"Charity" begins at home!?
I asked Gen. Raghunath, (*You could read my blog about him!) who had lived in U.K. for higher studies, about Oxfam featured in my blog on poverty. He just said 'Charity should start at home!' Amazing as it was almost the same title for this blog!
Recently Tara employed a single woman as a 'helper', a construction worker, who had divorced her violent husband! She is just 35 years old! Her husband after beating her and their youngest child brutally, had run away deserting her and their four kids. She went to the police, spent a lot of borrowed money to locate him and for the subsequent divorce. During the divorce proceedings the Hon. Judge asked the small kids, youngest was six, to choose between the two; father or the mother. The older three chose the father and the youngest obviously chose the mother!
Since her divorce, the mother has not seen her older three kids. There is no alimony for child support. In fact, she had spent all her earnings in helping her husband to build a house in their village. She has lost it, as there is no way she can get her money back! The ex-husband has married again.
The youngest girl is still bitter about her father. Her siblings have not seen her all these years. Recently the eldest of the girls got married, however mother and youngest daughter did not go! Tara is helping to educate the girl. Sadly the girl is unable to focus due to health issues. Effect of trauma and living in hostels at a very young age!
My thoughts are with such individual victims. The role of the village elders, the neighbors is uncertain. Family could take sides or keep away. In case the traumatized victim seeks help, hopefully there are NGOs like the Oxfam to help. It does not always happen. People, mostly urban middle class families who employ domestic help, would say 'nothing new'. Sadly there are many such stories, the reason why many NGOs get formed!
I was incredulous when a website quoted a low number for domestic workers "It is estimated that there are over four million domestic workers in India. They remain part of an informal and unregulated sector, obscured in private homes, not recognised as workers but rather as 'informal help'. This organization must be limiting itself to blatant slavery, between employer and employee. They also work with NDWM. Both have international connections. I guess they both do good work. It is encouraging to see that government is taking steps.
First all-India survey on domestic workers kicks off. The Hindu NEW DELHI,
The State of Domestic Workers in India
- The number of domestic workers in India range from official estimates of 4.2 million to unofficial estimates of more than 50 million.
- Girls and women make up the significant majority of domestic workers. Between 2000 and 2010, women accounted for seventy-five % of the increase in the total number of domestic workers in India.
- In 2009-2010 more than two-thirds of all domestic workers in India were employed in urban areas[1].
- The majority of domestic workers in India are illiterate/ minimally educated and low-skilled. They are also one of the poorest and most exploited groups of workers in the country.
- Domestic workers in India are forced to be dependent on their employers because they have no legal protection as workers under India’s labor laws,and no bargaining power due to their situations of poverty, illiteracy and low-skills.
- An estimated 185,595 children are employed as domestic help and in dhabas (small roadside eateries)[2]
It could be much more, considering there are 600 million middle class people in India. I would estimate there are at least 150 million domestic workers in India. The poor relatives who are sometimes forced to live and earn their keep by working within the family are not included.
The numbers of poor and the middle class keep changing. However, not all domestic workers are badly off. It is also true that their lot is not rosy and many of the victims may not fight! They just accept it as their fate and suffer.
Seeking ‘Charity’ away from home!
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| Courtsey Oxfam |
It has changed from its earlier days. Even a volunteer organisation needs full timers. It makes sense to go 'commercial' to pay them salary in case donations dry up.It is good to ensure that most of the donations go directly to the needy! Sadly Covid 19 has impacted Oxfam seriously, they have been forced to layoff staff!
No surprise that Oxfam International wanted the top Ten Rich whose wealth doubled during pandemic be taxed on the wealth created during pandemic. I hope this advice reaches the top ten and they do take steps to reduce inequality! Mukesh Ambani is one of them!
In the 35th annual Forbes list of the world's billionaires, the list included 2,755 billionaires with a total net wealth of $13.1 trillion, up 660 members from 2020; 86% of these billionaires had more wealth than they possessed last year.[2][9] (Wikipedia)
The psyche of the very rich is very complex, however fascinating, it is well beyond my comprehension. Quite a few of the rich do give away a portion of their wealth. Perhaps it is researched and well documented on how people benefit by trusts and endowments. It is not just individuals, religious organisations are also active in humanitarian endeavors.
While their priorities and imperatives are different, I am sure all of them, in their own way, do try to alleviate the sufferings of the poor!
I have learnt to accept the way we are and hope for the best. There are no quick fixes for the poor!
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Gist of comments by many on my earlier blog on Povety and Pandemic. My thanks to them!
Even a hundred OxFams will not be able to dent this gulf.
There is nothing called equality. There will be and has
to be inequality and that is the norm.
I have hope for the poor. .. poor children enjoy and have fun
with little little things.
India has endurance in its design..
Robinhood socialism has its pitfalls.
Directly to the needy
seldom happens. The middlemen . have a major
share of the cake.
The video touched my heart....Huge lesson .., find joy in
small things and create those small things
Equality and non-discrimination only fuel debate
and discussion, and go no further.
It seems most of us are a bit sceptical of huge organisations!
Here is a direct message: And leave economics alone. And leave poor countries alone."
More about Oxfam.
Oxfam report:“In 2018-19 we worked directly with 19.5 million people in our programs worldwide, 52% of whom were women and girls. For every euro received, we spent more than two thirds on our humanitarian, development, and campaigning programs worldwide. Nearly 70 cents per Euro on saving and improving lives, on fighting inequality to beat poverty, and on building a better future for all.”
“Total funds available 2018/19* 1,018 million euros; Total expenditure 2018/19 998 million euros..”
It can be seen Oxfam depends on institutional funding, UN and governments, surely a challenge! Other sources are donations and trading. The ‘Spending’ is on saving lives, gender justice and sustainable food among other things. Focus is generally on 'pockets' in underdeveloped nations!
- "Some 25 years ago, I lived in London. I remember that at odd places on different streets, there would be Oxfam outlets where earnest individuals would collect old clothes for distribution among the poor."
- "Here are some elementary Positive Economics propositions that I make: 1. Oxfam needs poverty. If there were no poverty in the world, there would be no need for Oxfam.".................................
- (There is more.... )
- "You will doubtless find my advice unpalatable, gratuitous and overbearing. But I can assure you that I am not wrong. Do get back to collecting old clothes and distributing them. And leave economics alone. And leave poor countries alone."
Nairobi-based Oxfam International will lay off about 1,500 employees globally and close its offices in 18 counties, including Tanzania, Rwanda, and Sudan. The closures come to due to a fall in fundraising, mainly because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
One of the world's best known NGOs, Oxfam works in more than 90 countries. Its global headquarters was moved from Oxford, United Kingdom, to Nairobi in 2018. Covid-19 lockdowns have hit the organisation hard, forcing it to close income-generating shops in Europe, cancel fundraising events, and absorb rising costs.
Oxfam move to Kenya. As expected there is support for the move from north to south as inevitable. There are also critics who do not approve the move to a country which is known to be corrupt! It makes an interesting reading. No surprise that UK papers were not happy with the move.
- African £112k 'Queen of Oxfam' is moving charity HQ from Britain to Kenya, as scandal-hit NGO fights off claims of sexual harassment and aid workers using prostitutes
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programm
The Conversation, The Changing Role of Charity, Why Oxfam is moving its headquarters
( I could not open the guardian links!!)
In case you like to know about the new executive director, follow the links below.
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Amma helped this girl Roopa complete Masters in HR. Today she is working well in a good company.