The question is a subtle and nuanced one. I have
been working in the social change sector for the last three years. It started
out quite simply; we would sweat it out in rural villages talking to women of
all age groups about their day-to-day lives and gathering valuable field data
about the obstacles they faced. The hours were long and the work conditions
were often gruelling. Nonetheless, I found the whole experience riveting. These
early experiences engaging directly with the women whose issues I fight for on
a daily basis not only altered the way in which I see myself, but also how I
understand the women around me. I had found my cause.
Consequently, as I discovered more about the
amazing work so many of my peers were committing themselves to, I knew that I
wanted to dedicate myself to the same cause. Unsatisfied with simply standing
by the side lines while law after law, case after case against women went
unnoticed I wanted to learn, may be even chip in an idea or two. It’s a true
reflection of the social change sector, that despite my lack of formal
experience in the area, my ideas and I were welcomed into the team with open
arms (if only time stood still).
The more knowledgeable I became, the harder I
worked. The more I worked the more my network began to expand to include VIPs.
I was interacting with the “names which matter”, The Titans of the
social change sector in India as I like to refer to them. These are the women
and men who call the shots, organize the big rallies, are called on by the
media to comment and who the media in turn listen to. I won’t lie it was an
honor just to be in their company. Forgive me for what I am about to say, but
it felt like being called up from the minor leagues to play alongside Michael
Jordan. At times, sitting at the same round table as The Titans, who have
dedicated their lives to the cause, I had to pinch myself to believe that I was
actually invite to sit there and contribute (again if only time could stand
still).
Undoubtedly, I was just as naïve as the people who
believe Rajnikanth is a fictional character. Lost in the romance of activism (I still
am), it took around ten meetings before I came to the realization that in
the desperate race to prove their own organization was worthier than the
others, each of the amazing Titans had somehow forgotten about the “cause”.
Spending their days sitting in air-conditioned conference halls, delivering
presentations with the aide of management speak with big words to explain basic
problems they had all but abandoned the social realities on the ground. They
had lost touch with the cause that initially led them to the fight for equal
rights.
In my experience, there are only two variables,
which will determine the likely success of such meetings/ conferences/
workshops or blue-sky thinking seminars: the venue and the goody bags. So what
do you do? You have no choice but to meet in the finest hotels where upon
arrival at the registration desk you are greeted with an Italian leather laptop
bag containing a notepad made out of recycled paper (an informal rule of the
trade is that at least one item in every goody bag has to be eco-friendly),
a custom pen with the logo of the host organization (never ever forget the
logo, your branding is key). You’ll struggle through the morning speakers
and stare at your watch every 20 mins. Once lunch finally arrives, you are
treated to an exotic buffet selection, which you’ll wash down at the open
bar. You’ll notice that the single malts are particularly popular. So the
careful balance begins. Drink in one hand, platter of continental foods in the
other, you’ll sit and discuss how to make India a better place.
What happens next? The scripted dialogue follows
and I start to feel like I’m judging an episode of India’s Next Best NGO. Sir,
you should hear about the amazing work MY organization does. WE are here
to guide you, because WE have been blessed to be the leaders in this field. Got
the gist? Yes, in a room full of social workers the only discussions taking
place revolve around the merits of each of their organizations vis-à-vis the
others who are utterly and completely useless/wrong/fake and should be wiped
off the NGO map. Why? Because we’re the best. To sum it up, it would
appear that hosting a pow wow on women in the right venue, with the best goody
bags and the most delicious lunch is leading its participants to act in a way
that is devoid of any connection to the women in the field, to the struggles
they face and the goals they initially set for themselves to make this world a
better place. Somewhere along the way, we lost touch with our cause.
We can boast of a country with 1.21 billion people,
the majority of which live below the poverty line, are chronically malnourished
and wake up every day with the simple goal of surviving. I believe that in
order to effect real sustainable change we need to be more inclusive and less
skilled in our collecting of goody bags. I see the choice as a simple one, we
can choose to distract ourselves with petty discussions stripping each other’s
organizations of meaning or we can rally under a single umbrella. We can choose
to strengthen and contribute to each other’s efforts under a new mandate for
social change and become The Social Heavyweights that our country needs. I for
one plan on hanging up my free Italian laptop bag. Will you join me?
