During Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) 2014, like each year, a sizeable number of NGOs had partnered with the event. In spite of going through the list a few times over, I could not narrow down to one. Every cause looked good. Every cause deserved money and support. Every cause was reasonably compelling. I ended up skipping the philanthropic aspect in that event.
Although I had come across Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) a few times in the past, my first interaction with the organisation happened at a screening of a documentary called “Fire in the Blood”. The story, focussed on the deadly AIDS crisis in Africa, was a moving one. It made me think further about how fickle life is without the availability of speedy medical assistance at the time of large-scale crisis. The film intensified my concern about access to emergency healthcare.
The film screening was organised by MSF India and they naturally fell in place as the organisation that I’d like to potentially support. I went on to read their charter and liked the clarity with which they had asserted the principles they uphold. One of the most important one for me is that they strive to keep the cause above all else, pledging their impartiality towards gender, race, religion, creed or political convictions.
While my knowledge of the work MSF does specifically in India is limited, I am quite happy about the projects undertaken globally and the larger mission they’re working towards, especially providing emergency healthcare. In ADHM 2015 when I noticed MSF as one of the partnered NGOs, I was convinced that I’d support them and their cause.
