It has been around 3 months that the entire world is undergoing from the Pandemic COVID-19 Coronavirus. It has already exterminated around 45,692(forty-five thousand six hundred and ninety-two) till date and around 751,757 human lives are striving in between death and life. This virus has shown no prejudice between rich and poor or developed or poor countries. The number of cases in Italy, Spain, and the USA confirms this.
As Medical science has not been able to decode this virus, we are still in perplexity about it and the only option we have is breaking this chain.
Almost 80% of the world is suffering from Corona and is under lockdown but the outline of lockdown is different in southeast Asia and African countries in connection to European countries. As Europeans are sustaining from corona and lockdown, at the same time poor or underdeveloped countrymen are forced to compete with one more dangerous virus known as Hunger.
Asian Countries like India, Srilanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Philippines, Pakistan have already started surfacing problem-related daily needs, mainly food. The high number of inhabitants are daily wage workers or those who earn in a similar way.
Though the government of these countries is undertaking their level best to make sure no one sleeps hungry. But due to low budgetary conditions, many of them are not able to feed all of them, at this moment this responsibility also comes to the Social organization.
Helping hands can be a local or International social organization. An international organization like the World Food Program, UNICEF, UNHCR and similar works with the central authority of the country but other club-based or community-based foundation likes to operate as a freelancer.
In the context of Nepal, the word “Relief” is very common. This country has encountered many Natural calamities and related conditions in the last decade.
But when the country faces such a problem the entire Nation allies to support each other. This is why the country easily came up after the devasting earthquake of 2072 Bs.
As Nepal is arranging for many much to be done in the field of Education, Health, Infrastructure, Human rights and so and at the meantime the political and economic condition of the country is gradually settling down after many political incidents. In such circumstances, Hundreds of INGO and NGOs are participating with the government to work on these fields. With no specific guidelines to be a social worker or open a social organization in Asian countries despite some legal formalities and this has also made the concept of social work lucid in our Nation and southeast Asia.
We have also observed peoples saying that INGO & NGO have destroyed the country and made Country people parasite but Nations like Nepal who is still Handling huge amounts of funding from foreign partners is not in a situation of passing such views.
As we say nothing is accurate on this earth and alike is a social organization(one or more of the ways they work).
Today as the entire Nation is handling Lockdown and at this time the daily earning class of the country is facing food deficit from the very first day and the extension of lockdown date is working as a pinch of salt in their troubled empty stomach. To tackle this inadequacy all the level of Government bodies has begun their support plans and the same initiation is being exercised by Social organization.
Who is a social worker?
Social workers are responsible for helping individuals, families, and groups of people to cope with problems they’re facing to improve their patients’ lives without thinking about appreciation or rewards or name and fame.
But In the meantime, question arising is “Is photography necessary for every donation? “
In the presence of 15,000 NGO in which 6000 are recognized by Nepal government and self- serving social workers the media and social media is flooded with post and photographs. The zest of those photographs is the same “Donor and the team with a Bright smiley face and the receiver with a feeling of being embarrassed or scared of being used as a promotion stunt” but what can a hungry and penniless person do?
There are many examples during 2072 Bs like devasting Earthquake and Flood in the Terai area of Nepal and the same is being replicated in such pandemic situations. Social media is bursting of images and posts where people are donating Food supplies, Mask, Sanitizers and so on. A few dates ago, some videos went viral in social media in which a group of youth were distributing sanitizers and Mask to Police personal operating on the road during lockdown time, later on Nepal police passed an order to all its bodies not to receive any kind of aid from the local public.
In this case, it was a government body which can serve their units with their own but what about those poor democracies who earn to live? Is the significance of poor people equivalent to a few kgs of Rice or packet of Noodles? This question is for every single person and organization who likes to call themself social workers or Social organizations.
Today in our country we have a tremendous number of INGO & NGOs and they are racing among one another to stand in a number one position. To win this race nowadays branding of the organization is used as an immune booster and this branding is one of the causes of such action.
What does the branding of a social organization mean?
Social branding is eco branding for social change. It involves harnessing all marketing and communication tools, from print advertising and PR to social media.
The aim should be to make them work for you to spread your organization’s socially responsible message. Developing a social brand will help to make your company or organization a positive force in the world and is sure to increase loyalty for your employees, customers, boards, community members, and so on.
Of course, with greater loyalty comes greater profitability. But this definition doesn’t state that branding should play with any one’s honor or humanity.
Is taking the photographs of Donation events wrong?
Photographs have always been a medium of keeping memories and banking data and is also a way to stimulate others to do the same. Capturing memories, maintaining data or preparing a report taking a photograph is never pronounced wrong but it all depends upon how we brand it. Your photographs should showcase your assistance instead of showcasing the deprived condition of that person. Clicking a photograph is not wrong but when photos are used to show your victory utilizing a sufferer is not humankind.
Things to keep on mind while taking photographs at a donation campaign.
- The image of the recipient can be a motivation for others or can be a mechanism of information sharing about the situation and can help you to submit reports to your donors or headquarters but it should be taken in a way that doesn’t make anyone feel minor.
- Demotivate images such as the person from the donor team giving any relief supplies to the recipient because the plot itself speaks about your care. Motivate your team to take group images and take the recipient as a member of photographs rather than exhibiting in an embarrassing way.
- Demotivate taking photographs of people undergoing from Natural Catastrophes or Medical crises.
Capturing the images of donation or support for a mass or society can function as an awareness note. From the help of your image many people will know about that facility. For example, handover ceremony of medical equipment which will provide free service.
Now a day’s social media is crowded with posts against those folks who are helping communities just for the sake of social media or credit.
One of the famous quote trending these days is “Please keep your camera at home if you are going for social work”
Upon asking the social workers about this they responded:
“CSR and marketing these two things are different, If you are doing marketing of your brand or product do it in an isolated way, but if you are doing CSR(Corporate social responsibility ) in real sense don’t link it with marketing by imposing your brand on the goods you are donating and while handling them. Don’t ask them for your desired pose. This will keep you and your brand in the long run”
Dinesh Pokhrel CEO, (Excel Development Bank)
“I guess it depends on the purpose of the photograph. If you are taking photographs for the purpose of some reports, then maybe it’s a necessity. But taking a photograph after handling over every packet of biscuit or noodles is unreasonable. We need to consider the sentiments to whom we are handling.”
Rtr. Sneha Shakya, DRR 2019-20 (District 3292, Nepal & Bhutan)
“In my opinion, nowadays photographs are taken in social activities are most likely for fame which I don’t support.”
Rtn.Shiv Kumar Agrawal (President Rotary club of Birtamode Midtown 2019-20)
“Take the photographs for motivation and memories not for the purpose of self-boasting on social media.”
Mijash Pokhrel JCI Birta, President 2020
“Photograph can be important but posting them on social media, especially during pandemic and disaster cannot be a good idea.”
Samir Nepal, Earthquake Engineer
“Being a part of a different charity event, I take some guilt with me and that’s unnecessary photos taken while the distribution. I am against the idea of asking a beneficiary to pose under the banner. I think there can be better ways to brand our work.”
Saugat Gautam, Program Manager ICCO Cooperation
“It Depends upon each perception, some may want to keep it as a memory, some as an evidence, while some as an advertisement.”
Dr. Ganga Neupane
The social revolution never comes by spreading what you have done, it comes by your good deed as nothing can hide your good deeds.
If this was the fact, people like Bhanubhakta Acharya, Dharma Bir Kansakar, Mother Teresa, Jane Addams would never be appreciated for their contribution towards social sectors as they were not born in the age of Photography and social media.
Continuously retain nothing is timeless in this universe, today you are the savior but someday you can also be the receiver.
