‘Doing Good’ making differences in Sikkim

GANGTOK: You will rarely see some young college going students getting vigorously involved in social activities in the state of Sikkim. Some students of Namchi Government College along with few young entrepreneurs of the town Namchi are making a lot of differences in the society with their good deeds and initiatives. 'Doing Good' a social organization is an outcome of their collective thoughts to serve and portray their concern for the society around and humanity. 'Doing Good' was formed in the year 2014 and since then, this organization has been serving society in very impeccable manner and touching many souls around with their appreciable tasks.

The organization was started some 2 years ago at a very small level, but due to tremendous and persistent efforts of the few members that today it has grown by quite a large number and now the organization has more than 23 permanent members and many more volunteers than ever before.

Yougan Tamang from TNT- The Northeast Today engaged himself in the conversation with the highly spirited youth, Kul Prasad Chettri, one of the founders of the organisation because it is the age of the Y-generation and therefore it becomes quite significant to provide the inspiring souls of Doing Good a good exposure, so that the members of the organization can act as a catalyst to ignite more sparks in the mind and heart of other youth and encourage them to do something for the society of which they are a part of.

'Leaders don't create followers, but they create more leaders, thus Doing Good is here to create more true leaders' said Kul Prasad Chettri.

TNT: Tell us something about 'Doing Good'?

KPC:  'Doing Good' is a social organization or say a voluntary organization which is collectively formed by the young college going students and young businessmen of Namchi, South Sikkim. The organization was initially started off with just 6 members but today it has grown to have many members and more willing to join us soon. It was started off with a motive to give something back to the society and make many differences in life and lives. We have set some goals in our minds i.e., to serve humanity, society and the community we all belong to and do something to protect our environment. We are not a registered organization for now but we will be doing that soon but we feel nonregistration of the organization, for now, does not stop us from serving society in our minute ways.

TNT: What was the response of your peers when you started the Organisation?

KPC: Fortunately, whoever I spoke to about the initiative, everyone was very supportive. Without thinking much about how and where. Everyone who heard about it wanted to come up together sooner and serve society in own minute ways. We have also been blessed to find the parents of the members very supportive to our motive and initiative. Their involvement is also seen in many of our initiatives and projects.

TNT:  Could you tell something about your activities?

KPC: Sure! We have been working in and around Namchi for now. In the recent pasts, we have organized various campaigns such as Blood donation campaigns; Cleanliness campaigns; Stop Child Labour campaigns and Perform Good Deeds campaign etc. We profoundly find ourselves involved in the activities that really matters to social beings, animals, and an environment. We initially started with a blood donation campaign which was organized at District Hospital Namchi and later we started making people aware of Child Labour and its ill effects under Anti-Child Labour campaigns in collaboration with Drishti Foundation, Namchi. We created stickers and pasted in the shops of Namchi which involved no child workers . We also set up many help desks and information center for people and tourist in various events and festivals in Namchi. During the recent Namchi Mahotsav 2016, we had set up a stall where all our members cooked food and sold under the theme of 'Eat for Charity'. We sold eatables so that the fund collected shall be used to do more charity or social events in future. The organization also sponsors many college going students who are financially weak, we all collect monthly fees to do the needful for the students. Doing Good has done considerable work, especially around the area of Namchi. People come to us whenever they have any kind of problem, and it's always a pleasure to help them.

TNT: We have heard about your initiative called 'Seal Your Desire,' please tell us about it?

KPC:'Seal Your Desire' is an initiative taken up by all the members of the organization. We sometimes have so many desires and reason which if not fulfilled may work too but still we tend to spend some capital in doing that. So, we all try to seal our desires as much as we can, as may be like, to watch a movie in a cinema hall, recharge an extra talk balance or internet data for mobile or anything as such. So, we possibly try not to do that and rather try to save money and contribute towards a social event in nearby future. This initiative has also helped us to realize that we all can be satisfied in some minute reasons too.

TNT: We heard your initiative to felicitate the Garbage Collectors in an event was highly applauded. Please tell us about it too?

KPC: Yes, we had actually organized the event on International Good Deeds Day on 10th April 2015 in collaboration with the Namchi Municipal Council, where we had felicitated nine garbage collectors and sweepers who were working in their hard ways under Namchi Municipal Council to keep the entire town of Namchi clean and hygienic. Very rarely we find people recognizing their work and we thought to do it because to not just pay our reverence to them for their work but also to send a message to mass that every work or job is of equal importance and of high reverence. So, we must respect people , work and service.

TNT: 'Doing Good' comprises of young people and hear people raised eyebrows about your young age and inexperience. What do you have to say on this?

KPC: Yes, we have members of age groups 18 to 30, everyone is young enough and of full potential to serve society. We are youths and let us not forget youths are the future and a nation builder so one should not underestimate the capability and credibility of young heart and minds. We may be inexperienced but one needs to do some work to get experienced, so we are doing it now and starting it early.

TNT: Please enlighten us about your current projects and initiatives.

KPC: We all regularly visit orphanages in Namchi and try to fulfill the desires of the kids and provide essentialities to the children from the monthly fees and contribution we collect regularly. We also do food catering on various social events as marriages and birthdays for which we all are paid and those payments are kept in the fund of the organization which later will be used for various social works. Currently, we are also engaged in a DAAP project supported by District Administrative Centre ,Namchi in which we are helping in the beautification and decoration of a school using bamboo and bamboo products.

TNT: Any future aspirations?

KPC: We all want to get the formalities for the official registration done soon and do more works for the society.

TNT: Do you have any message to the youths?

KPC: We believe that it is the youth which has to bring change in a society and a community we all live in. It is us, who have to replace the negatives from our society and adopt changes which are really positive. We also have to make sure that we protect our socio-cultural assets and environment or we too will cease to exist. All the power for change lies with the youth. So start right now and do something good for the society. You need not much wealth to make differences in society, your kind tiny steps may make a lot of differences in the society, just do it. Don't be afraid of the hurdles ahead, they are just there to strike fear into you. Think of them as the challenges and you'll bring a positive change for all of us."
Thank You, Kul Prasad, for speaking to TNT-The Northeast Today, We are immensely happy to know about your impeccable social initiatives and ventures. You guys are doing marvelous tasks, keep up the good work. We also would like to convey best wishes for all the future endeavors. We pray you all make bigger differences in human lives and society in days to come. Thank You!!

(By Yougan Tamang for TNT- The Northeast Today, yougain87@gmail.com)