Exclusive | On a social mission: Shershing's Sonny Caberwal

They say there’s nothing nobler than educating a child. While you must have read about the best schools in the country and probably know to which school the son or daughter of a celebrity goes to, have you spared a thought for those impoverished children who cannot go to school?

 

Now BEASPORT, a unique social media programme, the brainchild of Shersingh.com, India's first Global lifestyle brand along with India's leading NGO Magic Bus aims at keeping India’s most impoverished children in school by harnessing the support of Internet users around the world. Founded by Sonny Caberwal the BEASPORT campaign brings together India’s top Bollywood, cricket and fashion icons, leading companies like Clear Trip to show how everyone can easily make a difference with the click of a button. Adgully spoke to Sonny Caberwal, Co-Founder Shershing.com to find out more on the programme.

 

 

Sonny Caberwal (SC): I first came to know about the Magic Bus program a few months ago, through a friend. It’s an incredible program that has grown from 15 young men living in a street in Mumbai, to one of India’s largest NGOs, supporting over 200,000 of India’s most impoverished children.  The Magic Bus program intends to grow 500 per cent over the next two years, to support over one million children.  This will require a massive budget, and over 2,000 employees.  

 

About six weeks ago, I decided that Shersingh and other for profit companies can help create a platform that both raises awareness and drives economic self-sufficiency for the program. Over the last few weeks, our team has worked non-stop to enlist some of India's most well-known companies (like Cleartrip and McCann Erickson) and stars (from Bollywood to Cricket) to join this journey, in the process, make a real difference in educating India's youth.

 

 

SC: The contribution is simple. Each celebrity and everyone, for that matter can support the #BEASPORT program by simply sending a tweet to their followers which talks about the program, includes a link (www.BeASportCampaign.com) and adding #BEASPORT.  Millions of people will come to the site, and with each person that views the #BEASPORT content, corporate donors (like Shersingh) and private donors match each view with actual dollars.  In addition, people can buy fashionable #BEASPORT products (Designed by celebrity designers Shantanu & NIkhil), and all the proceeds go to Magic Bus. If celebrities choose to get more involved, they can participate in a weekly #BEASPORT Google Hangout, which is an online chat where celebrities talk to the Magic Bus kids about their journey to stardom.  Each journey can inspire another.

 

 

SC: We've received commitments to participate from dozens of celebrities, from Imran Khan and Kunal Kapoor, to top fashionistas like Shantanu & Nikhil and Mallika Haydon, to leading cricketers like Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, and Chris Gayle.

 

 

SC: Social media has a very crucial role today. By applying social media and e-commerce principles like a for-profit, to benefit one of India's top non-profits, the goal is to raise awareness and funds for Magic Bus via a social media platform.  In order to maximize traffic, the #BEASPORT program has partnered with a variety of media and online companies leveraging their media and customer platforms to drive traffic to the microsite, where the primary call to action is to watch the #BEASPORT YouTube content. 

 

 

SC: Shersingh will be providing cash funding, marketing and human resource support, merchandising and technical support, and of course strategic guidance.

 

 

SC: We want to raise US$ 1 million for the NGO.

 

 

SC: Each of us are on a journey, similarly Magic Bus takes children and youth, living in poverty on a journey from childhood to livelihood through a world class mentoring programme which uses the metaphor of sport to change behaviours in nearly 3,000 slums and villages and of over 200,000 children across India. Sports with mentoring can be used to get children to re-enrol in school, lead healthy lives, confront gender problems and move from poverty. I was really convinced with the idea that Magic Bus was promoting.  It's an incredible program that has grown from 15 young men living in a street in Mumbai, to one of India’s largest NGOs, supporting over 200,000 of India’s most impoverished children. However, my friend and I were discussing how even success has its issues.  The Magic Bus program intends to grow 500 per cent over the next two years, to support over one million children.  This will require a massive budget, and over 2,000 employees.  

 

AG: Are there any other similar initiatives you are planning in near future? 

 

SC: Right now I am just focusing on BEASPORT as I would want to make it a history which will revolutionize the lives of underprivileged children of India.