Thought of starting a charity? What would it be?

karuna

There's no need, because Family Planning are alive and well in India, but I'd want to do something around sexual health and relationships education in disadvantaged areas. And I think an awful lot of work needs doing on attitudes to disability, but again there are already home-grown Indian orgs doing this. I don't see the need to create more.

Nick-H

Those of us in the cities need it too!

And those in the poorer city areas probably need it much more urgently than people living in rural areas.

Leave out the word 'local' there .

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capt_mahajan

Rajiv Gandhi made a comment once, that out of every 100 rupees the government 'spends', one rupee reaches the people it's meant to.

He should have known.

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federica

I guess that's similar all over the world. I remember our ex-chancellor (at that time a not so famous politician)saying: "Saving money means for a government: to throw the money out of the window only with one hand, not anymore with two...

Just imagine there would be no NGOs in India... I am sure they use at least 25% of the money in a more efficient way.

Familyonthemove

Fascinating thread .... before I arrived I planned to set up a regular payment into a children's education charity - but Pratham in Bombay did not reply to my mails. Now I'm not sure about the best way to make sure my donations have a positive impact.

I've spotted a local orphanage near where I live, and I like the idea of supporting something I can see. Anyone have any experience of providing support for an orphanage? Are there any issues I should be aware of? Could they be a front for child labour rackets or siphoning off government funds ... ? or anything else I need to consider before getting involved?

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capt_mahajan

FOTM, I won't go into details, but I have experience of about 6 orphanages, either running one or supporting one, or bailing out people who got into trouble for their involvement.

If you are serious, I would

-check if they are registered
-check their audited accounts, salary structure, perks etc.. see my earlier post.
-check what they do and how they do it

basically you want to be sure its a legal bonafide charity supporting orphans, and not supporting the charity operators in any way

Child labour rackets? Unlikely, though not unheard of.
Siphoning govt or private funds: Statistically (dunno this charity) much more likely.

Familyonthemove

Thanks Capt .... I'll visit with one of my colleagues from Internal Audit and see what he thinks of them.

mary10

I think many of the NGo's really try in their own way. Problem is often that the people running it don't always have sufficient management skills. They may have good intentions, but all necessary skills are not there. Sure, some may see it as a form of business to earn a salary while doing social work... So, let them. There is so much that needs to be done and a little help is better than no help. It doesnt necessarily have to be wrong. I personally don't mind that they should have some benefits as long as the project as a whole can also achieve something.
Why should we expect people to be starving volunteers, Mother Theresas and abandon to have anything in the world simply because they would help someone???

But, my experience from the NGO's I've dealt with is that they have no monies and they certainly receive no monies from the government that can be called 'aid' in any way, shape or form! People are very stingy to donate and if they do, they may give a one time donation but it costs a lot of money to run a charity on a monthly basis.
Here comes to mind a project that was run by a couple from South India who started taking care of orphans. They grew into 700 orphans because it was hard for them to say no. They got Rs 350 a year (!) for only half of the children from "government aid". Find me anyone in India who survives on Rs 350 a year! This was calculated to be enough 'aid' to both feed, clothe, and educate these children... Yeah right!
Donors don't come forth easy either. So when money ran out the children often had no food. The couple started selling their own properties and anything they had to try and cover the cost of food alone. Finally, the husband died and the wife was left alone to struggle with these difficult challenges. The children then sometimes started eating grass and stealing to survive!

It was a horrendous situation. And this was just one example of an NGO trying sincerely and getting no help from anyone. Finally, they were lucky and got taken on by a large NGO with large foreign backing, that felt pity for them. Now the charity is running smoothly.

Nick-H

That is a terrifying story. It has parallels with the people who find themselves lumbered with hundreds of animals, and end up unable to properly look after any of them.

I don't like to try to imagine the conditions that 700 childrren must have been living in, because the people were unable to say, 'full up'. Although that, in itself, must be an awful thing to have to do too.

And yet, I hear tell that people have started orphanages from the sole motivation that they could get property, vehicle and healthy profit out of grants. Hardly better, perhaps, than the people who run gangs of children begging on the streets.

mary10

I think the people who start charities to imagine to gain themselves properties, luxury cars and whatever live in the same fantasy world like all those (often foreign) Florence Nightingale's, who have little reason and a lot of fantasies of running charities for every imaginary dream of theirs to save the world!

Running a charity in India is a NIGHTMARE. You need to be very insightful, strong, courageous, well connected and protected, business and management savvy. Some people take it as a challenge and are stubborn and deeply rooted in ideals. They can probably make it.

I've seen many charities starting out of pure naivety, with some good intentions and little common sense. And sometimes even by people who have been unable to accomplished even small things in their own life and who are basically charity cases themselves. Sort of like "the blind leading the blind". One can understand that if we can't manage a career or success in a normal society, we will most likely not be successful running a charity either - which would require far more effort, courage and persistance.

The older couple I mentioned, had a tile factory and planned they could carry income from the factory to pay for running of the orphanage. But they were not business savvy. So they couldn't handle it. Their intentions were real, but dreams alone wont solve such difficult and challenging projects.

Nick-H

Spot on. Again sad --- but so true.

Talking about the other kind, the profiteering kind, my information is second-hand only (and I don't think I want to actually know such people!) but I suspect they occupy a place in the political mafia and are just another way for those kind of people to drain money from the system into the pockets of friends and family.

poipleshadow

When we started, I have to say I didn't really know much about what we were doing, at least both of us had at least 6 months experience volunteering doing a similar thing so between us we had a good idea of what was needed and how places ran, although little knowledge of the hassles involved with trying to get anything done with the government or lots of other things....

We now get lots of people coming to us for advice about starting a charity, which I find quite amuzing, this includes charities that have been running longer than us! My first responce to people wanting to start their own is - DON'T! - It's a VERY hard thing to do, especially as a 'foreigner'. Thankfully we're both as stubborn as hell and hate giving up on anything so that's how we've got this far. You also need to work damn hard, thankfully we're both got different skill sets so can cover a lot of bases, this was enough to get things started at least. Things get harder now though as there's more to do so thankfully we have good experienced local staff, which makes life so much easier... (Thank goodness! - Otherwise I'd probably be in a straight jacket by now)

If I have one piece of advice (other than 'Don't do it!', is 'keep it small'. That's one of my pitfalls, I see someone who needs help and I want to help! - The problem is you must realise you can't help everybody! - It's better to do a good job with a few rather than a bad job with lots...

Thanks everyone making this an interesting thread....

alonig

I def agree with rob, being stubborn is a traite you just HAVE to have to run a charity (anywhere in the world, but esp in India),

To make it work u have to have 100% committment and be stubborn to the bone and stick to your principals and aims. If you truly believe in something, and have the courage to start out and the committment to stick with it whatever, along with loads and loads of stubborness, with a huge dollop of sense of humour, you can make it work. but its a long rocky road that never ends!!

I also think the best way to judge which are in it for the right reasons is to visit them yourselves, there are def some dodgy ones as we all know(again not just in india) but u can usually tell by visiting and seeing what they are doing.

Drews60

How about a micro bank, giving small loans of 5,000 to 10,000 rupees to get people into a small business?

I see lots of orphanages. What happens when the kids reach 18? Do they get booted out into the streets to fend for themselves? How about starting them out into a small business, tailor, barber, merchant, baker?

dzibead

That's what happens to kids in the foster-care system in the U.S. In fact, there are plenty of 18-year olds in the U.S. (and elsewhere - including India) who are aren't orphans or foster kids who are in the same position. Not everyone has a family who can "set them up." And I'm sure a lot of people in India who are older than 18 who would love to have someone set them up in a business. Not sure why an 18-year old should get that privilege. They can go out and look for work just like anyone else!