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#atozchallenge Reflections: What does #blogging mean to you?

Damyanti Biswas talks about Project Why and the wonderful work this small nonprofit with a large heart does in the slum communities of New DelhiI’ve been blogging 26 days in April for the A to Z April Blogging Challenge, and have covered the nonprofit Project Why and some of its heroes.

This post will give you the links to all the stories, but here are a few that proved the toughest to write: about a girl whose parents made sure she suffered due to her special needs, about a boy who picks rags in order to ensure his family’s survival and his education, and a group of special needs girls who were abused and denied justice.

The challenge this year has led me to ponder on why I blog, and while earlier it was simply about expressing myself, I think my blogging goals have changed: it now aims to talk about topics that need more attention, be it about fiction writing, or social justice.

So other than the interviews and guest posts with authors and publishing professionals, I also aim to start a monthly post covering Project Why: a snippet of life at this remarkable organization that acts unreservedly from the heart. There will be casual posts related to travel, and other musings, but those will take a bit of a back seat.

It was a hard challenge, especially because I was on the road through most of it. Without Anouradha Bakshi, it wouldn’t have been possible: she worked on all the posts, and was my biggest cheerleader throughout.

I’ll be trying to get in touch with everyone who has donated to the causes for Project Why, to thank them individually in the coming weeks. If you did read the posts and they touched you, please consider supporting this small org with an enormous heart!

To Donate to Project Why, Click Here.
To Contact Project Why, Click Here

Have you participated in the A to Z Challenge? How did it go for you? Why do you blog? Have you found yourself resetting your blogging goals as the years go on? Have you donated to Project Why? Would you consider writing about them on your blog?

Please join Daily (w)rite on its Facebook Page if you’d like to be heard by this community. If you liked this post, you can have biweekly posts delivered to your inbox: click the SUBSCRIBE button in the sidebar. The daily posts were only for April: I was doing 26 posts on the fab nonprofit Project Why for my A to Z Challenge.

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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32 Comments

  • bikerchick57 says:

    Damyanti, you have a beautiful heart. ProjectWhy is very fortunate to have you as an advocate.

  • aj vosse says:

    Two things from me…

    1 – Thanks for getting me involved in the A to Z! I thoroughly enjoyed the participation an interaction!
    2 – Thanks for your great series on Project Why! You’ve opened our eyes to a small portion of a big need! I have made a pledge and will keep that!

    Thanks!! 😉

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Great that you liked AZ! I know I owe you a mail–but things have been crazy lately. Will get back to you soon!

      So grateful to you for offering to help Pwhy!

  • Congrats on finishing the challenge, but more than that, for raising awareness and funds for Project Why. Your blogging adventure has made a difference. 🙂

  • It was good that you covered such an important project. Glad you managed to complete another AtoZ.

  • randommusings29 says:

    This sounds like a hugely important charity, well done for using your challenge to raise awareness of it. Your posts sound heart breaking, but those children need someone to tell their stories no matter how painful it might be for someone to hear!
    Debbie

  • Adi says:

    That was really a great effort and is a step forward in the social responsibility of blogging. I read some of your blogs and would surely take out more time to go through more.

    Grt! Congrats

  • Arti Jain says:

    Hi Damyanti. I read one or two of your posts at the beginning of the challenge before getting gobbled up by time constraints!
    Hope to fix that and visit you more often.
    Blogging rescued me from my self-created ‘prison’ of circumstances. Pouring my thoughts and musings into posts has become therapeutic. My blog meanders through travel, artists, art, family and memories and I’m happy to wander with it for now.
    Thank you for choosing Project Why for the challenge.

  • Jayanthi says:

    I agree with you … earlier my blogging used to be about myself or some general random musings … my style continues to be so.. but i think i have graduated one or two notches above to write about others … to write about things that matter .

    Congratulations on finishing the A to Z 2016

  • It’s amazing how the unexpected changes us. I’ve seen it myself–blindsided by events and suddenly I’ll never be the same. I look forward to your new series.

  • Blogging gives me a chance to reflect on (or sometimes unearth) areas in need of attention in my own life. Up until I broke my ankle last year, one of the best outcomes from that was volunteering at the Houston Food Bank. Now that I can stand and walk quickly and lift again, I should get back to that plan – think of it as delayed, not derailed. Or find something similar closer to home. Thanks for the reminder.

    I think blogging is best when it’s done with a sense of purpose – and, in the case of your series this past month, a real chance to make a positive change in the world. That’s true of all writing, though, isn’t it? People who don’t see blogging and writing as exactly one and the same sometimes forget that.

    Well done, Damyanti. It was a powerfully moving series of posts, and I look forward to more.

  • ccyager says:

    Congratulations, Damyanti! Good job. I can relate to reflecting on why blog. Recently, I decided to change the focus a bit of my Eyes on Life blog (http://eyesonlife-ginahunter.blogspot.com/) to examine money and the human relationship to it, something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. I’ve even been accumulating ideas for a memoir about money. Now that I’m a member of the working poor, I decided I wanted to represent this group with the Eyes on Life blog, too. I’m still working on the change but I expect to post something soon. Thanks for all your hard work for bloggers! Cinda

  • Three cheers to You and Anourdha Ma’am for letting us know about this commendable project to spread smiles and uplift the less fortunate. We owe it to society. The A to Z has been taxing but offered flood of opportunity. I am planning to do a book on film strugglers in years to come.

    https://vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com/2016/05/10/a2z-reflection-tale-of-a-survivor/

  • I enjoyed reading about Project Why and am very impressed with your commitment to such a worthy cause. I blog because I like to write, indeed I need to write. Words are so important, and mostly we take them forgranted. I write about my work as a fiction author, and my role as a housewife in the western world, where we are largely ignored because we work away quietly in our homes, don’t contribute financially to society, and simply get on with nurturing our families. There are so many women around me that deserve a bit of recognition for the work that they do within their community. That is why I blog, and I hope to grow from strength to strength as my children grown and when I can devote more time to it.

    https://spookymrsgreen.com/2016/05/07/farewell-atozchallenge-and-hello-new-adventures/

  • Abu Amirah says:

    Hi Damyanti, the Project Why is such a wonderfully worthwhile cause, and may your life be filled with light and joy just like you have done for these specially wonderful kids.

  • Sha'Tara says:

    Hi Damyanti!

    I don’t “tweet,” I leave that for the birds. I haven’t forgotten “Project Why” and as soon as I get my own ducks in a row, I’ve made it, in my mind, a priority for some $$$ support. Unfortunately not at the moment – momentous happenings here have to be taken care of first. As my mom used to say, “Charité bien ordonnée commence chez soi.” (Charity begins at home!)

    I’ll answer one question: why do I blog? To share information, knowledge, ideas and even at times, entertain. And to receive same from other bloggers.

  • Birgit says:

    I fell down on my visiting and I apologize since I just felt overwhelmed in trying to keep up. I do want to go back and read the rest of your posts since you wrote about something very special and close to your heart and very important. I am glad you will be writing about Project Why

  • Wonderful job!!!

  • jazzfeathers says:

    You did a beautiful job. Your challenge was fantastic. Many many posts touched me.

  • tuvan74 says:

    Thanks for visiting my blog Damyanti. Always happy to have a fellow blogger check out my posts. Looking forward to your comments.

    T.A. UNER

  • I enjoyed taking part this year. It is lovely that you used your posts this year to address serious real life issues. All the best.

  • hilarymb says:

    Hi Damyanti – I felt I really wanted to visit and read everyday … and even if I’d been participating in the A-Z this year .. I’d have read all your posts and commented. It’s an extraordinary set up – a wonderful project and one I will be keeping in mind in the future … and definitely be promoting as I keep blogging.

    It tore my heart … as did things I saw in South Africa … as too here – though it definitely should not be happening in the UK, or Europe with the refugees …

    I’m so glad you’re going to be keeping us updated … Congratulations to you and Anouradha both blogging about this generous undertaking … with many thoughts – Hilary

  • Arlee Bird says:

    Your efforts in April show another way that A to Z can be meaningful. Glad you took this opportunity to create more awareness of this cause.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

  • cleemckenzie says:

    You’ve done a great job showing us about the project and people and the kids. Glad you’re going to keep posting about all of these.

  • Such an amazing project. I look foward to your updates. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us throughout April. Wishing you a lovely week.

  • macjam47 says:

    Kudos to you for taking on this project while on the road, but you have given the blogging world a look at a very worthwhile cause.

  • I didn’t get the time to read all of the posts but was moved by those I read. You did a remarkable job on the stories of the kids who need our support and love, despite your schedule. Project Why appears to be a better managed organization than some that I know or heard of. I look forward to reading more about Project Why.

  • Glad you will continue with stories about Project Why!

  • Debbie D. says:

    This is such a worthwhile cause and the stories are heart wrenching. I only wish there had been more time to visit, but I did submit a donation. it’s tough to do a month-long challenge, especially when you’re on the road. Congratulations on the successful completion! Looking forward to reading more about Project Why.

    My blog serves as a creative outlet and is mostly for entertainment purposes, but some serious subjects are dealt with on occasion.