Lights, music, donation: Mizoram volunteers for concerts for a cause

In 2011, three close friends and I started playing music by the side of the road in our city. This idea came from a trip to Paris. I visited a cathedral and saw two musicians playing the saxophone and the guitar. I wanted to do something similar when I got home, so I called up my friends to see if they were up for it.

For our first event, we took permission from the authorities to perform in the small courtyard outside Millennium Center in Aizawl. Two of us played the guitar while the third friend played the saxophone. An hour into our performance, a keyboardist joined us on stage. We put out a box saying we are collecting money for charity and anyone can donate.

From then, the musical events have gotten bigger and better. Word spread and people voluntarily began posting photos and videos from the events on social media. A friend suggested that we form an organisation, and that’s how the nonprofit People United in Music for a Purpose (PUMP) came into being.

The planning process for these events is quite spontaneous. For instance, if there’s a disaster such as a landslide, we would organise an event within a couple of days to collect funds. Seeking permission from authorities, having artists volunteer to perform, and spreading the information is challenging on such short notice. We have a committee where groups of three to four people take on these tasks. Membership remains open to anyone willing to help others at their own expense, and individuals can also become lifetime members. 

We thrive on the basic tenets of tlawmngaihna (voluntarism). Stores with musical instruments and even individuals let us use the sound system, lights, and instruments for free. Artists reach out directly and volunteer to perform, and authorities are prompt with providing permissions. 

The system of collecting donations has remained the same, even as the volume of people and the amount have increased. We come together a day or two before an event to prepare the donation boxes; we wrap them in orange-coloured paper and put our stickers on them. Hospitals and shops throughout Aizawl place our boxes in the premises well in advance. Apart from these boxes, we also accept UPI payments during live events and bank transfers from donors in India and abroad. Since its inception, PUMP has consistently hosted such events to support those in need and has raised and distributed approximately INR 50 lakh, entirely contributed by the public. However, we can’t yet predict financial outcomes in advance because till date we haven’t raised money specifically for organising; we can’t predetermine the audience turnout and the scale of donations. 

David Z Hmar is a co-founder at People United in Music for a Purpose (PUMP).

As told to Malsawmdawngliani Tara, IDR Northeast Fellow 2025–26.

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Know more: Read more about crowdfunding is sustaining an organisation providing healthcare in Mizoram.

Do more: Connect with the author at davidzhmarori@gmail.com to learn more about and support his work.