After organizing an enthralling WordCamp last year, the WordPress Bhopal community decided to take a big step this year by organizing the first-ever do_action charity hackathon in our city. Up until now, do_action events in India have only been held in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. But we thought, why not have a chapter here that goes by do_action Bhopal? And so, we did!
What is do_action?
do_action is a charity hackathon where volunteers come together to build websites for NGOs/NPOs that need an online presence. Volunteers sign up to join build teams, and the websites are created from scratch within a day. Since it is charity, everything is sponsored—from the venue to the domain and hosting to other requisites. The goal is simple: expand their reach and visibility while contributing to their cause.
We were fortunate to get the support of yo_work India for the venue and WPMU DEV‘s domain and hosting, along with contributions from Sajid Ansari, Aditya Shah, Kapil Arya, and SOL Hosting. Their contributions made it possible for us to focus on building impactful websites without worrying about resources.
For do_action Bhopal’s first edition, a total of five organisations were onboarded (translated to five projects). I was heading a project myself, hence Project Manager (PM)!
Day in my life as a PM at do_action Bhopal
As a project manager, my role was to guide the team working on a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO)- a temple particularly. For ease, I had already created a detailed plan for the website before the event, sketching it out on paper with all the requirements and features, like a donation page, an event calendar, a photo gallery, maps, etc. Only if building the website was as easy as it was to pen things down on paper but this pre-planning did help set a direction.
On the day of the event, volunteers gathered at the beautiful space owned by yo_work. While we managed to get the NPO’s site live by the end of the day, I personally wasn’t entirely satisfied with the result. It felt like it didn’t fully mirror the organisation.
After the event, we decided to continue working pro bono and build a more polished version of the website. This time, we took a week to perfect it, adding all the necessary features, some of which are mentioned below.
- The temple was built singlehandedly by a lady who passed away a few years ago, and as a special tribute, we added a dedicated section in her memory on the website. It felt like a fitting way to honor her contribution, and of course, gave the entire project a deeper meaning.
- One of the primary challenges was that they had no online presence—a Google search didn’t even bring them up. We fixed that by creating a Google Maps profile and embedding it into the site. We also included nearby similar organisations for easy reference.
- The website now includes a small gallery featuring images of the temple’s various events, which was particularly important because the organisation usually spreads the word through word of mouth.
- To make things more interactive, we added a social media feed that automatically pulls any mentions of the temple from platforms like Instagram or YouTube.
- Not everyone gets to hear about their upcoming events, so we added an event calendar that can be updated by the site admin, making it easier to keep people informed.
- We even added a notification bar on the homepage to highlight key contributions or upcoming events, which will help draw attention to important updates.
- Last but not the least, a donation page was set up to help them receive contributions, which is essential for their work. It was personalised and kind of fun to build.
What makes this even more significant is that the organisation has typically relied on WhatsApp groups for sharing event details and payment receipts. Now, with this website, they have a centralised system for communication, event planning, and outreach.
While I’ve worked with Gutenberg before, this was the first time I managed a full project from ideation to execution for a third party. I enjoyed the process, from picking the color themes, figuring out the layout, to which plugin to use and other howabouts. Indeed there were some challenges along the way, but had Aditya’s pro backing if and when I got stuck. I’m glad I could be part of this entire journey, and I’m thrilled that the final website turned out to be useful for the organisation- they were so happy to know about it.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, being part of do_action Bhopal 2024 was an incredible experience. Collectively, we managed to create impactful websites for five NGOs, helping them improve their online presence and reach more people. For me, this was more than just a project—it was an opportunity to contribute to a cause I care about while also learning and growing in the process.
A huge thank you to the WordPress Bhopal community, our sponsors, and all the dedicated volunteers who made this event a success. I’m excited to see the impact these websites will have on the missions of these wonderful organisations.
If you’d like to check out the website we built, visit it here.
Here’s to making a difference together!
