Social change needed more than charity: experts

LAHORE: Experts say that Pakistanis excel in charity but lack the philanthropic spirit. They point out that in charity the haves give some to have nots; while philanthropy is when charity is given as a primary tool for social change.

They say charity given at individual level on religious grounds or guilt is basically to satisfy the soul of the giver than the welfare, dignity or rights of the receiver. “We see people sitting in queues outside a posh residences in the fasting month of Ramazan, and the owner of the house distributing cash or kind to them,” said social worker Dr Kishwar Dhingra, adding that this charity does not differentiate who is more deserving, but the distribution is made on first come first serve basis. She said sometimes seven to eight persons of the same family get inside the queue and get more than a poorer family that sent only one person to collect the charity.

This type of charity, she added creates beggars and does not benefit the society as a whole. She said when ration is distributed on first come first serve basis some families get more than their requirement, but some weaker individuals who could not penetrate the crowd remain deprived. She said we often read in the media that many women or persons lost their lives in riots while trying to collect rations in some places.

On the other hand, Dr Kishwar said the donations given to charitable hospitals, water filtration plants, schools for poor; sewerage repair, skill training, and rehabilitation of handicapped serve the society as a whole. She said even the non government associations do not dole out charities for free. She said many governments the world over make conditional transfer to the poor.

She said it may entail community work or sending a girl child to school. She regretted that in Pakistan the largest charity is through Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), where families are provided cash without any condition. This is in line with the charity being practiced in Pakistan, she added.

Social worker Sofia Asif said charity and philanthropy is basically the outcome of inequalities in the society. She said philanthropists are rich people that out of guilt or fear of repercussion by poor give a part of their income for them. She said best philanthropists are those that help build social capital. She said some industrialists in Pakistan are planting thousands of trees every year to improve the environment. She said they are better than those that openly distribute cash to get their names registered as charitable persons.

Similarly, she said the initiative to increase and fully equip the emergency ward beds in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology to 100 from current ten beds, is money well spent, than providing two meals a day to 1,000 individuals daily from public places.

She said these recipients of food start making queues from 10 am in the morning, though the food is distributed on a card provided to them at 1 pm. Then, she added the same people start making queue for the evening meal from 4 pm.

They do nothing during the day except to collect their daily two meals. She said the amount spend on this charity might be higher than Rs310 million given to cardiology institute but it is a total waste.  It has taken 1,000 individuals from the economic mainstream, she added.

She said the state should play its role in regulating such charities, but before doing that it would have to rethink its BISP model that also creates dependence instead of empowering the poor.

She said free skill training of the poor along with monthly stipend is a better and more productive way of charity or philanthropy. She said the individuals after obtaining skills mostly get employed.

Sofia said the government should introduce reforms that ensure equitable distribution of resources.  “If this is achieved there would be no need for charity,” she concluded.