Blind students get thousands of helping hands on Facebook

Getting a writer for a blind student is a herculean task, or so people think. But when Navaz Aria sent a message to her friends, asking them for help and spread the message, the response was overwhelming. Mallica Joshi reports.

Getting a writer for a blind student is a herculean task, or so people think.

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But when Navaz Aria sent a message to her friends, asking them for help and spread the message, the response was overwhelming.

"My mother-in-law runs the blind school in RK Puram. Two hundred students are sitting for their exams that start on Wednesday and since the centres are located at several places and the number of students high, she required some extra hands. I sent an SMS to my friends asking them to volunteer and pass on the message," said Navaz.

What she got in return was a flood of calls after someone posted the message on social networking site, Facebook.

Social media and chain SMSs are slowly becoming go-to places for people in urgent need of volunteers —be it for blood donation or, in this case, for writers.

"As soon as I got the message, I called Navaz and asked to be registered. I think most people are not able to volunteer where they are needed because the message does not reach them in time. I have donated blood on many other occasions after getting messages and updates on Facebook," said Karan Kaushik, a Delhi University student.

"After the message was posted on Facebook, the response was overwhelming. I had managed to find all the volunteers I wanted within six hours of sending messages but calls kept pouring in till the next day. I must have received 1,000 calls within a day-and-a-half," she said.