{ முகநூல் கருத்துக்கள்}{ட்விட்டர் கருத்துக்கள்}

One of the visible signs of a caring society is the presence of social organisations that cater to the needs of the under-privileged. Kayalpatnam is home to many such organisations - working in areas as diverse as poverty alleviation and health care. Importance of such organisations to a society is enormous. Those organisations are the ones that play the role of healers to those in pain. In the success of such organisations lies the long-term welfare of our society.

Many of the philanthropists in the society have understood the vital role these organisations can play. Over the years, they have funded, raised and nurtured many such organisations. Thanks to their vision and dedication, hundreds of people in Kayalpatnam have benefitted in hundred different ways. Very few can dispute this. There is no bigger an endorsement of works of such organisations than the contribution ordinary Kayalites (in India and abroad) pay (out of their Zakath and Sadaqa funds) to support such charitable organisations - annually as well as when the need is raised.

One vital ingredient missing in this satisfactory scenario is the objective auditing of their performances. How do we measure whether a Baithulmal is doing a good job - is doing what the society actually needs? How do we measure the usefulness of a charitable hospital?

In the case of a Baithulmal, the criteria shouldn't just be how much money was doled out and to how many, but also how many people were actually lifted out of poverty. In the case of a charitable hospital, the criteria would be different. Is it offering cheaper service? Is it offering a quality service? Is it offering a caring service? How many in the society are using it - happily or otherwise?

Running a charitable hospital is no child's play. All that it takes to construct a charitable hospital is the good intent (admittedly no small thing) and the money to back it. But to run it successfully requires vision, humility and able leadership. Success here of course cannot be defined by just the months or years it has existed, but on a broader usefulness basis. A failed hospital would just be acres of nothingness, blocks of concrete, but still utter nothingness.

Donors to such charitable causes - be it to Baithulmals, Hospitals or any other charity - are direct stakeholders in such organisations - whether those organisations realise it or not, accept it or not. These donors - for their own hard-earned money's sake and for the sake of the society which they hope these organisations would be beneficial to - must ask questions, set targets and evaluate progress. At the end of a due evaluation, if found wanting, quiz the managements, if necessary take them to task and change them. If none of it is possible, at least do not try to protect those organisations against fair criticisms inspite of their failures. That will be much a bigger service to the society. Let those organisations die natural deaths. Others will fill the gap - hopefully and in due course.