Its just business.
Charity. NGOs. Social development. Rural rejuvenation.
India needs all of these. In large doses.
Social development work in India has always been dependent on people who resemble Mahatma Gandhi in philosophy and style of living. Being a social development oriented person in this country has become closely associated with giving up all material pleasures, sleeping on a dirt floor and spending every waking minute helping folks. I am proud that my country has produced several of these rare individuals. Each of them is doing a great job in developing a small adopted corner of India.
However, if India is to accelerate, there is critical need for a changed philosophy. Charities can no longer operate like a cottage industry and depend on super-committed individuals. There has to be a morphing of this system to one that is more business-like, fitting the following attributes:
1. Has to be self-sustaining
2. Has to elevate charitable work to the position of a credible career alternative
3. Has to make a profit, and that has to be the primary aim
Indians are exceptional at running businesses, while their records in running charities is definitely unremarkable.
Charities as such are unsustainable, in my opinion - Getting people to contribute continuously to a particular cause is difficult - People are fickle, people lose interest, people lose their money, they get anothr kid ...
Charitable work has to be a facet of a for-profit business. It cannot and should not be a primary focus.
For example, my father runs a factory that employs 350 people - Mostly unskilled laborers from a neighboring village. If the factory did not exist, most of them would be either unemployed or struggling in a large city. Each of the 350 workers are educating their children, treating their wives/husbands well, staying away from alcohol, using condoms and avoiding unscruplous money lenders.
My dad makes a profit and influences the lives of 1000+ people (including family members). On the other hand, if there was no employment, there would be a need for a huge government/NGO initiative to achieve the same levels of literacy, safety and security.
In Tuticorin, Ramesh Flowers has created employment for thousands of women - They collect flowers, dry them, paint them, scent them and make potpourri baskets (That are sold in stores like Target). This has lead to a great improvement to social development indicators in Tuticorin.
In my opinion, three things need to happen:
1. Enable employment and simultaneously encourage employers through taxation benefits to perform the role of NGOs as social development organizations
2. Remove the unnecessary guilt-driven obsession that several NGO workers have with staying away from all material possessions. Its not sustainable or desirable.
3. Make charitable work a realistic alternative for graduates of good colleges. If Infosys offers 3 lakhs to a fresher, a charity organization can offer 1.5 - A socially inclined student will take it.
It is unreasonable to ask a college graduate to make a choice between a comfortable Bangalore flat and the roadside of Benares.
India needs all of these. In large doses.
Social development work in India has always been dependent on people who resemble Mahatma Gandhi in philosophy and style of living. Being a social development oriented person in this country has become closely associated with giving up all material pleasures, sleeping on a dirt floor and spending every waking minute helping folks. I am proud that my country has produced several of these rare individuals. Each of them is doing a great job in developing a small adopted corner of India.
However, if India is to accelerate, there is critical need for a changed philosophy. Charities can no longer operate like a cottage industry and depend on super-committed individuals. There has to be a morphing of this system to one that is more business-like, fitting the following attributes:
1. Has to be self-sustaining
2. Has to elevate charitable work to the position of a credible career alternative
3. Has to make a profit, and that has to be the primary aim
Indians are exceptional at running businesses, while their records in running charities is definitely unremarkable.
Charities as such are unsustainable, in my opinion - Getting people to contribute continuously to a particular cause is difficult - People are fickle, people lose interest, people lose their money, they get anothr kid ...
Charitable work has to be a facet of a for-profit business. It cannot and should not be a primary focus.
For example, my father runs a factory that employs 350 people - Mostly unskilled laborers from a neighboring village. If the factory did not exist, most of them would be either unemployed or struggling in a large city. Each of the 350 workers are educating their children, treating their wives/husbands well, staying away from alcohol, using condoms and avoiding unscruplous money lenders.
My dad makes a profit and influences the lives of 1000+ people (including family members). On the other hand, if there was no employment, there would be a need for a huge government/NGO initiative to achieve the same levels of literacy, safety and security.
In Tuticorin, Ramesh Flowers has created employment for thousands of women - They collect flowers, dry them, paint them, scent them and make potpourri baskets (That are sold in stores like Target). This has lead to a great improvement to social development indicators in Tuticorin.
In my opinion, three things need to happen:
1. Enable employment and simultaneously encourage employers through taxation benefits to perform the role of NGOs as social development organizations
2. Remove the unnecessary guilt-driven obsession that several NGO workers have with staying away from all material possessions. Its not sustainable or desirable.
3. Make charitable work a realistic alternative for graduates of good colleges. If Infosys offers 3 lakhs to a fresher, a charity organization can offer 1.5 - A socially inclined student will take it.
It is unreasonable to ask a college graduate to make a choice between a comfortable Bangalore flat and the roadside of Benares.
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