What is charity?
“I decided to help people, but in reality, it turned out that these people helped me much more than I helped them. They changed me for the better. I stopped focusing on my personal problems. ” © A. Jolie
Sometimes it happens that when faced with problems "face to face", you feel lonely, and sometimes even powerless against certain circumstances. But help comes from where we do not expect it at all. And sometimes, it happens that a friend refuses to help, but a complete stranger will help. And as always, we are interested in what motivates and inspires these "outsiders" to provide gratuitous help.
Anna and Maria Opanasyuk, singers, volunteers:
Please tell us what charity means to you personally?
The whole meaning is already contained in this word - to do good, to do good. There is a very correct idea that an individual’s life makes sense only insofar as it helps to make other people’s lives more beautiful and noble. As for us, we often perform at charity concerts, for example, for children from orphanages. In this we see our mission in a sense. One of our acquaintances said: in our time we need to save ourselves with music.
Lately, the word "charity" has become too much. It is used often, a little intrusively, and not always on the topic, so the attitude to charity is changing. Although, perhaps, this is just such a period in our country now. When many people need help. We noticed one interesting and important point: for example, we come to perform for people with disabilities or to give good in an orphanage, and good comes to us. After such trips, we realize that something that seemed to us to be a problem is really just a trifle. Everything you need to be happy has already been given. And you need to be grateful for such things as the opportunity to live a full life, breathe, walk, smile ... It is very important to understand. Here we are given to sing, and if we can give smiles and help, we will do it.
Do you think it is worth advertising the topic of charity? If you advertise, won’t it look like self-promotion?
We do not always advertise it. Because we believe that this is not always appropriate. Yes, there are different opinions in this regard. On the one hand, you can tell about it and publish photos on social networks, thus setting an example for the audience, attracting attention and sometimes showing that this is the reality. And pay attention to the fact that you need help. On the other hand, sometimes it looks like PR. And sometimes it is. This is also found among the organizers of such concerts. When you pursue your personal interests and personal gain, not so much the desire to help. We faced this. Our opinion is this: you can write and tell about it, you can do it quietly. Both are good. The main thing is when there is a sincere desire to help and when there is a result.
Do you think that people with great wealth should help in the first place?
As we have said many times, desire is important here. There are examples when a public person posts a "call for help" on his social networks and thousands of people find out about it. And connect, and help. This is a big plus of social networks. We also know a lot of wealthy people who help a lot in various fields and do not brag about it, do not try to show it off. And they do it because there is such an opportunity. This is worthy of respect. Absolutely everyone can help if they want. It’s not necessarily money. We all always have something to share and something to give. If there is no financial opportunity, you can always give your smile, hug, hold hands, say the right and important words. And this is also important. If everyone gives a drop, the result may be the ocean.
What personally inspires and motivates you to do charity work?
We never talk, and we don’t think we do charity. We just try to do what we can. If we have the opportunity to help, we will do it. Several times they performed in the White Church at a special school for children with hearing problems. We still remember the sparkle in the eyes of these children. And our communication with them. These are special moments. We may not have written about it anywhere, but we know for sure that it was also an important and special moment for these guys. And in general everything is simple - we have such a desire to help and do good from the heart.
Lyudmila Kravtsova, volunteer, Member of the Board of the NGO "This World is for You", in the NGO "Yellow and Blue Wings" and "Save UA":
Lyudmila, what does charity mean to you personally?
A way of life that I really like. Doing good is a kind of "dependence" on the positive emotions that you get by helping people.
Should volunteers advertise their activities ? _ _ _ If a person spends his money doing charity, it’s his business. I’m not against lighting, it’s a good example. If volunteers raise money from people, donors should know their purpose, coverage is a must. For volunteers, this is called a report. In your opinion, wealthy and influential people help more often, or are people with ordinary wealth still the same ? Charitable people are engaged in the vocation of the soul, in independence
those of abundance. Unfortunately, there are more people with average and even very low income among philanthropists.
What inspires you personally to help others?
Happy children’s eyes. What could be better ?!
Iktor Yevpak, CE O IT - eKreative , co-founder of the NGO "New People":
Victor, what does the word charity mean to you personally?
For me, charity is synonymous with the word humanity. If you are a person and have a soul and heart, you can not be indifferent to other people’s problems. You live in a social world, you run into some human pain and you want to help overcome it. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. But at least you have a desire to show your humanity.
Do you think that if a person is involved in charity, should he advertise it? Will others see this as a good example or self-publicity?
I believe that there are very few cases when a person should talk about it. In 90% of cases it is better not to advertise charity. But there are exceptions. For example, if you remember where the help to anti-terrorist operation soldiers began. There was no trust in the volunteers at the beginning. Because what was the association with charity? People who have been sitting on the street for years asking for alms. However, during the Revolution of Dignity and already during the anti-terrorist operation, we saw the other side of this concept. And in order to build trust, the volunteers published a fundraising report on social networks, after which they bought with this money, photos from trips to the anti-terrorist operation and what result it brought to the fighters. I believe that in this case, "advertising" their actions was quite justified and correct. Too many people think that charity is impossible, they don’t even know how to do it.
Do you think that only people with wealth should do charity, or is it a social duty of each of us?
I have repeatedly read in the media that a philanthropist is usually a middle-class person, not a super-income person. And there is a logic in this: such a person is more compassionate. Unfortunately, very rich people often live in "their" world, do not face the problems of "ordinary" people. Instead, if you live in a socialized world, your neighbors or friends often need help. In general, I consider charity to be everyone’s duty. And it’s not even the amount of money you can give. Sometimes 10 hryvnias is a lot of money. For example, if this amount is 10% of all your funds.
In your opinion, is it possible to somehow encourage young people and instill a desire to help others?
Ukraine has a very big problem with isolating young people from the real world. Because of this, adults sometimes do not have a normal reaction to other people’s problems. In particular, we do not have a normal inclusive education. Children do not know how to treat other children with health problems and disabilities. We need to teach children how to empathize with these special children without making them "victims." Or another problem - what to do if you see a man with a wheelchair? How can you help her? Do you need to open the door? There is a fear that we do not know how to do it right. And we don’t know, because we don’t have that touch.
Read also: Luba Yunak, Sergei Verbitsky, Alena Sotnichek - What is charity?
Sometimes it happens that when faced with problems "face to face", you feel lonely, and sometimes even powerless against certain circumstances. But help comes from where we do not expect it at all. And sometimes, it happens that a friend refuses to help, but a complete stranger will help. And as always, we are interested in what motivates and inspires these "outsiders" to provide gratuitous help.
Anna and Maria Opanasyuk, singers, volunteers: Please tell us what charity means to you personally?
The whole meaning is already contained in this word - to do good, to do good. There is a very correct idea that an individual’s life makes sense only insofar as it helps to make other people’s lives more beautiful and noble. As for us, we often perform at charity concerts, for example, for children from orphanages. In this we see our mission in a sense. One of our acquaintances said: in our time we need to save ourselves with music.
Lately, the word "charity" has become too much. It is used often, a little intrusively, and not always on the topic, so the attitude to charity is changing. Although, perhaps, this is just such a period in our country now. When many people need help. We noticed one interesting and important point: for example, we come to perform for people with disabilities or to give good in an orphanage, and good comes to us. After such trips, we realize that something that seemed to us to be a problem is really just a trifle. Everything you need to be happy has already been given. And you need to be grateful for such things as the opportunity to live a full life, breathe, walk, smile ... It is very important to understand. Here we are given to sing, and if we can give smiles and help, we will do it.
Do you think it is worth advertising the topic of charity? If you advertise, won’t it look like self-promotion?
We do not always advertise it. Because we believe that this is not always appropriate. Yes, there are different opinions in this regard. On the one hand, you can tell about it and publish photos on social networks, thus setting an example for the audience, attracting attention and sometimes showing that this is the reality. And pay attention to the fact that you need help. On the other hand, sometimes it looks like PR. And sometimes it is. This is also found among the organizers of such concerts. When you pursue your personal interests and personal gain, not so much the desire to help. We faced this. Our opinion is this: you can write and tell about it, you can do it quietly. Both are good. The main thing is when there is a sincere desire to help and when there is a result.
Do you think that people with great wealth should help in the first place?
As we have said many times, desire is important here. There are examples when a public person posts a "call for help" on his social networks and thousands of people find out about it. And connect, and help. This is a big plus of social networks. We also know a lot of wealthy people who help a lot in various fields and do not brag about it, do not try to show it off. And they do it because there is such an opportunity. This is worthy of respect. Absolutely everyone can help if they want. It’s not necessarily money. We all always have something to share and something to give. If there is no financial opportunity, you can always give your smile, hug, hold hands, say the right and important words. And this is also important. If everyone gives a drop, the result may be the ocean.
What personally inspires and motivates you to do charity work?
We never talk, and we don’t think we do charity. We just try to do what we can. If we have the opportunity to help, we will do it. Several times they performed in the White Church at a special school for children with hearing problems. We still remember the sparkle in the eyes of these children. And our communication with them. These are special moments. We may not have written about it anywhere, but we know for sure that it was also an important and special moment for these guys. And in general everything is simple - we have such a desire to help and do good from the heart.
Lyudmila Kravtsova, volunteer, Member of the Board of the NGO "This World is for You", in the NGO "Yellow and Blue Wings" and "Save UA": Lyudmila, what does charity mean to you personally?
A way of life that I really like. Doing good is a kind of "dependence" on the positive emotions that you get by helping people.
Should volunteers advertise their activities ? _ _ _ If a person spends his money doing charity, it’s his business. I’m not against lighting, it’s a good example. If volunteers raise money from people, donors should know their purpose, coverage is a must. For volunteers, this is called a report. In your opinion, wealthy and influential people help more often, or are people with ordinary wealth still the same ? Charitable people are engaged in the vocation of the soul, in independence
those of abundance. Unfortunately, there are more people with average and even very low income among philanthropists.
What inspires you personally to help others?
Happy children’s eyes. What could be better ?!
Iktor Yevpak, CE O IT - eKreative , co-founder of the NGO "New People": Victor, what does the word charity mean to you personally?
For me, charity is synonymous with the word humanity. If you are a person and have a soul and heart, you can not be indifferent to other people’s problems. You live in a social world, you run into some human pain and you want to help overcome it. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. But at least you have a desire to show your humanity.
Do you think that if a person is involved in charity, should he advertise it? Will others see this as a good example or self-publicity?
I believe that there are very few cases when a person should talk about it. In 90% of cases it is better not to advertise charity. But there are exceptions. For example, if you remember where the help to anti-terrorist operation soldiers began. There was no trust in the volunteers at the beginning. Because what was the association with charity? People who have been sitting on the street for years asking for alms. However, during the Revolution of Dignity and already during the anti-terrorist operation, we saw the other side of this concept. And in order to build trust, the volunteers published a fundraising report on social networks, after which they bought with this money, photos from trips to the anti-terrorist operation and what result it brought to the fighters. I believe that in this case, "advertising" their actions was quite justified and correct. Too many people think that charity is impossible, they don’t even know how to do it.
Do you think that only people with wealth should do charity, or is it a social duty of each of us?
I have repeatedly read in the media that a philanthropist is usually a middle-class person, not a super-income person. And there is a logic in this: such a person is more compassionate. Unfortunately, very rich people often live in "their" world, do not face the problems of "ordinary" people. Instead, if you live in a socialized world, your neighbors or friends often need help. In general, I consider charity to be everyone’s duty. And it’s not even the amount of money you can give. Sometimes 10 hryvnias is a lot of money. For example, if this amount is 10% of all your funds.
In your opinion, is it possible to somehow encourage young people and instill a desire to help others?
Ukraine has a very big problem with isolating young people from the real world. Because of this, adults sometimes do not have a normal reaction to other people’s problems. In particular, we do not have a normal inclusive education. Children do not know how to treat other children with health problems and disabilities. We need to teach children how to empathize with these special children without making them "victims." Or another problem - what to do if you see a man with a wheelchair? How can you help her? Do you need to open the door? There is a fear that we do not know how to do it right. And we don’t know, because we don’t have that touch.
Read also: Luba Yunak, Sergei Verbitsky, Alena Sotnichek - What is charity?