As people in a wealthy, Western nation, we should feel the need to aid other countries that are less fortunate than us. India is a nation that can use all the help it can get, and there are a number of ways to help that do not require a financial contribution. More than 24.3 percent of India’s population lives below the poverty line, which is estimated to be around 267 million individuals. That is a massive number of people who have to survive on around a $1 a day. If you’re wondering how to help people in India, here are a few ways.

Fundraising
Fundraising is a great way to use social circles to raise money for a cause. Fundraising can be on a small scale, such as starting an online campaign to raise money for a nonprofit, or it can be more active, such as hosting a dinner party and charging guests $5 to attend. There are many different ways to fundraise, most of which do not require much initial financial investment. A bake sale, for example, would likely cost much less than it would raise in the long run. Similar ideas are a garage sale, plant sale, or offering to do yard work in exchange for a donation.

Volunteering
Many nonprofit organizations need all the help they can get, and they are doing great work to end poverty across the globe. These organizations often do not have much funding to hire staff members, so any volunteer work they can get is a big help. Examples of organizations that work in India but have offices in the United States are the Global Fund for Women and the American India Foundation. Both these organizations work to reduce poverty in India, either through aiding the economic advancement of women or just generally.

Donate
While volunteering and fundraising are extremely important and helpful ways to assist a cause, what it all comes down to is funding, and most of these causes are very underfunded. With 267 million people in poverty in India, it would be impossible to achieve goals of poverty reduction without donations from individuals. Many organizations give a clear picture of what your donation will be used for, and certain children’s organizations will allow you to sponsor a child through your donation as well. Children International works in India to improve sanitation conditions to improve the health of children and you can sponsor a child through them. Many other organizations, such as World Vision and Save the Children India, have similar programs.

Regardless of how you decide to contribute, it is important that you do. These organizations lack funding and are sometimes understaffed, and can always use the help. It is easy to feel like we cannot make an impact from so far away, but these are some ideas for how to help people in India. Whatever you do, you are making a difference.

– Liyanga De Silva

Photo: Flickr