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DirectImpact

The Direct Impact program is a way to get involved with NGO activities "directly", at a grass roots level. The main idea of this is to create volunteer opportunities with NGOs, with a well-defined objective and time-frame. By putting volunteers together with NGOs at project locations, volunteers get sensitized to the ground realities at the projects, get a chance to do something and get to interact with the kids at these locations, and get to create something useful for the NGO. Typically, we organize an "event" once a month - the events are normally half a day, over a weekend and volunteers can simply show up to participate. The way we plan an event is as follows - (i) we check with our partner NGOs whether they have anything that they would like to get done with volunteer help and identify possible event opportunities; (ii) we discuss these at our meetings, where one (or a few) of us volunteers to be the coordinator; (iii) the coordinator is responsible for planning the event, raising funds, if necessary, and breaking up the event into simple tasks that volunteers can do. There is no hierarchy in Asha Pune - anyone can volunteer to coordinate an event and can get help to do this from people who have coordinated events in the past. All communication is by email, via our mailing groups. The coordinators announce the "event", and request volunteer help, and specify what the volunteers will need to do. So, while the coordinator puts in more work, this planning makes it possible for volunteers to simply show up, spend a half-day at the event, and the NGO benefits from this activity.

Help with Direct Impact - join the Direct Impact mailing list.

The Direct Impact activity started in Feb 2004, but had a very different focus then. To find out more about the history of previous Direct Impact activities, before we transitioned to the "event" mode, take a look at our older Direct Impact site (DI old page).