The volunteers of late Shri J.P. Narayan's Sarvoday movement used to regularly clean a particular slum area. One day when due to some unavoidable circumstances they were not able to do so, the slum dwellers were angry with them and started blaming them.
This is what happens with the conventional methods of charity like distributing food, clothes, blankets. We make the person in need permanently dependent on us for his basic needs. He does not try to work hard and be independent. Instead he expects us to provide him his basic needs. We always remain in the position of daata or giver and he remains in the position of the paata or receiver. Being the givers we always get the upper hand and the relationship of bhrata or brotherhood where both the parties are equal never develops. Though we get tremendous satisfaction that we helped an unprivileged, the fact is that we have harmed him.
We at Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad do not believe in the conventional methods of charity which make the vanvasis dependant on others for their basic needs. We believe that development comes with self-reliance. We ensure that the measures we take for the vanvasi help him become self-reliant and do not hurt his self-respect. We ensure that our measures have the desired effect of development and are not restricted to selfish motive of self-satisfaction. We strive for a brotherly relation with the vanvasis where both the sides are at par.
Thought provoking article on the ‘Vanavasi Kalyan Parishad’ website
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