My $2 Pledge
I’m the kind of person who wouldn’t think twice about wading through a dirty swamp. I even arm-wrestled with guys in my younger days. By all standards, I’m probably the most un-girly girl you can find.
Being in the company of guy friends most of the time means that I’m used to witnessing all kinds of disgusting acts. Hell, I’m even guilty of some of these myself. I mean, I do know my manners, like not burping, and not talking with bits of food spurting out of my mouth. But I would eat food off the floor in an instant as long as it looks clean.
Yet when I saw someone drinking from a half-empty cup right out of a random trash can, I had to look away.
After having dinner with my Mom at Chinatown, we waited for our bus at the bus stop. A frail and skinny old man that looked about 80 caught our attention (and many others). He was collecting empty aluminum drink cans from a trash can. This is a common everyday sight, but it’s still extremely sad to witness. Everyone there who was waiting for their bus watched and scrutinised his every move. Every single one of us there was so much better off than him. Yet all we did was stood there. And stared. And judged.
Then, my Mom suddenly said to me in an urgent manner, “Look! He’s going to drink that!” I turned and saw that he had fished out an item from the trash can. His prize catch? A transparent cup that was still half filled with a white-coloured drink. And sure enough, he slurped it all down. Can you imagine that? I was so flabbergasted I couldn’t help but start tearing up.
Here I am, dining at nice places most of the time and eating myself fat when I’m not even hungry. Not too far away there are people who are so poor they have no choice but to eat out of a trash can! I had never felt more disgusted with myself. Dammit.
We gave some money to the old man and spoke with him for a while. The only family he has left are his two sisters. He has no children of his own. And at his age, he obviously can’t get a job. Come to think of it, he’s not even that different from you and me. At the end of the day he’s just a normal person trying to make ends meet, to survive.
With the impending increase in GST (which I’m very unhappy about), would it really help the needy as promised? Would there be less homeless people sleeping in the cold every night? Would we see less elderly people collecting and selling cardboard and used cans for a living? Or would it simply go towards increasing the salary of our civil servants? Our ministers are already among the highest income earners of their league in the world!
I don’t have much confidence in the justification of such price increments levied on consumers. Despite the frequent fare adjustments (read: hikes) in public transport, I haven’t sensed any improvement in my daily commute. I still wait half an hour for my bus every morning. I still sit in leaky buses that have their own rainy climate. It seems the bus company has decided the best way to spend its money is on useless stuff like TV Mobile and its ridiculous “Flag the bus early” campaign. Argh!
But I digress. The purpose of this blog entry is to highlight the fact that there really are a lot of poor people in our community. And more importantly, we can help them! If you are reading this blog, chances are you are already living well enough to have your own internet connection, or at least the ability to find one.
As of blogging this, I pledge to help by giving a minimum of $2 to every elderly person I see that’s collecting used cans for a living. $2 isn’t much, but it is enough to buy him or her a warm meal. Besides I know if I started off with more than $2, I may not be able to keep it going for long. Who’s with me?
Oh it doesn’t even have to be money. If you’re feeling poor you can always help by giving away food! A pastry from BreadTalk or something. I gave away food a few times before and the recipients seemed just as grateful!
If one out of every five people that read this blog would pledge to do the same, we would be effectively helping *do a quick count* A LOT of people!
What say you? What say you?
(All right since no one asked, that last line is said by Aragorn in the Return of the King.)
December 6, 2006: Good news! On my way to work today I gave away my first $2 (since this pledge) to an old man collecting cans near my home. He asked if I won the lottery. He also said that for every kilogram of cans he collects, he gets $1.50. $1.50! How many trash cans does he have to rummage through to collect a kilogram’s worth? Those recycling companies are certainly not charitable.
December 8, 2006: This blog entry has been Tomorrow-ed! Does this mean there would be more of us helping the needy people around?
December 12, 2006: Benson, a journalist with the Sunday Times, is writing an article on helping the elderly and protecting the environment. He may be including the $2 pledge as well. So those of you who have left comments would be hearing from him shortly.
December 26, 2006: My $2 pledge has been featured on channel news Asia’s blogtv show. The flying dutchman interviewed me over a 3G phone for blogtv’s special Christmas episode, titled “the spirit of giving”. Check out the interview video.
June 23, 2007: This post has been nominated for the “Most Insightful Post” in the Ping.sg 1st Anniversary Blog Awards.
Dec 6, 2006
27
I share your pain, Veron. There usually is a sad story behind these poor fellers – of being abandoned by family at old age. Sometimes it’s just that disaster struck in some form, and the only refuge left was the streets. And sometimes it’s plain shitty luck that people end up being scavengers (I am not very happy using this term). Sadly there’s just no guarantee that we ourselves wouldn’t end up that ways. Life is full of surprises, mostly unpleasant!
We may not able to able to entirely uplift their kind but we definitely can do out own bit. We can forego a lot of (extravagant) things in favor of some charity/philanthropy. In my case, I can definitely skip beer for one weekend every month, and donate the money to someone more needy.
A noble gesture. Indeed, ma’am!
Dec 6, 2006
28
Interesting gesture, a valiant effort at philanthropy like what our Anonymous has said. And I see you are getting us to do it too, but can I match up to it in terms of kind-heartedness? I look in me and all I see is darkness…
Dec 6, 2006
2
Correction, Gahmen only say increase minister salary, not civil servant salary, otherwise farmer will be bery happy as well… :) Pse note, civil servant includes teachers, policemen and most importantly soldiers.
Nonetheless, your kind efforts are worthy of praise and I’m very sure many more would follow suit.
Dec 6, 2006
15
I salute your kindness!
These people are normally the quiet poorer generation as compared to the beggars. They just suffer quietly instead of begging directly. Really hope with the increase of GST, the gov will do what they promise to do, make the lives of the poor easier.
Dec 6, 2006
3472
Beni: Great to hear that you are gonna forgo beer for one weekend every month! Oh and there’s your new year resolution too. You would help so many more people!
Aristocrat: Every small effort helps! May the smiles from those you help light up the darkness in you.
Farmer: Haha I can’t help but giggle a little at your new nick. Anyway wasn’t it on the Straits Times main page a couple weeks back that “Civil Servants’ salary are likely to go up”? I don’t think that’s a good step towards helping our needy. When someone gets more, another gets less.
uzyn: Sure hope so! If we have to become poorer, I rather it makes the poor a little better off, rather than make the already rich richer.
Dec 6, 2006
6
hi veron! great thing u do there. i give away a total of $10.50 each month to poor people whom I see.. take care!
Dec 6, 2006
3472
Awesome! But why $10.50 and not a whole number? Just curious.
Dec 6, 2006
3
Sometimes i wonder where all this price hike $$ goes to too.. I still see a lot of society issues in our tiny country. Its weird. There are still many people who can’t afford to have 3 meal per day. There is such a big gap between the poor n the rich. Sometimes when i make donation to the organisation, i really wonder if the money did goes out to the needy… maybe i shld give it to the needy on the streets instead of the org.
Dec 6, 2006
28
i relate to what youre saying.
There are times when i have been made forcibly aware of my own good fortune, as a result of having seen the poor and homeless. My family has not always been affluent, (not to say they are now hehe) but i know my parents started a family very young, and with very little…
I think your pledge is a noble effort, and the amount is irrelevant, just that you give with love for your fellow man, and thanks for your own blessings.
I have been following a similar pledge, but yeah, count me in. Baby steps, but i think if anything, the one campaign has proven that all it takes is the action of a few to make a difference.
Dec 6, 2006
3472
xinyi: My sentiments exactly. In the past I made it a point to buy those $2 donation vouchers but I gave up eventually when I realised there are many bogus charities out there that prey on human kindness. The NKF saga also opened my eyes to the fact that most of the donations never actually make it to the needy.
If we gave our money to the needy we see on the streets, it would be sure to help someone that actually needs help. And at the very least we would know who our money goes to.
zaijian: I am really happy to hear of your pledge! *dances around* Baby steps indeed, but if we can make just one person’s day a little better, it is worth it.
Dec 6, 2006
Agree. I have a friend who get cheated to sell charity booklet.She had no choice but to sell one booklet if not no $$ for her. and i wonder whether it really go to charity.Its hold by some marketing company lo. oh gosh. normally i would give to those elderly who sell tissue. i help out at some volunter org and really saw how some elderly survive. its really not easy …
Keep it up :) and thanks for making that difference. It matters
Dec 6, 2006
3472
Cheated to sell charity booklets? Good Lord! Even in this age where we hear of certain despicable marketing companies, this is still a new high. But would you kindly enlighten us about how the elderly survive, based on your volunteering experience?
Dec 6, 2006
4
I salute you, Veron. I totally agree to what you’ve said. Nothing in this world can buy happiness. Just a little gesture means so much to so many.
Oh yah! I’m a Prison Break Fan too! So mersmerised by “Mr Michael Scotfield”. Wonder if there’s such a man out there just like him?
Dec 6, 2006
3472
Hey Sassie! Thanks for the confidence you have given me!
Oh yeah Prison Break is currently top on my all-time favourite tv show chart, followed closely by Heroes. Michael Scofield, hmmm let me see… Genius, check. Gorgeous, check. That sexy brooding attitude, check. Heart of gold with a conscience, check. Okay he’s too darn perfect to be real!
Dec 6, 2006
@Aristrocrat
I agree that it’s not always possible to be kind to people in general, and the homeless in particular. We already have our own baggage of problems and worries that we carry around with us all the time. So why overload ourselves with some more issues? Hence many a times we just look the other way.
But let me suggest a tried-and-tested method (at the risk of sounding holier-than-thou, which I am not). Try putting yourself in the other person’s shoes (yeah, yeah, it’s cliched, but trust me it works). Imagine yourself rummaging thru the garbage looking for leftovers/cans/whatever it might be, while the whole world looks upon you with disdain. Wouldn’t you be happy if someone came up to you with a smile and talked to you and gave you a dollar or two at that moment? We can be ones to give some happiness to these poor souls who otherwise have no other source of happiness.
We really aren’t all that self-occupied or unkind as we might think of ourselves to be. As for darkness, it’s not because our hearts are unkind, but because our eyes are closed against things which cause us discomfort and pain. It takes but just a little effort on our part to open those eyes and let the light in.
Dec 6, 2006
3472
Damn! Couldn’t say it better myself!
Dec 6, 2006
ya lo. my friend is only 16 and looking for some part time. they clled her there to work and after spending half her day, she realise it is to sell those coupon. haiz.
well my elderly they basically collect those newspaper and cans.Some take care of toilet and given only 2 meal. But to them. having some money is better then none..
There r ppl who take adv of them too. paying them REAL little .I always get very upset and angry when they told me.well, one thing i can do is to educate them and teach them where to get help. And just help them to apply those “user friendly ” forms.
come across some 30 plus ppl who just stay home and refuse to work while their parents have to go out to earn money. wonder whats in their head…
Dec 6, 2006
18
My heart sank when I read that the old man actually drank that cup of water. I feel that it takes a lot of courage for the elderlys to go around, picking cardboard and cans from the trash can, or even to sell tissues on the streets.
I share your view on how 2 dollars can do wonder to some. I do the same too whenever I saw the elderlys going around selling tissues. Once, an old man offered to sell the tissue to me and I rejected since I was busy munching on my snacks. But, my conscience pricked me in the end. And I u-turn back. From then on, I never reject an elderly who is trying hard to sell something.
My dad does the same too. He collects drink cans and old newspaper for the old uncle who helps to sweep our block every morning. It doesn’t need to have a lot of money to help. It’s the thoughts that count and the effort made that bring a smile and light into someone’s life. As long as it’s within our means, we just have no reason not to help. A good turn a day, a great way to live. :)
Something unrelated: Thanks for helping me out before the start of my semester. Made some little gifts for my online friends, and here’s yours. :) Good thing that there is the edit function! I forgot to add in the link previously, then I added the wrong one. lol. =X
Dec 6, 2006
12
sis and i would pack up our newspapers and tell the person who sweeps our block to collect it later. they can then sell it. we feel they prefer that than giving them money.
btw, TVMobile and fare hikes should not be lumped together. TVMobile has nothing to do with fare hikes. hope you don’t mind being corrected. that sentence should be edited, so that people would not read wrong stuff. for the record, i am not associated with both tvmob and the bus company :-)
Dec 7, 2006
1
thanks for dropping by and i am glad you found the article i posted of use. yup, indeed there are in fact lots of needy people in sg. Sometimes, i am gulity myself for being so oblivious to them.
Yup, I am with you. what is $2 to compare to the levis jeans you are wearing or that Nike shirt on you? of cos, we all have our limits, give within your means. smile and the world will smile back at you.
Remember what the “spirit of giving” is really about