As people from all over celebrate World NGO Day today, ‘Aashiqui’ girl Anu Aggarwal speaks up about how one can start an NGO, and what all one should think about when they’re planning to start an NGO.
On February 27, World NGO Day is celebrated across the world in over 89 countries. The day is dedicated to recognising as well as celebrating all the good work done by non-governmental and non-profit organisations for the betterment of society. ‘Aashiqui’ actress Anu Aggarwal, who runs Anu Aggarwal Foundation (AAF), shares her journey so far.
Looking back, she sounds nostalgic about how AAF came into existence, “It all started with me miraculously self-healing and wanting to share the tips and tricks of wellness with the masses in the community. Since I spent my teen years training in social work where I also had made a program for Afghan refugees with the United Nations, I am partial to the underprivileged. I made a program for people to find their inner joy, which came to be called AnuFunYoga (AFY), and started teaching in 2013-14. The success of this made me register my foundation, Anu Aggarwal Foundation or in short AAF in 2017.”
The key objective of this foundation is to harness the superpower inside us and have fun while doing it, according to Anu. “That’s why the name Anufun. See at our cell level we are hardwired for compassion. So the more we give out to others, the better we feel about ourselves,” she adds.
Helping those who want to start an NGO, Anu shares key factors that one should keep in mind. “In the NGO space, I have seen a lot of quacks. Many people advised me against the fact that I wanted my foundation to be totally transparent and free of corruption. People give and take bribes, money swindling is common. I would advise anyone planning to open an NGO that they should be mindful, do good to people from their heart, and avoid doing anything for their personal gain,” she says.
On AAF’s specific goals for the coming months, Anu reveals, “My focus is what the people need the most, and today especially after Covid, mental health is a huge issue. Since I have mastered the study of the human mind and self-healed by it, I think it is high time we got to be open about our emotional, and sentimental problems and our lack of handling them. Emotional intelligence I work on a lot through AFY. Also, we will be launching a Save Your Mind campaign soon to cater to that.”
Running an NGO is quite a task. You have to deal with victims, who are going through trauma. Staying personally disconnected, yet dealing with them efficiently is essential, according to many. Anu shares her take on it.
“I have myself been through PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and healed myself miraculously so that’s what I recommend. Though the range of trauma is different in different people, so I don’t believe one size fits all here,” she ends.