The Joy of Giving

  •   Fri, Apr 22 2011
  •   By Madhu, Bangalore

April 23, 2011

Charity isn’t a sustainable solution to eradicate poverty. How do we know if the money we are donating is actually going to the poor? Haven’t we heard these questions way too often? Questioning is a logical thing to do but what we do after we question, is what needs to be looked at. Our attitude is our choice, after all.

Where ordinary foreign citizens come to India and set up NGOs to take care of the underprivileged, we still sit and question. In our country where millions of children work in factories and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening, we have simply two choices, one to be cynical and complain about the system, and the other to take a positive step in the right direction.

Our country is now in a period of media awareness where all the causes can be campaigned via the media. Another commonly heard cynical statement is that they are just generating higher TRP’s by covering these campaigns. Of course, the corrupt are very much part of our system in every arena but there are many who are genuinely working for social causes as well. Why is there a fear about getting associated with campaigns larger than our concern to be of help to the poor? Or are we just people who are ‘indifferent’ and don’t care?

I was recently engaged in an online chat with an NRI friend and she raised the same question – 'if I donate, I think my money will just go to the wrong hands'. She is a close friend and she trusts my judgement. I told her of an orphanage that needs bathing taps for their newly-built toilets which couldn’t be completed because of the lack of funds. And she was very happy to be of help. She asked me for the address of the orphanage and as I personally know the people who run the place, whose integrity I don’t doubt, she was happy to help.

Many students and young people are coming forward to help. Many students have committed to give two hours every week to teach the underprivileged children English and computer skills through Make a Difference organisation. There is hope that the young, the future of our country are understanding the need. What we need is just a little will power and awareness to go out there and help someone in need. There are many NGOs who are doing a great job in helping others and it isn’t difficult to find a credible one in a cause that you believe in. It is just a matter of will.

The ‘Joy of Giving Week’ is a campaign (not an organisation), a national movement that aims to engage more than a crore Indians in different "acts of giving" through money, time, resources and skills - spanning the corporate, NGO and government sectors, and also schools, colleges and the general public. Volunteers come forward to devote some time and effort towards helping people help those in need. This is completely voluntary and no one gets paid for their service.

The Joy of Giving Week will be celebrated this year from October 2 to 8. Last year, as part of this programme, one of the apartment/complexes arranged to do something special for their maids and housekeeping staff. It was their way of giving back. The Indian School of Business (ISB) students for example, participated in an online auction to spend an entire day with a CEO of their choice. The CEO then contributed an equal amount, if not more, the collective corpus going to a charity of the CEO’s choice. More than 20 CEOs, including Narayan Murthy, Adi Godrej, and others were part of this campaign.

What we need is less of cynicism right now and more will power to do something positive. What is the least that the NRIs can do? The NRIs can join hands with family and friends to tie up with an organisation whose cause they believe in and encourage the spirit of giving, and needless to say, the joy of giving is entirely yours.


(Volunteers interested to be part of the Joy of Giving campaign may contact Rajan Narayanan in Bangalore – rajan@jgwbangalore.org. More information available on https://sites.google.com/a/joyofgivingweek.org/jgw/)
By Madhu, Bangalore
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Comment on this article

  • marina, Belmond-U.S.A.

    Mon, Apr 25 2011

    Giving is joy comeing from the heart god has given some of us many there are many Billionair's they wnnt's more & more greed.They should Fellow bill gate's & warren Buffet foot step's.They have god's blessing.

  • Lawrance, Doha/Belman

    Sun, Apr 24 2011

    True, Give something its not only money, its time, love, affection!!!

    Nice article

  • Austin Prabhu, Nantur/Chicago

    Sat, Apr 23 2011

    Mother Teresa professed us - "Give until it hurts your pockets." Many of us have enough to live a good life still we load our bank accounts, closets, pockets, etc., etc.

    I never seen a rich person taking all of his belongings to the cemetary after his death. Let us give as much as we can to make needy persons life better to live on this beautiful earth.

    Lions Clubs International started its mission "We Serve" to help less fortunates in our communities. There are millions of people who seek to have a good meal - let us make their day and bring hopes in their lives.

  • A.S.Mathew, U.S.A.

    Sat, Apr 23 2011

    When we give something to a needy
    person without expecting anything,
    and that act is done purely from
    a genuine heart of compassion then
    we receive a great joy in life.
    Many people try everything to give
    to powerful people and religious
    leaders to receive something back
    from them in the future. But, how
    many will take the serious step
    to extend the hand of merciful
    giving to the poorest section of
    the society?

    I have heard many people say " we
    don't have anything to give", and
    all of them were wealthy people.

    When we follow a selfish and
    totally self-centered lifestyle,
    we are going to be the most miserable people in the world.

    The Bible says " So let each one
    give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity
    for God loves a cheerful giver"
    2 Corinthians 9:7.

    If everybody will make a solid decision
    to cut corners of their personal
    extravagances of life, mainly many
    do it to impress others that sacrifice can help several other
    desperately hungry or needy people
    across the street.

    In cheerful giving, we are greatly
    blessed with heavenly joy, on the
    other hand, the needy person's needes are met and their tears are
    disappeared. Only the human beings
    can undertake the humanitarian
    service to help the needy human
    beings.

  • Max & Jessie Rasquinha, Mangalore/Houston, Texas

    Sat, Apr 23 2011

    Joy of giving has different faces and phases. In countries such as India, "Giving" should be the second name of every person so that each of us realize that there is more to be given and less to be taken in our daily life of existence. Giving should be selfless. Giving should be sometimes nameless. Every giver should be made aware that God is the only witness in your silent giving. The more you give, God always gives back to you in one form or another. Our good health, our happiness, our satisfaction, our safety and security is all part of the reward for our act of "giving".

    Mahatma Gandhi taught us the beauty of giving. Acharya Vinoba Bave showed us the value of giving. Mother Theresa not only preached and practised the value of giving but showed us that our richness has no value if we dont know the beauty of sharing and caring.

    The population explosion of India is a symbol of awareness to each and everyone in India that unless and until we give unto others there will be no survival for anyone. Rich or poor, young or old, man or a woman, giving is a gift and a blessing. Giving brings a smile in the giver as well as the receiver, and in turn God will smile at all of us and whisper in our heart "Well done folks". With that whisper we shall move on day after day, year after year and make this world a better place to live and prosper.

    What a beautiful feeling as we are about to embrace the Feast of Easter that commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.


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