Johnson's Baby Share The Language of Love: Your Sharing, Their Smiles

It's that time again when you just cannot afford to not share the smiles..... It's the time to share, to bring in some much needed cheer and whoops of joy to those little ones out there who deserve every bit of it, but sadly, don't get much of it most of the time!

What is Johnson's Baby Share The Language of Love?

Share The Language of Love is an initiative by Johnson's Baby. It is an initiative that inspires moms and dads across various cities to come forward and share their child's used or even unused to an underpriviledged child, who would really need it. This is an extension Johnson's Baby's core philosophy of 'care.' To make the campaign a success like earlier, they have come together with Goonj, a well known NGO that does a lot in making sure the right thing reaches the right child or person. I have personally arranged a few contributions for Goonj in the past and know for sure that they are genuine (I do not generally associate with NGOs.)

The idea behind The Joy of Sharing

The entire idea is to create such a platform where children, no matter underprivileged, are given a chance to experience the joys of childhood, the joys of being a child. The campaign aims at sharing the articles that have been chosen by other parents with love, and will be able to bring a smile and a genuine happiness in the life of another child, to help them brighten up their lives from the everyday struggles. It will also help create a positive effect on the children who finally share their things with those who may not have a chance of owning it otherwise.

How did the campaign do in the past?

• The campaign first started in the year 2012 and in 2013, the articles received were double of what was originally received in the first year. 
• Johnson's had a 'Share The Language of Love' bus that travelled through 5 cities in 21 days. 
• Many retailers happily gave space to set up collection areas
• More than 250 collection centres were set up over 3 weekends across 12 cities

The campaign this year

• The collection centres are being set up in 14 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Cuttack, Pune and more
• Collection drives will also begin in 170 residential societies in 5 cities

 How to locate your nearest collection centre

•  Give a missed call on 1800 267 6767 or 1800 267 2222- this will guide you to the nearest out of the 300 collection centres set up

 What happens to the items once you share them at the collection points?

• At the end of the day, the items are collected from all the drop boxes in the city
• These are then transported to the nearest Goonj Collection Centres
• The items are cleaned, sorted and pressed. 
• These are then transported to the local Goonj centres and given to those who are in need of them

Some incidents that continue to inspire

Colourful aanganwaadis bring children back

• Things like toys, games and such are a big motivator for children in aanganwaadis in villages
• These are originally blank spaces devoid of much colour or any toys
• Earlier, village children would come for a little time, to eat the midday meal and sometimes even leaving that. This was turning the government's child health initiatives directed at the aanganwaadis ineffective.
• Goonj helped turn these aanganwaadis into bright, colourful spaces with toys, charts, games, books and more. As a result, kids started coming in bigger groups. They had never seen so many play things in their lives. They wanted to stay, to learn, to study. They wanted to stay.
• This made it possible for the health workers to properly assess these children, to see their health levels and conduct checkups.
• Says one of the aanganwaadi worker 'pehley bachcha aata nahi thha, ab jaata nahi'

A soothing touch to disaster hit children

• Many of these items have been and continue to be sent to children who have been hit by disaster. 
• Whether it is Bhiar, Uttarakhand or other sites, traumatised children have had some solace in these gifts of love that have helped them forget their pain for some time

A healing touch to sick children

• In Madhya Pradesh, stuffed toys were given to a child who was at the last stages of malnutrition
• This child had very little energy for any kind of movement
• On receiving the toy, he smiled a lot and tried to move a bit. He clung to the toy, and it gave him some love, at least in the last days of his little life.
• This has inspired the thought that it is not only food that can help these children affected with severe malnutrition. It is also the aim of the campaign to deliver these toys to them, as a symbol of love and happiness

You may be looking at this as just another way of cleaning out your cupboards, of cleaning up the clutter, of giving away something that is useless.

For a little one out there, what you give may be the biggest joy ever, the bestest gift they have ever received, the most priceless treasure they will cherish forever.

Be thoughtful, make sure the things you share are symbols of your love too... After all, who would know the love of a mother and the happiness of a child better than you?


- Debolina Raja Gupta

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And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ
Happy Parenting!!!!

Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones.... Debolina Raja Gupta