Threw the Bums A Dime
Dear Friends, Asalaamu-a-lekum,
Peace be with you.
Worth about four cents, the two taka note it is the smallest denomination bill in Bangladesh. These small squares serve a multitude of purposes, passing from dirty hand to sweaty hand to pay for daily essentials. I usually pay my rickshaw wallah with two or three 2 taka notes, and they in turn can spend 2 taka on a cigarette or banana. Two taka will buy a couple boxes of matches for a housewife, or a small cup of tea in the village for her husband.
Two taka is what I can give to the beggar on the corner to make him take his thin body away from me. It is a solution to my feelings of guilt and discomfort. Does the 2 taka help the beggar? Lift him out of his poverty in any way? Having given my two taka it is no longer my problem; he has gotten out of my way. My charity has allowed him to eat, so he can live another day.
Two taka is also the way Joyful women's committee started saving. Most Bangladeshis have no savings. Every penny is needed for day-to-day life. Any extra that might come is spent on a bit of meat for dinner, or a visit to see Grandma in the village. When someone gets sick, or the crops get flooded, or school fees rise the family borrows from extended family, a neighbor, or the local money lender. When the Office starts working in an area we work with groups that save some money every week, so that they have cash if they need to visit a doctor, or money to start a business.
At first each of the group members of Joyful women's committee saved two taka a week. After 3 months they saw it wasn't so hard. By skipping one cup of tea a week, or stowing away the taka that would otherwise be luxuriously spent on a candy, they had saved over 500 taka! They decided that they could save more than 2 taka a week, and now, five years later are saving 10 taka per week. If they get seasonal labor, they can save even more, so now their total group savings is 98, 930 taka. Out of that group fund they have each been taking loans to start businesses, such as selling underwear door to door, and to pay hospital fees. About 50,000 taka of their total savings is out on loan right now, and they divide the interest among themselves. Last week they each got 2 taka from the interest. Those two taka are not charity. They are building individual pride and self confidence. They are creating a society of self-reliance and co-operation. They encourage people to plan for the future.
Blackbird adolescent girls group has been watching their mothers, the women of Joyful women's committee. The twelve girls in Blackbird adolescent group all go to school, and have decided to save part of their lunch money every week. They want to use this money for school fees, in the event that their parents can't cover them. If they don't use the money for school fees they hope to use it in starting a business after they are finished with school, or for further education.
When Supria, the Peer Educator who helps run Blackbird adolescent group, came to me a few months ago and asked me what to do with this group that wanted to save their money I was surprised. When we started working with these kids they did not think about the future. They did not expect anything from life except for what their parents had experienced. The goal of our adolescent program is to help teens and pre-teens prepare for their future through awareness building on various issues, values formation, and teaching them life skills. We also have a computer class, and a special savings group in which we matched the savings of the girls, as long as the money was used for education. I explained to Supria that we could not provide matching funds to any other adolescents, but she said the kids weren't expecting matching funds. They wanted to save for their future.
I proposed the idea to the other peer educators and they affirmed it. It seems that several other groups have wanted to start saving and planning for their future. Now we have created space for savings in the adolescent program, and a new generation is learning the worth of two taka when it is saved. Now 10 of the 64 groups in our program are saving regularly, and more are planning to start saving in the next year. Now I have learned not to underestimate the potential of these teenagers.
The adolescent group teenagers who are planning for their futures and the beggar I started this story with are probably neighbors. What is the difference between the two taka given to the beggar and the two taka saved by an adolescent group?
The beggar needs two taka from me to help him through today. When I give to him it reaffirms to both me and him that he has nothing and I have everything. He sacrifices his pride and acknowledges that he cannot survive on his own, while I concede to give to him from my wealth. He is dependent, while I am God-like in my seemingly limitless resources.
The group member learning to save two taka is discovering that she has resources. She can plan for the future, one small step at a time. It reaffirms to both me and her that while I can teach her learn new skills, she knows better than me how to apply the new skills to her situation. We are two people made in the image of God, working with dignity towards the future.
Walekum Asalaam, with you may there be peace.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poverty is about more than just taka. We often think of poor people as those who do not have money, but there are many ways that people end up not having money. Poor health, illiteracy, lack of power, and other injustices all contribute to low household income. The Committe works to build people's abilities in all areas of life. Alongside of income generation we also work in health, literacy, leadership building, and justice. By addressing all these areas together people can raise their standard of living and address the root causes of poverty in their community.
Peace be with you.
Worth about four cents, the two taka note it is the smallest denomination bill in Bangladesh. These small squares serve a multitude of purposes, passing from dirty hand to sweaty hand to pay for daily essentials. I usually pay my rickshaw wallah with two or three 2 taka notes, and they in turn can spend 2 taka on a cigarette or banana. Two taka will buy a couple boxes of matches for a housewife, or a small cup of tea in the village for her husband.
Two taka is what I can give to the beggar on the corner to make him take his thin body away from me. It is a solution to my feelings of guilt and discomfort. Does the 2 taka help the beggar? Lift him out of his poverty in any way? Having given my two taka it is no longer my problem; he has gotten out of my way. My charity has allowed him to eat, so he can live another day.
Two taka is also the way Joyful women's committee started saving. Most Bangladeshis have no savings. Every penny is needed for day-to-day life. Any extra that might come is spent on a bit of meat for dinner, or a visit to see Grandma in the village. When someone gets sick, or the crops get flooded, or school fees rise the family borrows from extended family, a neighbor, or the local money lender. When the Office starts working in an area we work with groups that save some money every week, so that they have cash if they need to visit a doctor, or money to start a business.
At first each of the group members of Joyful women's committee saved two taka a week. After 3 months they saw it wasn't so hard. By skipping one cup of tea a week, or stowing away the taka that would otherwise be luxuriously spent on a candy, they had saved over 500 taka! They decided that they could save more than 2 taka a week, and now, five years later are saving 10 taka per week. If they get seasonal labor, they can save even more, so now their total group savings is 98, 930 taka. Out of that group fund they have each been taking loans to start businesses, such as selling underwear door to door, and to pay hospital fees. About 50,000 taka of their total savings is out on loan right now, and they divide the interest among themselves. Last week they each got 2 taka from the interest. Those two taka are not charity. They are building individual pride and self confidence. They are creating a society of self-reliance and co-operation. They encourage people to plan for the future.
Blackbird adolescent girls group has been watching their mothers, the women of Joyful women's committee. The twelve girls in Blackbird adolescent group all go to school, and have decided to save part of their lunch money every week. They want to use this money for school fees, in the event that their parents can't cover them. If they don't use the money for school fees they hope to use it in starting a business after they are finished with school, or for further education.
When Supria, the Peer Educator who helps run Blackbird adolescent group, came to me a few months ago and asked me what to do with this group that wanted to save their money I was surprised. When we started working with these kids they did not think about the future. They did not expect anything from life except for what their parents had experienced. The goal of our adolescent program is to help teens and pre-teens prepare for their future through awareness building on various issues, values formation, and teaching them life skills. We also have a computer class, and a special savings group in which we matched the savings of the girls, as long as the money was used for education. I explained to Supria that we could not provide matching funds to any other adolescents, but she said the kids weren't expecting matching funds. They wanted to save for their future.
I proposed the idea to the other peer educators and they affirmed it. It seems that several other groups have wanted to start saving and planning for their future. Now we have created space for savings in the adolescent program, and a new generation is learning the worth of two taka when it is saved. Now 10 of the 64 groups in our program are saving regularly, and more are planning to start saving in the next year. Now I have learned not to underestimate the potential of these teenagers.
The adolescent group teenagers who are planning for their futures and the beggar I started this story with are probably neighbors. What is the difference between the two taka given to the beggar and the two taka saved by an adolescent group?
The beggar needs two taka from me to help him through today. When I give to him it reaffirms to both me and him that he has nothing and I have everything. He sacrifices his pride and acknowledges that he cannot survive on his own, while I concede to give to him from my wealth. He is dependent, while I am God-like in my seemingly limitless resources.
The group member learning to save two taka is discovering that she has resources. She can plan for the future, one small step at a time. It reaffirms to both me and her that while I can teach her learn new skills, she knows better than me how to apply the new skills to her situation. We are two people made in the image of God, working with dignity towards the future.
Walekum Asalaam, with you may there be peace.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poverty is about more than just taka. We often think of poor people as those who do not have money, but there are many ways that people end up not having money. Poor health, illiteracy, lack of power, and other injustices all contribute to low household income. The Committe works to build people's abilities in all areas of life. Alongside of income generation we also work in health, literacy, leadership building, and justice. By addressing all these areas together people can raise their standard of living and address the root causes of poverty in their community.
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