Simba Toys and Toybank bring joy to children at YMCA!
3rd of March was a super-fun day for the children at YMCA, Juhu Beach!
Toybank partnered with Simba Toys,India for this event. Simba Toys is the global ICC licensee of the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
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Simba Toys donated 2 cartons of the very cute "Stumpy" to be distributed amongst the children from YMCA. Stumpy is the mascot for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Simba Toys representative Amit also accompanied us at this event. Here is what Amit had to say about this event:
“What is a toy ? Any object that can be used to play. But a toy is more than an object for a kid. It has so many emotions around it. I still remember keeping my favourite superhero always with me when I was growing up. I believe Toybank is doing a fantastic by giving toys to those children who can’t afford to buy them. I was at YMCA shelter for kids and the happiness on the faces of those kids said it all. They have brought a child back in me and spending time with those kids has been the best thing that I have ever done my life. The calls of ‘Bhaiya!!’ ‘Bhaiya!!’ (big brother) in their innocent voices will always be with me. Simba Toys is proud to be associated with such an organization which believes in spreading happiness and joy amongst the future of this country. We all should come forward and do our little bit for this noble cause. All the best Toybank and Shweta. We all at Simba toys are with you.”
The children at YMCA played Football and Cricket with our volunteers Akshay, Manan, Vinit, and Grishma. Later on we went into the centre to have some water and then started with the Toy Distribution. The children were so energetic and enthusiastic that even after 2 matches of Football and Cricket they were jumping with joy and started playing with the gifts they had received.
Here’s what our Volunteers have to say about this event:
Akshay Bhende:
“On 3rd March, I had the opportunity to volunteer and spend some time with the children of Toybank at the YMCA in Juhu. Being a Maharashtra state football player I was asked to help teach the children the game of football. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the children shared my passion for the sport and even when given a choice, chose to play football over cricket! We divided the children into two teams and spent a good one hour playing football on the beach, during which i discovered that a couple of the kids had a real flair for the sport. In particular a 13-yr old boy named Raj showed a natural talent for the game. After the game, we went back to YMCA where toys were distributed to the children. It was a wonderful experience being able to spend some time with the children and I look forward to many more fun-filled days with them.”
Grishma Khajanchi:
“Sometimes in life you get a special warm, happy feeling, and that makes it worth the struggles, complexities and stress that comes with day to day life. Yesterday I was hit by the same feeling. We met the children at their shelter at Juhu and engaged them in games of football and cricket on the beach. At first they seemed shy, but it was gone in no time. In fact they soon got so engrossed in the game that the boys even removed their T-shirts so as to be able to play more freely.
We took part in an initiative called Toybank where we took unused toys that were lying around all our houses from when we were kids and used them to give happiness to others. These unused toys meant nothing to us but to the children at the YMCA Shelter kids they gave a lot of joy, excitement and most importantly, hope. We gave them toys and even asked them about their ambitions. Some wanted to become a footballer, a policeman, a doctor, or join the military and one guy even wanted to become train driver etc.
Watching their happy faces and shrieks of joy is the most rewarding experience of my life, and I guarantee it will be of yours too. Baby steps by all of us, can make a huge difference to the lives of others. This is the power of giving.”
Pictures of this event – Coming Soon!
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