A study among 700 donors by Charities Aid Foundation indicated that 96% of people gave to charity as they felt a sense of duty to give back to society and tackle inequality, using their own good fortune to help others. While I’m sure most people who donate do not require anything in return, as it is not the nature of charity work, I believe we all want to know that what we give has turned into something good and has helped someone in need.
As a successful female entrepreneur, I do a lot of charity work. I have many people to thank for who have helped me get to where I am today and I would like to express my gratitude by giving back to the community, society, and nature. However, I was never able to witness the true meaning of a good deed and its effect on other people until my trip to a small organization in Bali.
It was a normal day in Ubud when I found this lovely hand-crafted purse in a nearby souvenir shop. I was told by the staff there that the product had been made by blind local kids who were supported by an organization in Bali. After convincing her to take me to meet them, I came back to my place and prepared 30 gifts for my trip the next day in excitement and anticipation.
The following day was rainy. Bringing with me the prepared gifts, I took a two-hour cab drive to visit the kids that I already admired and respected. Little did I know that my trip that day was a door leading me to different perspectives on helping others and a newfound appreciation for life.
As requested by the organization owner, I shall not name names. This organization was an unprofited one founded by a Japanese lady who had been living in Indonesia for years. For over a decade, she has volunteered her time, money, and effort to shelter, raise, and provide work for many 9-to-14-year-old blind kids in the region. There she, along with three others, who the kids called Mom, taught the children to make the aforementioned beautiful and high-quality purses. All the profit gained from selling these products would go straight to purchasing clothing and food for the kids, as well as maintaining their living conditions.
What I found truly amazing was how the founder never wanted to seek help from donors by parading the children to the mass public. She adamantly wished to not expose the children to social media, no matter how many invitations from the media she had received. To protect their childhood innocence, she also did not let them rely on virtual entertainment offered by technological devices, but rather the traditional kids’ play. The founder herself and the other three did not carry with them cellphones but instead, used the landslide. They all wanted to make sure that the kids could grow in the best environment, and that was such a rare sight to see.
The children, despite their disability, were incredibly bright and cheerful. Not once did I see the smile leaving their pretty faces. Growing up in such a loving environment must have had the most positive impact on them. They were not ashamed of how they were born and they certainly did not let it be a factor to determine how they should enjoy their lives, nor were they taught to use it as a tool to provoke compassion from other people. The way they were treated and the way they treated me as a guest blurred the fact that the kids were blind. To me, they were phenomenal children who had this wonderful zest for life that every adult should learn from.
Moreover, they were skillful. It was almost unbelievable how they could create such exceptional products. In a way, owning the little purses they made was the best luxury one could get. It was the kind of luxury that cost you next to nothing but rather the effort and willingness to discover the behind story. Once you put in the time to get to know the origin of the product you own, its story is forever yours to keep. And isn’t that the true luxury?
Too often in life, we work so hard to move forward faster, further, and higher that our feet get lifted off the ground. Meeting these kids and spending a day with them got me grounded again and I gained this newfound respect for life. What’s more, for the first time, I found out how much meaning my good deed had on other people when I saw how touched the kids were when they received my small gifts. I have seen people who keep requesting more after being given, which made me question the essence of charity. But the reactions these children gave me were just simply gratitude and appreciation, without asking for anything else.
This trip has made me realize that helping people, especially the disabled, should never stop at merely giving them the means of living. It should be about helping them to live like normal people, inspiring them to work and contribute to society, and supporting them to have a standard life like the rest of us. When I left that place, I pledged to come back to Bali and offer this organization even more assistance so they can continue bringing positivity to children who deserve nothing but the best in life. And I certainly hope with my sharing, the next time I’m there, I will have other helping hands with me.
