The festive season is over, and charity was, once again brought in the limelight.
How convenient to be charitable once a year and feeling good with it. On no, don’t get me wrong, better to be good once a year than never at all. The problem is that, unless in very particular instances and circumstances is not charity that saves the day, but empowerment.
I stated a few times before that I do not particularly like and approve charity if not as last resort, and in very special cases. Charity doesn’t give the receiver any choice, s/he cannot choose what as receiver s/he received as donation. You can choose the colour of the shirt you were donated, nor the type of shoes or the content of the food pack…. because it was free. Charity creates dependency and doesn’t confer any dignity on the receiver. Charity robs someone else of making a living selling the goods s/he worked to produce as you can’t compete with something that is free.
The moment we start sharing our skills and expertise, mentor, educate, and provide small financial support, we change the circumstances that have brought and kept people in poverty and ignorance. We start to empower them.
As empowered people, step by step they start to improve their condition, hope flows together with incomes. The dignity to be able to provide for themselves and their families returns, or for the first time is experienced. The whole community starts changing as more opportunities are created.
This is what we want, this is our mission.
Be charitable on Christmas or on any other religious celebration, but remember that we can do better by sharing our skills, what in Rotary is called Vocation with those who will benefit most. It will be a lasting and life changing gift.
When I was a Civil Servant with the Singapore Economic Development Board, the then Chairman, Mr. Philp Yeo was famous for saying that investment shouldn’t be in bricks but brains. He was absolutely right; education is the key!
- Use your skills and expertise to serve a community, any community.
- Practice your profession with integrity and inspire others to behave ethically through your words and actions.
- Help young people achieve their career goals.
- Guide and encourage others in their professional development.
Vocational service is the essence of Rotary and serves as the foundation from which we serve our communities around the world.