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Bakul Foundation is a non-profit organisation, having its head office in Bhubaneswar, India. It was established in the year 2007 by a group of volunteers from diverse backgrounds.

Genesis of 'Bakul'
Initially Bakul was only an idea and it existed only on the internet. It began with a blog (that has since become dysfunctional)and an on-line campaign at www.pledgebank.com. A pledge campaign - "Donate Books, Build a Library" - was launched on the Internet by the trio of Satyajit Puhan, Sujit Mahapatra, and Ayushman Sarangi on the Orissa Day, 1 April 2006.

Satyajit Puhan is a young developmental economist and one of the founders of the Film Society of Bhubaneswar, Sujit Mahapatra is a Ph D scholar of English Literature at the Delhi University and Ayushman Sarangi is a computer engineer at Adobe. The campaign site was www.pledgebank.com/bakul-library. The goal was to mobilize a thousand people who would directly contribute (either through cash for a book or directly with a book) to set up a library, initially focusing on children and youth in Bhubaneswar. The deadline to get 1,000 supporters as well as to set up the library was set at the 1st of April 2007.

PledgeBank is a positive peer pressure tool. It is built on the premise that everyone understands and is also  an expert on what needs to happen in their community to make it better and safer. Most people are likely to have an idea of how to improve their community, but are unlikely to act on those ideas on their own. They think that, if people had some kind of assurance that they wouldn't be the only ones to show up at a playground-being built or at a rally or a fundraiser or on a river cleaning event, they are more likely to participate.

Though it started with the launch of a library movement in Odisha, The Name 'Bakul' was initiated by many Founding Fathers of the state Odisha, like UtkalamaniGopabandhu Das who started a School name "BakulaVana" under the shade of The Bakul Tree. The tree has become the symbol of 'The Bakul Foundation' and represents 'what can happen with minimal resources'.

Mission of 'Bakul'
A Movement For Volunteerism

Bakul is a testament to what ordinary people can achieve if they decide.

The Mission of Bakul is to empower children from all backgrounds access to the same opportunities to build their capabilities. Bakul, therefore, hopes that it can provide a common library and a suitable platform for self-development. It can work towards breaking the distinctions schools create between various children. It aims to not just teach students but to create Future Leaders of Odisha.

Objective of Bakul
It is a volunteer movement in India which began with Odisha. It is an attempt to inspire people to volunteer by demonstrating the power of volunteerism, and to provide a platform for people to participate as volunteers in activities they believe in. It has been harnessing volunteerism of individuals in the fields of Education, Environment and the Arts apart from promotion of Volunteerism in itself.
 * Education
 * Environment
 * Arts
 * Volunteerism

Education
Bakul has focused on promoting the reading habit and developing imagination and creativity among children.

The Bakul Children’s Library in Bhubaneswar has been set up and is running with small individual contributions without any government funding and any user surcharge. It, nevertheless, can boast of the best collection in the State with over 8000 books, including some very interesting and engaging educational resources for children.

Bakul is also focusing on the Promotion of Reading and Creativity among children.

Bakul has started a Library Movement in Odisha and has set up Public Libraries in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, villages of Biswanathpur and Godibari, and Model School Libraries in Bhubaneswar and Ganjam. These libraries focusing on children are FREE and have been set up and are running entirely with small individual contributions and efforts of volunteers. The first library at Bhubaneswar is, however, widely considered by experts as one of the best children’s libraries in India.

Bakul has now started Bakul Books to publish picture books in Odia to address the gap of good and attractive children’s books to entice children to read.

Bakul has also been organizing workshops on creativity such as writing, art, clay modeling, theatre etc. and giventechnical expertise to the Govt of Odisha and UNICEF in organizing Children’s festivals.

Environment
Bakul has been organizing Environmental Film Festivals and workshops for children in schools. It has so far focused on the issues of Climate Change and Water. Bakul has been running My Tree Campaign, which is an attempt to create an emotional bonding between individuals and trees by promoting plantation and gifting of trees as a cultural practice. Thereby, trees become a part of the everyday lives of people.

Bakul started Art for Water to educate and mobilize people(both rural and urban) on Water and Sanitation using local art formsand involving the community. It organized BLUe: the Water Festival, which included an Art Exhibition and a Public Art Wallpainted on the theme of Water

Arts
Bakul has played a key role in Arts Education and Public Art in Odisha and India.Bakul has been organizing the painting of Public Art Walls in Bhubaneswar, involving children, artists and general public.

Art Education = Other attempts to educate people on Art have been Film Festivals, workshops and Art Exhibitions on Contemporary Odishan Art (2008), and as part of Bakul Art Fest (2009) and BLUe: the Water Festival (2013).

Bakul has also been using the Arts to sensitize people on different social and environment issues such as Domestic Workers, HIV, tree plantation etc.

Volunteerism
Apart from the fact that every activity of Bakul has demonstrated the power of volunteerism, Bakul organizes certain activities primarily to promote volunteerism. It celebrates 2 Days of Service in a year, (in May and October), both created by Bakul in which thousands of volunteers find a platform to volunteer with children and old people across the country. Bakulhas also been celebrating the International Volunteers Day in

Odisha along with UNV, UNDP and CYSD. It began with the first Volunteer Fair in Odisha in 2008 to encourage people to volunteer and NGOs to engage volunteers.

Bakul has also been conducting Leadership Workshops for volunteers and undertaking youth development programmes. It is also developing a social media platform for the youth in Odisha to promote entrepreneurship and active citizenship.