Are there poor in Kerala who need help?
We ask this question when someone seeks monetary help. And, conclude that this “someone” is a drunkard or an idler or a trickster. It is not because we need an excuse to not share our hard earned money, precious time or valuable skills, but due to various hoodwink stories and the general notion “Kerala ranks highest in India with respect to social development indices on literacy, healthcare and eradication of poverty”.
Is this opinion correct? If not, how to identify the genuine people who need assistance? Can they be released from their perpetual need for help? Read our Stories for answers.
While the general notion on Kerala’s high social development indices and some cheat stories are true, the public opinion “No need for Help” is not true. Disaster strikes families in different ways – Old age coupled with illness and no one to provide physical, financial or moral support; accidents or illness at the prime of youth; healthy in the family unable to work as they have to tend the sick; meager savings spent, property sold and deep in debt to meet the expenses of treatment. Eventually such families will not be able to meet their basic needs without assistance from society. They will need assistance for food, medicine and shelter. In spite of all these, many want to take control of the reins of their own destiny.
Help needs to be provided, but it should reach right people. Any news on help reaching wrong hands will eclipse the genuine need in society; the noble intentions to help and the goodwill at large. Also, victims and their families need to be empowered to support themselves.