Drivers to CEOs line up to share with kids

LUCKNOW: A flurry of fun activity bundled with learning and sharing is set to splash the Daan Utsav week, to be celebrated from October 2 to 8. Hundreds of individuals, organisations and institutions are coming together to host over 60 events in the state capital to share joy with the underprivileged section of society, particularly children and elderly. The events lined up include fun at a luxury resort, special screening of movies, storytelling sessions, dance and song activities, health camps, education and much more.
From autorickshaw drivers to CEOs, students to celebrities, homemakers to opinion leaders, schools, colleges, government departments, NGOs and corporates, all have joined hands to contribute time, money, resources and skills for the Daan Utsav, earlier known as 'The joy of giving week'. All have volunteered to give back to the society. P 5"The art of giving is loving life. It's an art of living in itself," said DGP (Mahila Samman Prakosht) Sutapa Sanyal, who is also part of the initiative, at the launch of the initiative by the Daan Utsav team on Friday. Not only will the almighty bless you, so also will the receiver who gets a helping hand, she added.
For the entertainment of underprivileged children, an event named 'Chhota packet bada dhamaka' will be organised in which children working at tea stalls will watch a movie 'I am Kalam' screened specially for them at a university auditorium. Some movie theatres will have special screening of popular movies for underprivileged children. Also, a prominent management institute will host a storytelling session - 'Kahaani Nilesh Misra ki Zubaani' - for 500 slum children. 'Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan' event would witness the elderly from old age home and underprivileged children having fun at a luxury resort.
Another event, 'Meri khushi' is aimed at bringing smiles on the faces of government school students by giving them an opportunity to indulge in art and painting. Volunteers from different organisations have contributed crayons and drawing sheets for the event. While painting colourful pictures, the children will also get an opportunity to learn the art of sculpting, dancing, theatre and sports activities.
Besides, there will be interactive sessions at schools for specially-abled, theatre activities in government schools and cricket matches in rural schools. Sports kits, books, food and stationery will be distributed among needy students across the city.
Making it special on all seven days, 'melas' (fairs) will also be organised in seven different villages of Lucknow. The activities in the melas will span around medical camps, storytelling, theatre, motivational speeches by women police officers and awareness drives on hygiene and safety.
A beautiful act of giving, 'Gana banana khana khilana' will be held in which volunteers will dance to the tunes of a PAC band and will click selfies at the 1090 crossing. Other events that will be organised during the week include magic and puppet show, interactive sessions, workshops, aerobics, cricket match, wish tree, seva sandwich and beti bachao beti padhao.
Some unique events like 'Happy tails' will also be held in which people of Lucknow will feed stray dogs.
"The biggest happiness is to bring smiles on the faces of little ones through our efforts," said Juhie Singh, chairperson of Uttar Pradesh state commission for protection of child rights (UPSCPCR).