Dignity DIARY
January 2024 Issue #55
“अगर नींद से प्यारा है सपना
तो यह जगह तुम्हारी है”
(If dreams are dearer to you than sleep,
then this place is yours)
Dear Friend of Goonj,
Goonj turns 25 on February 18th, 2024. 25 years ago, Goonj was founded to highlight Cloth, Vastra, Kapda as one of humanity's basic but neglected issues. We dedicate 18th February as 'Cloth Day,' as a poignant reminder of the many roles cloth plays in humanity's collective dignity and wellbeing. So what role does Cloth play in your life? How will you celebrate 'Cloth Day' this year? Do share your ideas and stories of cloth with us on mail@goonj.org
As we reflect on this incredible journey, You stand out.. Our well-wishers, volunteers, contributors and partners. Your faith in our work has kept us going strong for all these years. It wouldn't have been possible without you. We invite you to join us in celebrating this beautiful milestone in our collective journey at Chaupal in Delhi on this day. (invite enclosed)
(Don't forget to RSVP, to help us make suitable arrangements)
The Delhi Chaupal on 18th February is about celebrating our bonds, what we've achieved together and dreaming about what's next! We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating Cloth Day in your corner of the world! :-)
Lagey.. Raho!!
Anshu Gupta
Founder-Goonj and Gram Swabhimaan
Cloth, Vastra, Kapda - one of humanity's three essential needs - with Roti (food) and Makan (shelter). On the 18th of February, we invite you to celebrate 'Cloth Day’ as a poignant reminder of the many roles cloth plays in our life. 18th of February is Goonj's 25th founding anniversary. We dedicate this day to highlighting this often invisible/unmet need for a vast majority.
What role does ‘Cloth’ play in your life? How will you celebrate 'Cloth Day' this year?
Cloth, Kapda, Vastra
a fashion statement
a celebration
a symbol of dignity.. for most
Celebrating 18th February as
Cloth Day
For vast humanity..
Its still an unmet need,
an invisible essential, a resource for livelihood and development
An initiative by
We'd love to hear about how you celebrate Cloth Day in your own unique way..
Share it on your social media and
tag us!
Click here to visit our page.
25 years of Goonj..
Join us on February 18th, 2024, 10:00 am
Delhi
25th Anniversary Special
At OPJ Auditorium
(National Trust of Handicapped)
A-2, Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg, Block A,
Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi
The most defining moments and milestones in our 25 year journey
1999
2002
2024
Instituting 18th Feb (Goonj’s Founding Day) as ‘Cloth Day’ to highlight the often invisible/unmet need and role of cloth, for a vast majority
Highlighting cloth as an ignored basic need on the development agenda
2023
Harvard Case study on Goonj's Covid work. The ‘Goonj Way’ is included as a new development framework, in the curriculum of Tata Institute of social sciences (TISS)
2021
Evolving the model of ‘Cloth for Work’, to create a barter between urban surplus material and rural communities’ efforts and knowledge, to impact diverse hyper local issues
2004
Launch of the campaign ‘Goonj It’ for circularity for people led development.
Bringing attention to menstrual hygiene as a human issue and women’s need for a clean piece of cloth. Highlighting the surplus cloth as a nudge for a comprehensive solution framework with making of Goonj’s MY Pads (cloth sanitary pad)
Launch of ‘Gram Swabhiman’, a journey back to the villages of India, to break the mainstream narrative of poverty.
2020
Reorienting and consolidating CBE (Cloth Based Employment) work across India, to strategically apply country’s surplus cloth to bring livelihood and dignity to the women most left out of mainstream workforce
2008
2009
Establishing and instigating a systemic ocietal civic participation engagement around disasters, starting at large scale in Bihar Kosi river flash floods
Goonj transforms and rapidly scales its model and operations to work extensively with entities and stakeholders across urban and rural India to respond to the global pandemic of Covid 19 and many natural disasters in the same year.
Goonj joined as Founding Member in the making of the Joy of Giving Week, later called Daan Utsav
Forming of a multi sectoral alliance of stakeholders GARRD (Goonj Alliance for Rapid Response to Disasters) for a rethinking and diverse stakeholders led collective, proactive non-disaster time response to disasters
2015
Goonj, a founding member of Catalyst 2030, a global community of social entrepreneurs
Goonj Founder Anshu Gupta received the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay award, “recognizing his creative vision in transforming the culture of giving in India, his enterprising leadership in treating cloth as a sustainable development resource for the poor and in reminding the world that true giving always respects and preserves human dignity.”
2019
Creating an annual space for no agenda conversations among the masses with ‘Chaupal’ to share stories and inspire people for collective action and civic participation in development work
2018
Launch of the Goonj Fellowship for involving the urban, rural youth and grassroots civic society leaders
Launch of ‘Baithak’, a peer to peer support community and ecosystem of social entrepreneurs, for co-learning, un-learning and collaboration.
With dreams of what comes next, Goonj, an idea that was born in India 25 years ago has grown into a social movement among the Indian masses. To reflect back on this journey, we are sharing with you some powerful stories that have shaped our values and philosophy.
Stories of Change
Story 1:
Taking Collective Responsibility..
Under Goonj's 'Cloth for Work' initiative, the women of Langoti village unanimously decided to dig a well to solve their water crisis. After days of laborious digging, they finally dug a well which provided access to clean water for over 25-300 families. Click here to read the story.
Story 2:
A Tale of Resilience in Moradabad..
This story is from our growing work with the artisan communities working with the world’s waste cloth — the Moradabad's (Uttar Pradesh) dari (mat) weavers. It’s the small local actions which lead to large scale impact - on livelihood, income, wellbeing, development and the environment - directly on these weavers but more importantly on development work across India. These locally produced mats are added to Goonj's material kits and distributed to disaster-hit and rural communities. Click here to read the story.
Dec-Jan Updates
We are thrilled to share that Anshu Gupta and Goonj's work on circularity is featured as one of the 5 global case studies in an international report titled "Inclusive Loops: The Crucial Role of Social Enterprises in the Circular Economy.”
The report, produced by TechnoServe in collaboration with the World Economic Forum's Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, emphasises on building an equitable circular economy through social entrepreneurship.
Click here to read on how social enterprises can reduce the negative externalities of the circular transition and significantly contribute to scaling circular initiatives globally.
For Indian Nationals
Bank: HDFC Bank Ltd.
A/c Name: Goonj
A/c No: 04801450000130
A/c Type: Savings
Swift Code: HDFCINBB
IFSC Code: HDFC0000480
MICR Code: 110 240 072
Bank Address:
Plot No-9, H & J Block,
Local Shopping Centre,
Sarita Vihar, New Delhi - 110076
By Cheque/Draft
Please make it in the name
of Goonj and send it to
J-93, Sarita Vihar,
New Delhi - 110076
Scan QR Code
For Foreign Passport Holders
Bank- SBI
A/c Name: Goonj
A/C No: 39999163028
A/c Type: FCRA Savings
Account
Branch Code: 00691
IFSC: SBIN0000691
SWIFT: SBININBB104
Bank Address: FCRA Cell,
4th Floor, SBI, New Delhi Main
Branch, 11, Sansad Marg,
New Delhi - 110001
goonj.org
