During my time in India, I had the opportunity to participate in a charity project through my organisation in the UK. It was part of a broader corporate initiative to engage employees in giving back, and as someone who’s been increasingly interested in acts of kindness and community service, I was eager to get involved.
But as I reflect on the experience, I’m left with mixed feelings-about the role of corporate-sponsored volunteering, the impact it has on the communities we serve, and the sometimes superficial nature of these activities.
The Project: Painting a School with Children’s Villages of India
The opportunity arose during a trip to India, and I reached out to my colleagues there to see if they had any charity work planned during the days I would be in the country. As it turned out, they had an activity lined up: painting a school for SOS Children’s Villages of India-a common, if somewhat cliché, activity for large multinational corporations.
I showed up at the office in Delhi, where I was given a T-shirt and a paintbrush, and along with my colleagues, we boarded a bus to one of the children’s villages. The goal was simple: brighten up the school by giving it a fresh coat of paint. It’s a well-intentioned activity that gets mixed reviews from those who partake in or witness it.
On the one hand, projects like these offer a practical way for corporate employees-many of whom may not have skills that are directly applicable to addressing poverty or other social challenges-to contribute to something tangible. In this case, the company paid for the paint, transportation, and lunch, ensuring that the employees could spend a few hours “giving back” without too much disruption to their work schedules.
The Western Saviour Complex
However, as the day unfolded, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the project embodied a certain Western Saviour mentality. We, a group of business professionals with no particular expertise in education or poverty alleviation, had arrived to “fix” something. And our solution? A fresh coat of paint.
While there’s nothing inherently wrong with brightening up a space-after all, a cheerful environment can have a positive effect on everyone one including children-it felt, in some ways, like we were treating the symptoms rather than the root causes. We spent a day doing something visually impressive, but I couldn’t help but wonder:
Was this really the best way to help?
The fact that we didn’t interact with the children or staff at the village left me feeling somewhat disconnected from the very people we were supposedly helping. We arrived, painted, and left, without any meaningful engagement with the community. It’s a stark contrast to what I’ve learned about effective charity work, where the focus is on building relationships and understanding the real needs of the people you’re trying to support. It was only later on that evening did I have a deeper look in to the work of the charity and it was at that moment that I real realised the disconnect between our two worlds and our share activity. I wanted to know more.
A Practical but Limited Impact
One thing I can appreciate about these corporate-sponsored initiatives is that they offer employees a chance to participate in charity work in a structured, practical way. For many, the convenience of having their company organise the event, pay for materials, and provide transportation is what makes it possible to give their time at all.
And while the impact of painting a school may be limited, it’s certainly a step up from armchair activism. The organisation was able to provide a small benefit to the school, and for the employees involved, it was an opportunity to step outside of their usual corporate environment and experience something different.
The Harsh Reality: What Charities Really Need
However, as I reflect on the experience, I can’t help but think about what would have been a more meaningful way to contribute. Charities like SOS Children’s Villages of India often face significant financial challenges. They need funds to continue their operations, support their staff, and provide the resources their communities need.
Perhaps, instead of painting a school, the more impactful choice would have been to donate the money that was spent on organising the day-the paint, the transportation, and the catered lunch. This money could have been put to use in ways that directly benefited the children and families who rely on the services provided by the charity. Or even better: maybe to donate the day’s salary of the individuals that attended.
In hindsight, it feels like we were missing the mark by focusing on something that looked good on the surface but didn’t address the deeper needs of the community.
What I Learned: The Importance of Thoughtful Giving
The experience in India reinforced for me the complexity of charity work and the importance of thoughtful giving. While it’s easy to get caught up in the idea of doing something that feels good or looks impressive, it’s important to take a step back and ask: What do these communities really need? How can we make a lasting impact?
Sometimes, that means giving our time in a more meaningful way-by building relationships, listening to the needs of the community, and offering skills or resources that can make a lasting difference. Other times, it might mean providing financial support, ensuring that the charity has the resources it needs to continue its work.
Moving Beyond the Surface
In the end, the experience of painting a school in India was eye-opening. It gave me a chance to reflect on the way we approach volunteerism and charity work, particularly in the context of large multinational organisations. While these initiatives are well-intentioned, they often stop short of addressing the real needs of the communities they aim to serve.
As I continue to explore different ways of giving back, I’m reminded of the importance of thoughtful, intentional charity work-work that goes beyond the surface and makes a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most. But also trying to grasp the. best possible way to get people involved because without this event, the scholl would not have been painted and so is this a step in the right direction???
