Tag 5 bloggers, ask their opinions and feed 'at least' 19,000 children for an entire year

Dr Roshan Radhakrishnan
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  • Harry Potter and the students of Hogwarts defending the school against Voldemort's army at the end.
  • Team Gandalf staying alive and distracting Sauron long enough for Frodo to complete his mission.
  • Even Ram's army of monkeys taking on the demon lord Ravan and his huge army in their own home ground and ousting Ravan.
  • A country divided by a hundred languages and castes uniting against one unassuming lawyer by the name of the Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and freeing the land without raising his hand.

I would like to believe that they all stood there, seeing what they were up against and felt that fear rise within their hearts. The nagging dread that this was a battle they could not win. That the numbers were against them. It is irrelevant whether the tales above are from lore or legend. What matters is the lesson: 

"That you can achieve the impossible if you stay united and work together. One step at a time."

When we go around asking for aid to help the needy, the usual questions asked are usually laced with skepticism and disdain, Oh, you are going to save all the poor people in India? You are going to feed all of them?

The truth is, there are those of us who sincerely wish we could if we had the cash. But we don't. As the popular ad says, we are not the 'children of Bambani'. With our regular salaries, we can afford to sponsor a child or two at best with our finances. We can talk it over with our friends and perhaps convince one or two more to join us... but that is about it. 

Blogadda along with Akshaya Patra asks us to tell them how we can eliminate classroom hunger. How we can feed lesser fortunate children and keep them inside the classrooms. And then they tell me the answer to the question themselves:
For every blog post written on the subject, Blogadda will assist Akshaya Patra in feeding one child for AN ENTIRE YEAR.
Do you understand the significance of that? Your words will help feed a child for an entire year.

Image source: here


You want ideas to end this vicious cycle of hunger, poverty and leaving school to become a child labourer? It is right here, in this blogosphere and it is something we bloggers have been doing for years : TAG YOUR FELLOW BLOGGERS.

Each blogger tags another 5 bloggers to actively take part in this venture. We ask them to carry on the cycle. Every time someone responds and opines on what they feel should be done for the children, another child is automatically added on to that list and fed for a year. 


The truth is that there is no easy way to end hunger in our country. If we look at the sheer statistics, we will lose the will to fight and make an effort. What we can do is the same thing that all the legends and lores teach us: to stand united and use what powers we have to break down the barrier ONE STEP AT A TIME.
Break the numbers down into smaller amounts and then go for that goal. 

I nominate the following people to help feed 5 children and keep them in school with your words.


In addition to the regular bloggers though, there is one more goldmine that can be harnessed: the bloggers who have taken a break. I will use this opportunity to wake up a few more friends who have been on a blogging hiatus in recent months. Whatever be your reasons for taking a break, I humbly request you to consider this appeal from me: I have followed your blogs for years and I know and can vouch for how talented you all are. I miss reading you on the blogosphere. Now, more than ever, consider a BREAK FROM YOUR BREAK. 

Regale us all one more time with your words. This is not like before where you sit and wonder whether your words make a difference in people's lives. This time, your words WILL change one child's life for an entire year. So do wipe the dust and cobwebs off your blog and write in with those words.
In this category, I nominate:

How will it make a difference? 
Well, we harness the power of social networking. 5 bloggers tagging 5 more to write on their ideas on what needs to be done to keep a child in a classroom and not have to worry about his next meal. Then tag 5 more to write. 

Base line: 1 blogger tags 5.
One completed share: 5 tag 25.
Two completed shares: 25 tag 125.
Three completed shares: 125 tag 625.
Four completed shares: 625 tag 3125.
Five completed shares: 3125 tag 15625. 

That is 19506 ( 15625 + 3125 + 625 + 125 + 5 + 1 ) children fed just with five completed shares. And you only had to ask and follow up with five bloggers, not 19,000 to help achieve this target within a short period.

I can't feed 19,506 children for a year by myself. My guess is that you can't either. But thanks to this initiative, WE CAN. We now have the means, the potential cash and most importantly, we have the talent base in our blogger circle. 

All that is needed is for you to talk on something that we all have an opinion about. It is something you and I would be able to discuss face to face and share our strong  opinions in a matter of ten minutes. So do it now but put it in words instead and then tag 5 more bloggers (and if you know any, 5 more bloggers-on-hiatus too).   

This obviously is not limited to the 10 bloggers I mentioned here. Anyone who would like to take part is most welcome. All I ask if that you carry on the tag and follow up with the five bloggers you tag. 

Ensure 
1) They write a post relevant to Blogadda's initiative (minimum 300 words/ maximum up to 5 posts each/ tentative last date: December 11th).
2) They tag at least 5 people and follow up with JUST THOSE 5 to carry on the tag.
3) Motivate them to do the same.
4) Remind them to submit their links at Blogadda (from the same link as in point 1) to ensure it gets counted and a child gets his meals for a year. Also, do add your links below so that not just me but everyone who drops by here can read them as well. 


Author's note:


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24Comments

Let me know what you think.

  1. Now that's an initiative for an initiative.. Nice one Doctor.. Hope this chain grows exponentially :)

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    1. True... it is indeed "an initiative for an initiative". Hopefully, it will get some valuable added numbers to the final tally.

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  2. Super initiave. I am joining this tag!! Thanks for leading the way doc! :)

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    1. Thanks Aditi, for being the first to take up the tag and post.

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  3. Very nice initiative...Sounds logical than the ice bucket !

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    1. Thanks Anita... it maybe manipulative but it is for a good cause. Do consider writing in with your opinion on what can be done to keep children in school and end their hunger and then tag 5 more... every new branch that arises makes the numbers rise exponentially.

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  4. That's a great initiative! Hats off!! Yeah as Anita said above it sounds logical than the ice bucket!

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    1. If only we could reach the numbers of that ice bucket... but since there aint no video gimmicks involved, I cant hope for much. As I mentioned to Anita, do consider taking it up and writing a post & tagging 5 more... every post counts.

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  5. Roshan! Your post makes a difference by tagging along fellow bloggers. Well! I am on a one month hiatus and gonna make an exception on days to come. Will surely borrow a cue by tagging fellow bloggers. I find such cynism bout feeding whole country so insensitive and put off-they will spend 5000 during a part yet look at such kids with disdain.
    More power to you, man.

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    1. thanks Vishal... i sincerely hope you do, and yes, there is a certain sense of cynism where we can spend thousands and even lakhs for a dress but find feeding a hungry child a tough ask and question the point since there is so many of them...

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  6. Now, that was a great idea! :)

    A doctor who knows his maths right is certainly a doctor who can inspire people to do good to make this nation a happy and prosperous nation! :)

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    1. thanks Sush, for being the first among the ones i tagged to write in... makes a big difference when the first step is taken

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  7. Thanks for coming up with this wonderful idea! I have tagged 5 bloggers on twitter.

    Parul

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    1. thanks Parul... do follow up with them ... i know it may annoy them but its for a good cause so the ends do justify the means here :)

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  8. This is a great idea...
    I appreciate the same!

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  9. A fabulous idea, Roshan! Aditi tagged me for this and I am tagging 5 more bloggers on Twitter and Facebook. :)

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    1. Thanks Shilpa... good work. The more who take it up, the better...

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  10. a great one really enthusatic
    with cheers
    dhanya@q8living.com

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  11. Very good initiative doc!! I am late to the party but I am here!! :P
    Did a post on this and thanks a lot for the tag. I couldn't tag anyone coz everyone covered this already. .

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  12. Great idea!
    For the first time, I enthusiastically support the idea of a 'chain'!!
    I've not been tagged, but my next post will be for 'Blog to Feed a Child'.
    Thank you!!!!

    http://proactiveindian.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks a lot. The tag is open for all. Really appreciate you taking the extra effort.

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  13. Hi Roshan,
    Here is the link - http://mashedmusings.wordpress.com/

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