In 2022, the World Poverty Clock stated that around 83 million people (6-7% of the population) in India are living in poverty. Belonging to the weaker sections of the society, these people are usually deprived of the basic necessities which can help them lead a decent life.
According to the World Inequality Report (2022), India is one of the most unequal countries in the world that showcases a huge gap between the poor and the wealthy. Over the past few years, this gap has widened alarmingly due to several factors like natural calamities, Covid 19, corruption, and so on.
Even though there are various disaster relief funds, Covid 19 relief funds and donation help from the government and other organisations that try to uplift the underprivileged, it is still not enough to reduce this inequality gap. However, if every individual of the country put forth a constant effort, little by little, this situation can definitely take a positive turn.
How can an individual help the poor?
Here are some of the ways through which one can help the poor-
- Giving Donations
Donating can be a great way through which one can help the underprivileged sections of the society. These donations need not necessarily be monetary as one can donate resources like clothing, blankets, books and so on too.
There are many governmental, non-governmental organisations that accept donation help from the public.
Apart from donating to these organisations, one can even do school or hospital donations. You can also prefer to personally donate a meal or buy the necessities for the needy.
- Taking part in Fundraising activities and collection drives
If you are very determined to help the poor, you can always organise or take part in fundraising activities like social events and marathons to help the poor.
Nowadays, Crowdfunding has become a popular way of fundraising. In this, a social project is usually funded by raising a small amount of money from a large number of people.
Apart from that, you can also participate in collection drives that collect necessary resources from the donor’s and donate it to the underprivileged.
- Volunteering
Spending time by doing charitable work can be also seen as a great way of helping the underprivileged. One can always take part in volunteering activities (done either personally or by working with an NGO) to help the poor and needy.
- Spread awareness
In India, Poverty is the root cause of problems like lack of education, no skill development, higher health risks, malnutrition and so on. The worst part of this situation is that the poor remain either ignorant or simply unaware of these issues.
However, if someone from the community makes them understand its significance and guides them through the right path, it can certainly leave a positive impact on their lives.
Spreading awareness especially on topics like significance of education or possible health problems and how to avoid them can be a great way to help the poor. Hence, one can actively participate in awareness campaigns and devote their valuable time to the people who need it.
