Ever since the onset of winter Abhayans have been busy
distributing free blankets to destitute and abandoned people on the roads. They
have rummaged their neighborhood in search of needy people in the dead of night
and provided them much needed relief by way of these blankets. Most of them were
women, children and barely mobile senior citizens.
It is a noble deed beyond doubt to most citizens. However
like every good deed some people view even this with certain amount of
suspicion or contempt. Through this blog I want to address this particular
section of our audience. Few statements that we get to hear once in a while are
like
“Why give free blankets. Why not teach them how to earn a
blanket”, “Who knows whether they really need them. If they don’t need them
they might actually sell it to someone else as second hand”, “They are probably
habituated living like that”.
Very valid questions indeed. And
like any vibrant rational society we should be questioning anything that
deserves to be questioned. After all answering such questions is what makes our
goals all the more relevant and acceptable to the society. We feel it’s our
duty to convince with logic and proof which would prove beyond doubt the worth
and relevance of our actions.
First question “Why to give free
blankets. Why not teach them how to earn a blanket”
Well there is an old adage “bhuke pet bhajan nahi hoye
gopala” which literally means an empty stomach cannot sing glory to lord.
Similarly a person dying of bone biting cold might not be interested in
sermons. Their priority would be to pass the night alive. Whatever money these
destitute women, children and old earn/arrange are barely sufficient to put a
morsel in their stomach.
Abhaya takes this as a first step towards the long-term goal
of rehabilitating these people that includes employing whoever can be employed
whereby they can earn their living, in other words “earn their blankets”.
Second Question, ““Who knows whether
they really need them? If they don’t need them they might actually sell it to
someone else as second hand”.
A person who is going through a constant struggle between a
cry of an empty stomach and the pain of an ailing body might be forced to
choose one over the other from time to time.
Utmost care is taken by Abhayans to ensure that the help is
extended to the most needy people. However there will always be a possibility
of it reaching someone who already has it or someone who might sell it off to
earn his next days bread. But we have to look at the larger picture where we
cannot stop this Godly work because of a tiny section of people who might miss
use it.
Third
Question “They are probably habituated living like that, so why bother”.
Sleeping on the road in a chilling winter without a blanket
cannot be a habit out of choice but rather by the lack of it. And this choice
is something we take for Granted in our lives and something that is guaranteed
by our constitution “Right to live a life of dignity”. We at Abhaya believe that
this right needs to be restored to them. With the support of Associates,
Volunteers and like-minded good citizens across the country Abhaya wishes to fulfill
this dream. We firmly believe that every single citizen of this country should
live Nirbhaya.
Abhaya’s intent is not to change the world around with its
deeds, but to transform our own selves while doing such good deeds. Changing
the world is not in our hands, but changing our self is definitely in our
hands. Come let us join hands and hearts in hunting the WINTER on the streets
of the country for those who are in need.
For further details on the Mission please visit www.abhayahome.org. For any clarifications please contact the undersigned.
Sunil
Nair
sevak@abhayafoundation.org
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