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Charity has come of age and kept its date with technology.
T. VINODH VENKATA KRISHNA
The next generation is logging on to social networking sites not only for fun but also for some good work. Strangers becoming friends through social networking websites like Orkut isn’t strange. But, a group of strangers became friends for good, and are making a difference in the lives of orphans.“I visit orphanages with my family. That’s what inspired me to start an online group for the welfare of orphans,” says Alekhya Banerjee, owner of the Orkut community, Saaral (means drizzle) for the rainless.
A helping hand
 ’Upliftment of Orphans,’ now rechristened as Saaral, has over 4000 members. “When Orkut was introduced, my friends started communities for fun. I tried my hand in creating one for the well-being of orphans, and it clicked, though there are only 40 active members,” says the engineer-cum-social-worker.These active members, all acquainted through Orkut, visit an orphanage once in two months, spend time with the kids, and help them in cash and kind. These young volunteers cherish their visits to the orphanages. They are moved by the usual, yet rather painful, stories of the inmates, like babies as young as three months thrown into the dustbins, babies bitten by dogs and saved by rescue teams. Activities like singing, dancing and painting are organised and prizes distributed during their visit.

A proposal to sponsor kids’ education, starting an orphanage after some consolidation on the monetary front, and getting themselves registered are some of this this determined Orkutian community’s ambitious plans.“We have contributed to repair the roof of a dilapidated orphanage and plan to construct a roof for another. Our team includes professionals as well as students,” says Aneetha, another moderator. Pratap, Vignesh, Uma, and Sharmila, all in their twenties, are among the other moderators. “Every 30 seconds, two children become orphans worldwide and thousands of elderly people have no place to go in the sunset years of their life,” reads the profile of Saaral. Adnan Patrawal was done to death by his virtual friends on Orkut.

Parents complain about their children making friends with strangers, and offices have blocked these sites as they affect productivity and efficiency. Teachers are enraged by students calling them names online. Many lament the fact that sleaze has not spared even these websites.
Redeeming factors
On the other hand, like-minded people share their views and become friends, college students connect with peers for study materials, among a host of other redeeming things that happen through social networking, and believe me, even charity. This is the other face of social networking. Hence, if you are one among those who back a ban on social networking websites, you may have to do a rethink!

Some other communities where young people have come together to make a difference are ‘Friends for Care, Pankhudi Parivaar, The Naz Foundation.’

Vinodh is a student of M.A., Communication, University of Madras

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