2003 – Rex Ideas

The JOY OF GIVING movement is announced and launched to raise funds for several causes. Invisible Leaders of India launched with Prince Charles felicitating Real Heroes. Dashrath Manjhi- The Mountain man’s story published on www.karmadishoom.com Ek Alag Mausam, the first Bollywood Movie to mainstream the lack of dignity for people living with HIV is released. This inspired several other cause-related movies like My Brother Nikhil, Taare Zameen par and Manjhi’s story which was made into a movie in 2015.

OUTCOME

The seeds are sown to create the REX Karmaveer global awards for Real Heroes.

karmadishoom.com the first portal to mainstream stories of Real Heroes and encourage citizens to blow the whistle is test-launched along with THE JOY OF GIVING website.

Face to Face Fundraising agencies created by REX Karmaveer Founders in 2003 now raise over INR 1000 Crores (USD 150 mn +) every year for several causes.

Cause-related or Public Advocacy Cinema becomes an acceptable business model for Bollywood.

THE JOY OF GIVING initiative is adopted around the world and has become a global movement now.

In 2003, the anti-Page 3 campaign, FTV campaign, Unheard Voices of India and The Joy of Giving Music Video also created a stir and raised a public debate if mainstream media is paying attention to real issues or just wasting airtimes and new space on mindless debates/ panels to create sensationalism, trivial news and celebrity/ socialite parties. THE DEBATE CONTINUES through 2018.

September 2003 was a RED LETTER MONTH and has a huge significance for all the founders of iCONGO- International Confederation of NGOs. This being the month when the Karma Mitra & JOY OF GIVING movement was launched by the iCONGO and REX Karmaveer Founders in India.

With THE JOY OF GIVING movement, the first FACE TO FACE fundraising agencies (or Direct Selling Agencies) were created to raise funds for several causes.

The JOY OF GIVING (IPR registered, by iCONGO to avoid misuse, but the movement is owned by the People) movement has become a huge public interest initiative today, which raises funds of over 1000 crores or 150+ mn USD (through FACE TO FACE fundraising) every year for various causes across India.

During September – December 2003, the founders of iCONGO resolved to create “ideas for action” to help people experience and enjoy THE JOY OF GIVING and RIGHT every WRONG in society.

The JOY OF GIVING movement has inspired many movements around the world like THE JOY OF GIVING WEEK in India, GIVING TUESDAY in US, SIMPLY GIVING in Europe, GLOBAL GIVING, THE JOY OF SHARING and other similar initiatives.

In 2003, Ek Alag Mausam the first movie to mainstream issues related to HIV Aids was released to an overwhelming response globally. EK Alag Mausam was produced by the REX Karmaveer founder Jeroninio (Jerry) Almeida.

REX Karmaveer founders, organized an event with HRH Prince Charles to felicitate Invisible Leaders of India. The awards event was held to celebrate ordinary people who are REAL HEROES and leading change with their extraordinary ideas for action. The founders of iCONGO were coordinating the Prince of Wales HRH Prince Charles, visit for sensitizing him to poverty related issues in India.

REX Karmaveer Founders decided that instead of having a lavish fundraiser at an opulent venue, it would be best to have an austere forum where some Invisible Leaders of India got felicitated for their noble work by the Prince.

This is where the seeds to create the REX Karmaveer awards were sown.

The REX Karmaveer Global Fellowships founder, Jeroninio (Jerry) Almeida, also published Dashrath Manjhi’s story for the first time on the internet on www.iDishoom.com and THE JOY OF GIVING website.

He also decided to create the first citizen reporting & whistle blowing media movement to RIGHT every WRONG in our society. www.iDishoom.com is announced at midnight on Independence eve 2003 (15th August midnight).

iDishoom was the first portal to encourage citizen reporting & whistle blowing much before the emergence of Wiki Leaks or other citizen reporting media. Over the years’ several citizens have led exposes on various wrongs by filing RTIs and exposed companies like Monsanto, Vedanta, Coca Cola, Amity etc. iDishoom as a principle does not promote any one person like a Julian Assange or Tarun Tejpal. For us every citizen who reports is our mascot & leader.