Indians experience the joy of giving

The Indian culture is rooted in the ethos of charity, kindness and generosity, and as our country becomes digital in every aspect, charity is taking on a new avatar with Donations on PhonePe.

The donations category was launched on PhonePe last year, and since then it has grown to include more than 30 causes affiliated with verified foundations like GiveIndia, HelpAge India, the Akshaya Patra Foundation, CRY, Teach for India and more. PhonePe users can choose to donate meals and rations to underprivileged families, support a child’s education and women welfare — but perhaps the biggest contribution has come in the form of COVID relief donations. During the current pandemic, Indians donated generously to help with oxygen cylinder supply, relief ration packages and medical assistance.

The campaigns that received the highest amount of donations have been focused on the pandemic relief efforts as well as natural disaster relief funds. Project O2, which contributed towards boosting oxygen supply during the second wave, has received over ₹3.4 Crores till date. Other notable causes include West Bengal Flood Relief efforts (₹ 47 Lakhs), Akshaya Patra Foundation’s child welfare initiatives (₹1.2 Crores) and HelpAge India initiatives (₹17 Lakhs). A majority of the NGOs live on the PhonePe app provide help and care to women, children and the elderly from underprivileged backgrounds — populations that are most in need of support.

The category trends have shown that this spirit of generosity is reflected across India. The highest amount of donations have come in from Maharashtra (₹7.5 Crores), followed by Karnataka (₹7 Crores) and Uttar Pradesh (₹6.6 Crores). Not far behind are Delhi (₹4.1 Crores) and Andhra Pradesh (₹3.9 Crores).

The essence of what the Donations category stands for is best captured in this comment by a PhonePe user — “I always wanted to do my bit and give to charity but did not know where to start. With Donations on PhonePe I can easily find and donate to the NGO of my choice — to a cause I believe in, and that makes the act of giving more special. Knowing how exactly my contribution helps someone keeps me motivated to give more to the society.”

At PhonePe, we hope that the Donations initiative will change lives for the better with every little contribution, as every bit counts.