The Bucket Challenge gets 'Desi' Twist!

First came the Ice Bucket Challenge & now there's the Rice Bucket Challenge which is India's twist on the fundraising campaign that has taken the internet by storm!

The Desi challenge has been initiated by Manju Latha Kalanidhi from Hyderabad.

Unlike the Ice Bucket challenge, which involves pouring ice cold water on one’s head to raise awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), participants of the Rice Bucket Challenge do not dump rice over their heads?

Instead, they are asked to buy or cook a bucket of rice & give it to someone in need.

In a country like India, where more than half the population lies below the poverty line & hunger levels are at a dangerous high (according to the Global Hunger Index), this is a good way to feed the needy.

HOW?

The idea was definitely inspired by the ice bucket but the approach is different with a simple twist in the challenge:

• Get a bucket


• Fill the bucket with rice


• Give the bucket full of rice to the needy


• Take a picture & post it with #RiceBucketChallenge hashtag on Facebook & Twitter

There is also an option, where the participants can donate medicines worth 100 rupees to the nearest government hospital!

THE RESULTS

The RiceBucketChallenge has created a movement around the netizens of the country & the numbers of fans are increasing by the hour!

On the first day itself, the Facebook page had 4,000 likes, & on day 2, more than 10,000 likes.

A lot of people from Facebook & Twitter have taken over this cause. Here are some images of the Social Media Users lending their support to the needy:

With the challenge being introduced recently, it is already on its way to becoming viral in India.

The brand page was started on the 24th of August & it already has more than 60,000 Fans with 34,000+ mentions including tweets, facebook posts & news articles about the challenge!

The Movement clearly highlights one thing loud & clear, that how powerful social media has become in India.

OUR TAKE ON THE RICE BUCKET CHALLENGE

Unlike the Ice Bucket Challenge where you donate the money to the organization, the Rice Bucket Challenge let’s you see how your actions immediately change someone’s life by giving them what is possibly their only meal for the day.

Your actions are able to keep this one person going another day without going to bed hungry.

It is a practical solution for issues that are of prime importance in the country. Instead of wasting water on the ice bucket challenge it is logical to save water & feed the hungry.

If you have read, done, & probably dreamt enough of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, then it is time you make it a little bit more appealing by adding an R in front of it – the Rice Bucket Challenge.

Go ahead & make a difference to the community! Create your own challenge, give Cold Drinks to workers working during the day under the scorching heat, give some food to a stray dog or give tea to the watchman of your society!

These challenges are more than mere challenges to be spread around social media, they are meant to instill something in us. Go out to the world & spread some kindness & love all around!