Friday, November 18, 2005
Philanthropic activities
Regarding the philanthropic activities of Hindus in comparison to Christians my friend Sonali said the Hindu society is changing.
Well, I am not so sure.
I don’t know the exact statistics, but the amount of money is spent on Diwali crackers or Ganapati festival, Durga Puja, could have changed the Hindu society beyond recognition, if it was used for the upliftment of the downtrodden. For most of the Hindus, philanthropic activities means, organizing a bhandara (poor feeding) for one day on some occasion or building/refurbishing a temple. Nobody has any idea of contributing for something permanent to uplift the conditions of fellow unfortunate brethern.
I know more about this because I am called Shahi fakir by my friends and acquaintances. Now and then I will be knocking the doors of my friends for some kind of fund raising.
For ROSHNI-50 program, by which we are conducting eye check up camp in Govt. Schools and distributing free spectacles to the poor students, till date I received only one donor, whereas the requirements are only approx. Rs.3000/- per school. Atready we have completed 38 schools benefiting more than 12,000 students.
On Diwali I requested all the Lions clubs of my region to go to some orphanage or old age home to spend some time, to distribute sweets, to burn some crackers with the inmates. I did not get a single response.
Now I am really worried about my next program. I want to make one mobile unit for eye check up, where all the arrangements/ equipments for eye check up will be available to conduct camps in rural areas. Last year we conducted a camp at a village some 150 kms from Hyderabad. We could identify and distribute spectacle to more than 100 elderly persons. Till date I cannot forget the smile of gratitude on the faces of the beneficiaries after getting their eyesight restored.
I wanted to dedicate the vehicle on 26th January, on my Region Meet. But, by the response I am getting, I am becoming apprehensive.
Well, I am not so sure.
I don’t know the exact statistics, but the amount of money is spent on Diwali crackers or Ganapati festival, Durga Puja, could have changed the Hindu society beyond recognition, if it was used for the upliftment of the downtrodden. For most of the Hindus, philanthropic activities means, organizing a bhandara (poor feeding) for one day on some occasion or building/refurbishing a temple. Nobody has any idea of contributing for something permanent to uplift the conditions of fellow unfortunate brethern.
I know more about this because I am called Shahi fakir by my friends and acquaintances. Now and then I will be knocking the doors of my friends for some kind of fund raising.
For ROSHNI-50 program, by which we are conducting eye check up camp in Govt. Schools and distributing free spectacles to the poor students, till date I received only one donor, whereas the requirements are only approx. Rs.3000/- per school. Atready we have completed 38 schools benefiting more than 12,000 students.
On Diwali I requested all the Lions clubs of my region to go to some orphanage or old age home to spend some time, to distribute sweets, to burn some crackers with the inmates. I did not get a single response.
Now I am really worried about my next program. I want to make one mobile unit for eye check up, where all the arrangements/ equipments for eye check up will be available to conduct camps in rural areas. Last year we conducted a camp at a village some 150 kms from Hyderabad. We could identify and distribute spectacle to more than 100 elderly persons. Till date I cannot forget the smile of gratitude on the faces of the beneficiaries after getting their eyesight restored.
I wanted to dedicate the vehicle on 26th January, on my Region Meet. But, by the response I am getting, I am becoming apprehensive.
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