Surely, you must have been surprised by the title, thinking that someone who is an active member of a charitable organization is speaking against fundraising today. But there is no need to be surprised, as today I am not talking about help, but about begging. As you all know, unemployment is a problem that affects men and women of all ages around the world. Every person needs some form of employment or source of livelihood to live their life. It is evident that with money, one can eat, drink, and live. If someone doesn't have a source of income, they will struggle to obtain one, learn skills, work hard, and through this effort, gradually improve their life. Once they become stable, they can help the poor around them, support them, and contribute to their well-being. This is all well and good, but what I am going to discuss next is a global issue, especially in Pakistan and particularly in my city, Karachi. This issue is diverting people from hard work and instilling a habit of freeloading—begging.
یقیناً آپ عنوان پڑھ کر چونک گئے ہوں گے کہ وہ شخص جو از خود ایک فلاحی تنظیم کا متحرک رکن ہے. وہی آج فنڈ ریزنگ کے خلاف بات کر رہا ہے. تو اس میں حیرانی کی کوئی بات نہیں کیونکہ آج میں مدد کی نہیں بلکہ بھیک کی بات کرنے جا رہا ہوں. جیسا کہ آپ سب کے علم میں ہے کہ بے روزگاری ایک ایسا مسئلہ ہے جو دنیا بھر میں ہر چھوٹی بڑی عمر کے مرد و خواتین کو اکثر پیش رہتا ہے. ہر شخص اپنی زندگی گزارنے کے لیے کسی قسم کے روزگار یا ذریعہ معاش کا محتاج ہوتا ہے. ظاہر سی بات ہے کہ پیسے ہوں گے تو وہ کچھ کھائے پیے گا اور زندگی جیے گا. اگر کسی کے پاس ذریعہ معاش نہیں ہے تو وہ اسے حاصل کرنے کے لیے جدوجہد کرے گا. کام سیکھے گا. محنت کرے گا مشقت کرے گا اور اسی محنت و مشقت کے نتیجے میں وہ آہستہ آہستہ اپنی زندگی کو خوشحال بناتا چلا جائے گا. پھر جب وہ خود مستحکم ہو جائے گا تو اپنے ارد گرد موجود غریبوں کی بھی مدد کر سکے گا. ان کا سہارا بنے گا. ان کی زندگیوں میں بھی خوشحالی لانے کا سبب بنے گا. یہاں تک تو بات بالکل درست ہے. لیکن آگے جو میں بیان کرنے جا رہا ہوں. وہ ایک عالمی مسئلہ ہے، خصوصی طور پر پاکستان میں اور بالخصوص میرے شہر کراچی کا یہ ایک بہت بڑا مسئلہ ہے اور وہ ہے محنت مشقت سے لوگوں کو ہٹا کر مفت خوری کی عادت لگانا. جی ہاں. بھیک.
The Role of NGOs:
In a developing country like Pakistan, countless non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are spending their resources on public welfare. These organizations work on various projects in different areas. Some address food shortages, others tackle water scarcity, some provide rations, while others establish free hospitals to treat the needy. These organizations work for the betterment of society in various capacities and undoubtedly, their services should be appreciated as they operate in an environment where making a living is extremely difficult. Their role in economic development is undeniable. Many people, who do not have homes or food, receive essential support like housing, donations, or food because of these institutions. They also receive medical facilities and scholarships for children's education. During events like weddings or festivals, various organizations do their best to help.
این جی اوز کا کردار:
پاکستان جیسے پسماندہ اور ترقی پذیر ملک میں ڈھیروں کے حساب سے ایسی غیر سرکاری تنظیمیں موجود ہیں جو عوامی فلاح و بہبود کے کاموں میں اپنا سرمایہ خرچ کرتی ہیں. یہ تنظیمیں مختلف علاقوں میں مختلف پراجیکٹس پر کام کرتی ہیں. کہیں کھانے کی کمی کو پورا کیا جاتا ہے، کہیں پانی کی کمی کو، کہیں راشن دیا جاتا ہے، کہیں مفت ہسپتال بنا کر نادار و مفلس لوگوں کا علاج کیا جاتا ہے. ہر جگہ مختلف لوگوں کے یہ تنظیمیں کام کرتی ہیں. بلاشبہ ان کی خدمات کو سراہا جانا چاہیے کہ وہ اس معاشرے میں کام کر رہی ہیں جہاں پر گزارہ کرنا انتہائی مشکل ہے. لوگوں کی معاشی ترقی میں ان کا کردار ناقابل فراموش ہے. کئی لوگ ایسے ہیں، جن کے پاس رہنے کو گھر نہیں یا کھانے کو کچھ نہیں. مگر ان اداروں کی بدولت بہت سے لوگوں کو گھر بار، عطیہ صدقہ یا کچھ کھانے کو لازمی مل جاتا ہے. جس سے وہ اپنی گزر بسر کر پاتے ہیں. علاج معالجے کی سہولیات مل جاتی ہیں. بچوں کی تعلیم کے اخراجات کے لیے اسکالر شپس مل جاتی ہیں. شادی بیاہ اور عید و تہوار وغیرہ جیسی تقریبات کے موقع پر بھی مختلف تنظیمیں اپنی اپنی بساط کی حد تک کام کرتی رہتی ہیں.
Negative Impact of Charitable Organizations on Public Mindset:
Ideally, the services of charitable organizations should eradicate poverty and underdevelopment. People should gradually become self-reliant and start giving aid instead of receiving it. However, in our society, we see the opposite. The habit of freeloading and begging has diminished the zeal for earning through hard work. Clearly, when ready-made food is available without effort, why would anyone toil? Consequently, the rush at free food centers has increased, and despite the proliferation of NGOs, the number of beggars keeps growing. Many people have even started corrupt businesses under the guise of NGOs. Since NGOs are not subject to regular governmental audits, they provide a perfect opportunity for the mafia to launder their black money. On the other hand, the public continues to extend their hands towards these NGOs, resulting in the truly needy being deprived. All the charity and alms are taken by those who do not actually deserve it.
فلاحی اداروں کا عوام کے ذہنوں پر منفی اثر:
ہونا تو یہ چاہیے تھا کہ فلاحی اداروں کی خدمات کے نتیجے میں غربت اور پسماندگی ختم ہو جائے. لوگ رفتہ رفتہ خود کفیل ہوتے چلے جائیں اور امداد لینے کے بجائے امداد دینا شروع کر دیں. مگر ہمیں اپنے معاشرے میں اس کے برعکس صورتحال دکھائی دیتی ہے. مفت خوری اور بھیک کی عادت نے محنت کر کے کمانے کا جذبہ ختم کرکے رکھ دیا ہے. ظاہر سی بات ہے. جب پکی پکائی روٹی بغیر محنت کے مل رہی ہو تو کیونکر کوئی اپنی جان کھپائے گا؟ چنانچہ مفت دسترخوانوں پر رش بڑھتا چلا گیا. این جی اوز بڑھتی چلی جا رہی ہیں پھر بھی محتاج بجائے کم ہونے کے مزید ہوتے چلے جا رہے ہیں. بلکہ اکثر لوگوں نے تو این جی اوز کی آڑ میں بدعنوانی کا دھندا شروع کر رکھا ہے. چونکہ این جی اوز کا باقاعدہ آڈٹ حکومتی نگرانی میں نہیں ہوتا تو کرپشن کرنے والے مافیا کے لیے این جی او کسی بڑی سہولت سے کم نہیں. این جی اوز کے ذریعے سے وہ اپنا سارا کالا پیسہ سفید کر لیتے ہیں. دوسری جانب عوام کشکول پھیلائے ان این جی اوز کی طرف دست سوال دراز کیے رکھتی ہے. جس کے نتیجے میں حقیقی محتاج بھی محروم ہو جاتے ہیں. سارا صدقہ اور خیرات وہ لوگ لے اڑتے ہیں جو درحقیقت اس کے مستحق بھی نہیں ہوتے.
Exploiting Our Social Norms:
There is no doubt that wealthy people in Pakistan spend generously to help the poor and needy. Naturally compassionate, Pakistanis likely engage in more charitable work than any other nation. Recently, during the holy month of Ramadan, we observed numerous free food stalls on streets, intersections, neighborhoods, and towns. Wealthy Muslims spent lavishly to share Eid-ul-Fitr's joy with the poor. Daily, millions of rupees are spent on charitable activities in Karachi alone, with people donating generously. However, some fraudulent individuals exploit this generosity. We often see able-bodied people pretending to be disabled to beg. People hide their assets to consume the share meant for the deserving. Some even establish foundations to collect funds only to use the money for personal gains. When donors realize their contributions are misused, they become disillusioned and cease their charitable activities, affecting the truly needy.
ہمارا معاشرتی شعار اور اس کا ناجائز فائدہ:
اس میں کوئی شک نہیں کہ پاکستان کے مالدار لوگ غریبوں اور ناداروں کی امداد کے لیے بے بہا پیسہ خرچ کرتے ہیں. ہم فطرتی طور پر نرم دل واقع ہوئے ہیں. اس لیے مجھے نہیں لگتا کہ پاکستان سے زیادہ خیراتی کام کسی اور ملک میں ہوتے ہوں گے. ابھی حال ہی میں رمضان المبارک کے مقدس مہینوں میں ہم نے مشاہدہ کیا کہ ہر سڑک، چوراہے، گلی، محلے اور ٹاؤن میں جابجا دسترخوان لگائے گئے. عید الفطر کی خوشیوں میں غریبوں کو شریک کرنے کے لیے مالدار مسلمانوں نے خوب خرچ کیا. روزانہ کی بنیاد پر صرف شہر کراچی میں کروڑوں روپے کی خیراتی سرگرمیاں وجود پذیر ہوتی ہیں اور لوگ دل کھول کر خرچ کرتے ہیں. لیکن بعض دھوکے باز لوگ اس دریا دلی کا ناجائز فائدہ اٹھاتے ہیں. آئے روز ایسے واقعات دیکھنے میں آتے ہیں کہ صحیح سلامت ہاتھ پیر رکھنے والے لوگ خود کو معذور ظاہر کرکے بھیک مانگ رہے ہوتے ہیں. لوگ اپنے اثاثہ جات چھپا کر کسی مستحق کا مال کھا جاتے ہیں. حتیٰ کہ فاؤنڈیشن کے نام پر فنڈ لے کر سارا پیسہ خود ہی کھا جاتے ہیں. جب خرچ کرنے والے کو یہ پتہ چلتا ہے کہ اس کا مال مصرف میں نہیں لگا تو وہ مایوس ہو جاتا ہے. چنانچہ وہ امدادی سرگرمیاں بند کر دیتا ہے جس کے نتیجے میں بہت سے سفید پوش لوگوں کی مالی معاونت بھی بند ہو جاتی ہے. مجھے یہاں پر اپنی وہ پچھلی بلاگ یاد آگئی جس میں میں نے ایک عرب قبیلے کے سردار کا تذکرہ کیا تھا. جسے بظاہر ایک مجبور نظر آنے والے شخص نے ڈاکو بن کر لوٹ لیا تھا. ہمارے معاشرے میں بھی کئی ایسے افراد موجود ہیں جو اپنی مظلومیت دکھا کر ناجائز پیسہ لوٹ لیتے ہیں حالانکہ وہ حقیقی مستحق نہیں ہوتے. اسی وجہ سے پھر انہیں پکڑنے کے لیے اصول و ضوابط بنانے پڑتے ہیں.
The Rise of Begging:
Begging is an addiction; once someone succumbs to it, they abandon hard work and solely rely on begging for a living. Some have made it a profession, with an average beggar easily collecting five to six thousand rupees a day. To the public, they appear homeless and destitute, evoking sympathy and generous donations. You might have heard that in India, a beggar's hut caught fire, revealing millions of rupees that turned to ashes. The greed for money is an addiction that grows over time. Those who indulge in ill-gotten wealth develop a habit of lying and committing moral wrongs to sustain their income. Thus, beggars keep an eye on charitable activities and do not miss any opportunity, leading to a decline in the number of hard-working individuals and a steady rise in begging.
گداگری کا فروغ:
گداگری ایسی لت ہے کہ ایک دفعہ جسے لگ جائے پھر وہ ساری زندگی محنت مزدوری سے قطع تعلق ہو کر صرف مانگ کر کھاتا ہے. بعض لوگوں نے تو اسے باقاعدہ پیشے کے طور پر اختیار کر رکھا ہے. ایک عام گداگر دن میں 5 سے 6 ہزار بآسانی جمع کر لیتا ہے. لوگوں کی نظر میں تو وہ بے گھر اور مجبور ہوتا ہے اس لیے لوگ اس پر ترس کھا کر اس کی بڑھ چڑھ کر امداد کرنے کی کوشش کرتے ہیں. آپ نے شاید سنا ہو کہ انڈیا میں ایک بھکاری کے گھر پر جب آگ لگی تو لوگ یہ دیکھ کر حیران رہ گئے کہ بھکاری کی جھونپڑی سے لاکھوں کروڑوں روپے برآمد ہوئے جو جل کر خاکستر ہو گئے. مال کمانے کی ہوس ایسی عادت ہے جو وقت کے ساتھ ساتھ بڑھتی چلی جاتی ہے. حرام مال کھانے والوں کو ایسی عادت ہو جاتی ہے کہ وہ چاہ کر بھی پھر رک نہیں پاتے اور کوشش کرتے ہیں کہ جہاں سے ملے جیسا ملے چاہے جھوٹ بولنا پڑے، کسی بھی قسم کی اخلاقی برائی کا ارتکاب کرنا پڑے وہ کر گزرتے ہیں. تو اس لحاظ سے فلاحی تنظیموں کی خیراتی سرگرمیوں یعنی فنڈنگ اور ڈونیشن پر ایسے بھکاریوں کی خصوصی نظر ہوتی ہے اور وہ کوئی موقع ہاتھ سے جانے نہیں دیتے، جس کے نتیجے میں محنت مشقت کرنے والوں کی تعداد گگٹ رہی ہے اور گداگری آہستہ آہستہ بڑھتی ہی چلی جا رہی ہے.
The Need for Reform:
It is imperative that before giving money to someone claiming to be in need, we verify their legitimacy. Moreover, if you genuinely want to help a poor person, instead of giving them a few rupees and feeling superior, provide them with a sustainable means of employment. Those driven by circumstances do not shy away from hard work for themselves or their loved ones. Temporary help may bring joy, but enabling someone to stand on their own feet and become self-reliant is far better than leaving them perpetually dependent. I urge all donors to teach the needy to earn a living honestly, so they never feel the need to beg. This is the true essence of helping.
ضرورت اصلاح:
ضرورت اس امر کی ہے کہ اگر ہم کسی مستحق کو مال دینا چاہیں تو پہلے اس کی تحقیق کر لیں کہ آیا واقعی یہ مستحق بھی ہے یا نہیں؟ اور دوسری بات یہ کہ اگر آپ واقعی کسی غریب کی امداد کرنا چاہتے ہیں تو بجائے اسے دو چار روپے دے کر احسان جتلانے کے اسے مستقل بنیادوں پر روزگار مہیا کر دیجیے. جو حالات کے ہاتھوں مجبور ہوجاتا ہے، وہ اپنے لیے اپنے پیاروں کے لیے کسی قسم کی محنت مشقت کرنے سے نہیں کتراتا. کسی کی عارضی مدد کر دینا بھی اسے خوشی دے سکتا ہے مگر کسی کو اپنے پیروں پر کھڑا کر دینا، اسے مستقل بنیادوں پر روزگار دے دینا، اسے خود کفیل بنا دینا، یہ زیادہ بہتر ہے کہ وہ اور اس کا خاندان زندگی بھر کے لیے کسی کے آسرے کا انتظار کریں. میں سب خرچ کرنے والوں سے یہی استدعا کرتا ہوں کہ آپ اگر کسی کی مدد کرنا چاہتے ہیں تو اسے حلال طریقے سے کمانا سکھائیں. تاکہ اسے زندگی بھر کے لیے کسی سے مانگنے کی حاجت محسوس نہ ہو. دراصل یہی حقیقی امداد ہے.
Join Binance through THIS LINK for 10% off trading fees! Let's save together!
ٹریڈنگ فیس میں 10% چھوٹ کے لیے اس لنک کے ذریعے بائننس میں شامل ہوں! آئیے مل کر بچائیں!
We got local laws like anti mendecancy here where giving alms to the poor is against the law to discourage the behavior.
In our country, Pakistan, things are quite different. Our country's agency, ISI, relies on beggars' deception to collect information. I am not optimistic that Pakistan will work on eliminating street beggars, as data collection and security depend on these beggars. I know there might be other methods, and they might eventually eliminate beggars, but currently, it seems unlikely.
haha nobody likes beggars but we stilll have them TT
Schools for beggars in Pakistan:
Street School For Beggars In Pakistan
o.o wow didnt expect that. that makes it hardcore
Some even teach their children how to beg; imagine that.
Reminds me of the street singers' scam. A guitarist playing a song on the street with his mom helping by playing a pre-recorded audio by a professional guitarist. In Pakistan, we don't have these types of beggars. However, beggars often drug their children to earn empathy and get more money.
Some people get creative figuring out ways how to scam people. I bet they could use that same creativity figuring out ways to be more useful to society and get paid for it.
I beg to differ. Some people are smart, but only in the wrong ways. Their minds are trained to figure out opportunities to scam and deceive. However, since not all fingers are equal, I would like to give the benefit of the doubt.
Yeah, scammers' brains are most likely wired to lie, cheat and steal and probably throughout generations too.
A very small minority might break the mold; maybe.
It so sad
It's painful to see some youngsters who are all perfect but they are wasting their potential with this begging system. Children lost their identity and their personalities because of their indulgence into it.
I am student in university, as you know. Whenever I see a small kid who is begging I really feel bad! Because those kids are local kids and their parents live in the premises of university. They force or push their kids to do begging all day in university and their parents themselves are used to live in comfort zone.
Other than the mafia, another reason is unemployment. Those beggars often earn more than you in most cases, making begging a profession in Pakistan, with their own begging schools, mafia networks, and other horrible things connected to it.
In the recent years, here in Bangladesh, begging has also increased. It was found that, some mothers even went to the extent of drugging their own child to make them sleepy, so they can beg all day while holding them on their lap.
There was a Pakistani drama about this topic as well. A mother was the breadwinner of the family, and when she left for the office, her husband drugged their newborn to elicit sympathy and obtain money through begging. The child died in the end, and the mother divorced that horrible person.
After some quick googling I discovered that this is happening on a large scale these recent years. We should promote alternate ways to support poor people and discourage them from begging. This could be done in a whole lot of ways like training them to a minimum level skill in a certain field, so at the very least they can support themselves and later on their families.
One way is by giving interest-free loans to potential businesses. I did a lot of crazy stuff on hive related to helping others to make their real life better even if it was mostly proxy money. This technology can be a good start for some if their intensions are good.
I agree, this platform has potential. I'm excited to see what else it has to offer.
You should teach them about HIVE!
For those who aren't even educated about the alphabet from A to Z, it's not possible to teach them about Hive. Such remarks are too far-fetched and unrealistic.
Posts don't need to be in English to be monetized. You could be helping these people instead of attacking them.
They don't know how to read or write.
Have you seen street beggars in Pakistan, Bangladesh, or India? Sorry, I think it's far fetched and unrealistic if it's about teaching street beggars about hive.
Unless you know them all personally, I am going to have to say you are probably wrong about some of them. I looked up the literacy rates so what you are saying is probably true for many of the street beggars. In the US it seems like all the street beggars have their own blog and Youtube channel haha I guess I should be talking to them
When a person is born into a family of street beggars, they start begging from their mom's womb. People even drug their newborns to earn more. Some cut their own body parts to get more money. They beg at signals, restaurants, near institutions, and in public places. They do this 24/7 as street beggars. They don't show any talent to get money. All they say is, 'Give me in the name of God.' They are very annoying if you haven't met one. If you are ordering a burger from a street vendor, they will poke you and continuously repeat, 'Give me in the name of God.' Let me show you some examples (I picked some utube shorts for you, I recommend watching all of them to get an idea of the subject I am trying to discuss in the blog):
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/if44iQWjGrE
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oVrVcAftSBs
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LyUubBKSUPY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rn1l_G3F4Q
میں اپ کی بات سے مکمل طور پر متفق ہوں۔ جو اسٹال غریبوں کے لیے لگائے جاتے ہیں وہاں پر ایسے لوگ بھی آ جاتے ہیں کہ جو مالی لحاظ سے ٹھیک ہیں۔ پھر وہ کام چور ہو جاتے ہیں اور اپنی جھوٹی معزوری ظاہر کر کے کمانے کی کوشش کرتے ہیں۔ میں نے کئی ایسے نوجوانوں کو دیکھا ہے کہ جو کام کر سکتے ہیں لیکن پھر بھی وہ بیگ مانگ رہے ہیں۔ ایسا زیادہ تر پاکستان میں ہی دیکھنے کو ملتا ہے
Reminds me of Sehri and Iftar programs attended by YouTubers, which were actually hosted for poor people. Yup, YouTubers. You heard it right the first time.
It's a bigger issue than any one post can handle.
Every word you said was correct and I have no doubt that a large portion of the money given to beggars is wasted. As a rule I do not and will not give money to beggar. However, being generous is still imperative!
I happily give to the Salvation Army here in Abbotsford. It is an organization which offers meals, medical help, and a place to sleep for those who (a) are homeless and have nothing but also (b) agree to not use drugs and try to better themselves. Anyone caught using drugs of fighting is out of the shelter. I know people working in the shelter and I know the nurse in charge of arranging the medical help. Money there is well spent.
The same thing goes for my local church. They regularly make food baskets and give money t those who have an immediate need. Again, they do not give to beggars but for those with an identified need (rent, food, medical supplies and so forth) we try hard to help.
Even when I was trying to help an Afghani refugee (Muslim) and we went to the local government aid workers as they were struggling....the government aid workers reached out to the local churches for food and assistance for them. Some Muslim wouldn't take generosity from Christian churches (or Sikh ones which are also represented in our city). However, the generosity of the churches were available to all.
How to get aid to those who truly need it has been a challenge to all who wish to help. It is really important to help though. As for myself, when I was younger I was one of those in need of help.
I would never have gotten my first bicycle if not for the generosity of strangers.
There were times we would not have food on the table if not for the generosity of strangers.
There were times I would not have had a place to sleep if not for the generosity of strangers.
I know the power of helping others. I know the power of paying it forward. I know the pitfalls of finding the right person to donate to.
I will not fall prey to pity for beggars and panhandlers. However, I hope to pray for those who don't have enough and will actively donate money on causes that will help.
If my money goes to those who are thieves or scammers? Well, I believe God settles the scales in the end. They will get their due someday :)
Thanks for the post.
I had a misconception that people might take advantage of your generosity and that you could end up giving money to scammy beggars. It's good to know that you are not blindly doing charity. I know you are smart and have a sweet heart. While there are good people in this world, there are also scammers lurking around.
Similar to the Salvation Army, I give to Saylani here. I know their services in Pakistan and appreciate their work, but there are many even doing better than Saylani. I am aware of some charitable groups that offer interest-free loans for business and help people by funding shops, machines, etc. These groups allow people to pay back a percentage of whatever they make monthly without any extra amount. Costs and risks are covered by the charity. This method helps people come out of poverty.
You went through some tough times, man. If you have written about those in any of your blogs, I would love to have a sneak peek. Do drop the link. My father took care of more than one family when I was young, which resulted in less for our own family. I can't write those relatives' names here, but this kind of help is common in Pakistan. This was just to give you an idea. I remember many moments in life when I didn't have new shoes or new school bags because my dad was the breadwinner for more than one family. He also became a taxi driver along with his day job to feed everyone. It was tough, but I never saw a day when we didn't have food. As a child, sometimes I didn't have new and shiny things like my friends did. On the first day of a new class, the majority had new shoes, clothes, bags, and bottles. I don't remember having such luxuries in life. Now that I am grown up, I see it as a blessing to have had the things I did, like food, water, electricity, and shelter.
Well said, it will bite them in the end. I believe in karma. The karma I like to believe in is that whenever we do good or bad to a person, and if they pray for us or curse us, even if in their heart, a creature is born. It's the job of this creature to bless or punish us for that deed within this world. As long as they have good or bad feelings in their heart about another human being over a deed, the creature stays alive. It can control human thoughts and actions for blessing or revenge. It might all be a nice fiction just to make humans behave, but karma is an interesting concept for those who believe in it.
I haven't written about my trials as a child as who would want to read about that? My profile says I'm from Canada and that alone puts me in a better position than many here.
However, my father left when I was 6 leaving my mother with a 6 and 4yr old child. He never gave her money to live on and while she worked hard her wages were very low. Many things happened over the years but we were always poor. We lived in a house that was poorly built. I remember when I was about 8 I was a friend of a neighbor who was Indian but the parents wouldn't let me play with him because they thought I was beneath their station. I was bullied in elementary and middle school. I had my heart broken by the first girl I ever loved (and proposed to). I was homeless after University surviving on the charity of friends who let me couch surf.
Old clothes. Donated toys. No money.
But its not how you start the race.....It is how you finish.
My trials when I was younger taught me the value of money and gave me the strength to persevere as I got older. I've always put my faith in God and he has never let me down. I am in a strong financial position now but know that it could vanish in a moment I do understand Karma but my bible does put it a little differently. As a Christian God is the judge of all (myself included) and will judge everyone fairly on their deeds and on what they have failed to do. It also says that judgement belongs to him.....not to me. My job is simply to be a good steward of all I've been given. Every breath, every dollar, every chance meeting are all opportunities to do what is right. Of course being a good steward also means trying to be shrewd to get the most value out of everything I've been given.
I'm sure that many will take advantage of my nature and heart. That is the way of things on earth. I'll try not to be fooled but I'm certain people are sneakier than my brain even allows me to think. Still, a little common sense goes a long ways and beggars and addicts are typically not a good use of funds. As you said, often beggars make more money than those who work all day.
On a different note.... I think I saw a post of yours about "The Crowd venture". I don't know if it is something you are interested in but perhaps I could donate some money to the cause with the understanding that you keep all the capital I donate...a portion of any income you get... then support Hive and maybe the GLD token if there's a little left over :) Just a thought.
Sorry to keep you waiting for 9 days for my reply. I was on a break from Hive to take care of my health. I needed some fresh air and an outing. Now I’m back, so I can reply to you.
You mentioned your father. I can somewhat understand what it feels like to be without a father because mine went to Qatar for work for 3 years. It was tough for me, even though I had my father’s social network to support me. I can only partially grasp the challenges of being raised by a single parent. Your mom is definitely a hero for raising such a nice gentleman on her own. You are the result of all her struggles. If she is in heaven, she would be smiling to see how her little seed grew into a sweet cherry blossom.
Regarding poverty, I have already shared my part of the story.
About bullying, I’m not sure if you know the difference between cartoons and anime. If you do, I recommend an anime called "Lookism." I usually don’t cry, but watching "Lookism" made me cry. The bully beats the main character in front of his mom, and a grown man cries. The songs in the anime have very deep meanings. You will enjoy it, and it might change your perspective on a few things. If you are interested in anime, I also recommend "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas." If you prefer something that isn't about bullying, "Lookism" has about 4 times more watch time than "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas" and is definitely worth it. I cried at the ending too, and remember, I usually don’t cry watching anything online. Personally, I don’t remember facing any serious bullying.
Oh, first love. It hurts. No words here. I am not the best person to talk about relationships. I just know how to bow down and sacrifice to save a relationship. I usually win people and lose arguments even when I’m right and the other person is wrong. It’s very hard for me to hate someone I once loved. I also let go of my love if I get in the way of their freedom, dreams, and goals. They can leave if they want, but it’s hard for me to stop loving them. That’s just how I am. But humans change; maybe in 5 years, I will be a different person and this comment will be outdated.
How many of those friends who helped you and provided you shelter are still your friends?
I’m happy to see how you came out of poverty. If someone reads this in the future, I hope you can serve as an inspiration that change is possible.
About toys, my father didn’t buy me a lot due to his heavy responsibilities. I didn’t have donated toys, but I had a neighbor who bought a lot of toys. It was against my family traditions to play with toys that were not mine, so I couldn’t bring them home even if my friend wanted to give them to me. If you remember, I mentioned a lady in my blogs as the "Golden Sparrow." My grandma gave me money to buy my neighbor's toys because she knew I wanted his toys, not ones from a shop. You know how kids want that specific shiny thing. I used to buy his toys in bulk at a very cheap rate after he got bored of them. Some were even broken. When my dad saw me playing with a broken transformer truck, he went to a shop and asked for toy prices. The shopkeeper said 500 PKR, but when he noticed my dad couldn't afford it, he sold it for 300 PKR (he called my dad back after he had left the shop). Another thing about toys is that once, my cousin's bus and my ambulance clashed during play, and my ambulance broke because it was cheaper. Money can't buy happiness for sure, but it can buy good quality products.
About charity, I will cover that in your dedicated post.
Regarding Hive Crowdventure, I received your gift of 20 HBD. Each Crowdventure post has an allocated fund of $10, so for episodes 2 and 3, I will increase the budget to $20 per episode. How I use it, you’ll need to find out from episodes 2 and 3. One thing is sure: it will be a HODL.
Thanks for leaving a detailed comment. If you know, I give 1 Drawmatic to one lucky person per blog. It seems you won this blog's lucky comment reward. What's Drawmatic? It's a lottery that never expires and forever grows. So hold tight; maybe you’ll win big someday. I think you already received a few gifts from my side. If not Drawmatic, then SBI for sure. Karma pays back. You spent time reading and making me feel better. I hope you win big one day from Drawmatic. The way it's designed, you can buy one for yourself and one for a nominee at the same price: 1 Hive for 2 Drawmatic tokens. HP is staked forever, and its curation rewards are powered down. Instead of giving to all delegators, it pays to one delegator all the Hive. So it's a lottery that never expires and forever grows.
Quick reply :) No worries on 9 days to get a reply, I'm patient and you are very busy.
I don't know if I'll ever be inspiration for someone who is poor as every story is unique. However, if someone finds solace in knowing that someone else started collecting garbage and is now financially secure then I'd smile knowing my trials helped someone else.
As for those who were my friends from back in University? There were four of them. Tim, Cam, Mike and Jason.
Tim is one I no longer have contact with. Long and somewhat sad story about choosing the right person as a mate.
Cam I visited just last Monday. I still consider him a good friend but he never had children. It may seem like a small thing but a family man and a man without children have little in common and its hard to spend time together. Now that my children have grown, well, its time to start our friendship again.
Mike I have not seen for a long time. He has had a hard road. Having a child that is on the spectrum (autism) makes things challenging. Having a wife who cheated on him and raised his children in a questionable manner made it even harder. He shut himself off from the world for a while needing time to heal, however, he has started to rekindle old friendships and I'm looking forward to getting together with him soon.
I wish I could say that Jason was still a friend of mine. He had a genius that I wish I could someday compare to....but I'm not even close (and I won a Governor General award for academic achievement in 1987...proof available on the government website....although it was only a bronze award). He recently lost a battle with cancer and the world lost a wonderful person.
If you are curious perhaps I could find a picture of the crew from 30 years ago (when I was about your age)
As for the drawmatic and crowdventure...maybe you could send me a tag when the updates come out :)
Have a great day.
Yup, I am curious. :)
In my country it's almost similar and it's very disappointing. Negative side is greater than the positive output.
Street begging is not the solution to end poverty. There are many other alternatives if the goal is charity and helping people escape poverty.
Thats really a big message . Begging is not a good job . I had read all the post . you delivered Really a great message😊.keep it up..
Thanks for passing by.
😊
Yeah man, whenever you see a beggar avoid giving him/her anything. Because in this way we aren't ending this thing instead we are increasing it.
Well written.
@tipu curate 8
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 0/75) Liquid rewards.
I do give to transgender individuals. In our country, their rights are violated; they can't find jobs in most cases. If you remember, I once wrote about an incident when I had nothing to give, so I gave my packet of chips. I don't think that this is the right thing to do, but everyone has a belly to feed. If they can't beg or find jobs, they might resort to prostitution. For them, I believe begging would be better than being a prostitute. Things will remain the same until the situation of trans individuals and their rights improve.
An Alternative Reality!
In Bangladesh from my personal experience, When I go out I see many beggars who seem like that they can work or they have the ability to do work but they are begging. Some are fooling people. They take it as a profession. Now -a -days it really tough to find out which one is actually needy. As a result needy people are deprived. You well said. I also think same. We have to help them in such a way that they are not begging again. They can be self reliant.
Thanks for agreeing with my point of view. Let's make this world a better place together, one step at a time.
Yep. Exactly. They( beggars) manipulate us by using the names of religious entities and most people fall in their trap.
Nice blog.
We can't expect better from them (street beggars) anyway. They are born and raised this way. On the other hand, I am hopeful that interest-free loans for businesses can change lives.