings together the joy of "Giving". Arguably the largest citizen-led initiative, Mumbai Gives, will be celebrated every year between October 2-8. Shishir says that the campaign would add on to the titles of "Business and Bollywood Capital" and have Mumbai known by the name of "Kindness Capital".

'Mumbai Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega'

Nothing describes their Project better than this tagline that they go by - 'Mumbai Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega'.

Mumbai is a happening city where people are constantly on the run. It also happens to be a city that has been through several crisis situations, from terror attacks to floods. At such tough times, people have stepped up and come forth to help selflessly. Building on this Mumbaikar spirit of being kind, Shishir says that kindness needs to be extended beyond crisis situations and should reach out to people even during peaceful times.

He believes that every individual has an element of kindness that is so strong but doesn't know how to express it. Mumbai Project sets the platform to convey and catalyse this kindness. Through their volunteering programs, they connect separate dots and ensure that help reaches where it is necessary.

So if there is a person A who knows how to cook, a person B who is in need of food, and a person C who can transport the food across different places, Project Mumbai enables these points to come together. This is where the idea of public-private-people partnership and the 'Mumbai keliye kuch bhi karega' spirit evolves, as it is entirely based on this collaborative effort.

Since its genesis, the Project has received support from a wide range of groups and individuals, including the Tata group, State Bank of India, Asian Paints, Facebook, Uber, Wipro, and JP Morgan, to name a few. Eminent big screen celebrities and artists have also volunteered for the causes and contributed to the project's journey.

Under this collaborative philanthropic act, Project Mumbai has been able to execute mental health initiatives for school children, beautify 150 roads of the city through volunteer-driven painting, provide educational support to children who cannot afford school fees, train individuals on fire safety, conduct Plastic Recylothon, and so on.

Their consistent efforts to create a better place were recognised and lauded through the United Nations SDG award 2020, the Green NGO of the year award by the International Advertising Association, the Nutrition Urban India Award from Glenmark, and have bagged 16 awards in total over the past three years.

Among the many firsts that they set their footprint in, Project Mumbai will now be torch lighting the Mumbai Gives initiative as a call for the people to join them in the act of "Giving and Kindness".

Celebrating The Act Of Giving

Celebrating October 2 to October 8 as the Joy of Giving Week, 'Mumbai Gives' sets an arena that presents different kinds of opportunities for the different kinds of people around Mumbai. It accommodates the diverse capacities of volunteerism and says, "Choose what you want to do when you want to do it".

Without any limiting schedules or donation types, the Project invites people to enjoy the process of giving. Calling it a "menu of choices", a few things that go into the program include the plastic waste that gets recycled into useful amenities, E-Waste or electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), clothes, books and toys that would go into building libraries across different communities, and so on. Each donation will almost receive a doorstep pick-up or will be provided with the nearest drop-off location details, through which citizens can actively participate.

It is also a non-exhaustive list that extends to accommodate additional initiatives that citizens want to share.

Collaborating along with the Project would be the Barter Festival hosted by the Association of People from the Thakur Village in Kandivali east. The Bazaar promotes the idea of bartering goods that one may not need anymore and are in decent condition to be given off to some other person.

In this way, they intend to reduce the burden of growing consumerism and the spending power and facilitate an exchange of resources and the spirit of sharing. The things that can be bartered range from household items to even skills.

For those who are unable to donate as well, Mumbai Gives has a plan in place. Volunteers can sign up to receive free training under the Fire Safety session to make Mumbai Fire Safe, they can gift a free healthy mind check-up to their family or even themselves, and they could pledge to donate their organs after they pass away and save at least seven lives through it, or they could simply set aside time and energy into the programs that are set in place under the Mumbai Gives.

Several institutions, corporate houses, like-minded civil society groups and communities have already joined the campaign, and hundreds more are expected to join hands to make Mumbai the "Kindness Capital". The list of people in the Mumbai Gives continues to grow, with prominent faces like Amitabh Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Amir Khan, and Alia Bhatt, among others who have supported the initiative in different ways.

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