“Who is Diya?”

“Good morning, Prasna*. I was hoping you would raise the question.”

“Answer the question please.”

“Diya is the daughter of a sex worker.”

“Why I should I give her a chance? Chance to do what?”

“Girls like Diya are drawn into the sex and drug trade, if they are not rescued. An NGO called ASSET India Foundation is giving a chance to Diya and hundreds of children of sex workers and girls rescued from trafficking in India.”

“Interesting. Only yesterday I read about courts lamenting about the status of such children, not getting proper education. This is laudable. Tell me more. What exactly does ASSET India do?”

“They teach these children English and computer skills. The children get more confidence, become employable and get a chance to break free from the tyranny that chains them. Asset India has already trained several hundred such children and placed them in decent jobs with BPOs, Banks and insurance companies.”

“It is nice of those companies to hire them. It is good to know that companies think beyond profits and involve themselves in such social causes.”

“You are right. ASSET India’s work has impressed a lot of people. Here is an excellent documentary on their work by well known film maker. It is just about 3 minutes and gives you a very good idea about ASSET’s work. The best part is that it is not predictable and it ficuses on the solution rather than the problem.”

“Where do I see it?”

“You just  click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCw_KvOpBiM. It is on Youtube.”

“OK, I will see it. I trust your judgment; it must be good. Now why don’t you come to the point RS?”

“Like most NGOs ASSET India too needs money to pay for the cost of training these deserving children - including computers and teacher salaries.”

“Oh God!. Finally it is the same old story. NGO wants money; just  the reason is different.”

“For once you are wrong Prasna. You jumped to your conclusion too fast. They do not want your money!”

“What? If they do not want money what do they want? Just my sympathy?”

“Prasna be patient and let me complete what I wanted to say. ASSET India is not asking for money; they want your vote. Let me explain.

ASSET India is competing in the JP Morgan Chase Giving Facebook voting contest. The prize money is US $ 1 million. They have cleared the first round, won $25,000 and now it is tight contest amongst the top 100 charities.”

“Oh! This is a nice twist. I can help this NGO without spending money. I just have to vote. When and where do I vote?”

“The voting for the final round started at 10.30 am on Friday January 15, 2010 and ends at 10.30 am January 22,2010. Just click on  http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/717045 and vote for ASSET India. The 30 seconds you spend on voting could change the life of  Diya and many others like her,  forever. This will be your way of giving Diya a chance in life.”

“I have one more question. Why are you involved in it?”

“40 years ago, a management consultant gave me a chance when I was just 19 and had not even graduated. I often wonder what might have happened, if he had not. This my way of paying to society.”

“I will certainly vote. What else can I do, now that you made me listen to the full story?”

“You can do two things. First vote now. Second is to help by reaching more people. Therefore, simply forward this message to your entire address book, forward it to your Yahoo and other networking groups. Every vote counts.”

“What about those who voted in the first round? Can they vote again?

“Of course. They must vote this time too and make ASSET India win.”

*Prasna is my invisible friend who asks uncomfortable questions and stretches my thinking.