Yesterday as I sat all bottled up with anger and frustration in our air-conditioned car because my parents wouldn't buy me a new mobile, I heard a slight knock on the car window. Looking up, I saw a face shriveled with the heat of the burning city, overwhelmed with sweat and pleading for a bit of money. It was a boy, around ten years of age, pleading for money. It was in a moment of sheer shame that I reflected on how lucky I was to even get a three time meal, whereas I could have been born as the illiterate son of a beggar, knowing the only road open to me was pleading for money.
Beggars are a very common sight in even the most modern cities in Pakistan. They're littered everywhere - long corners, near every traffic light and on the doorstep of every mall here. There are entire family legacies of beggars here, where children are forced to earn a meager income for their parents everyday. These are some of the situations which make me feel guilty to the core of my being. Knowing that while I'm pigging down more ice cream there's that man on the corner with not even bread to feed on.
Whenever I raise something like this, the common answer is: there's nothing we can do, it's not our fault! Well, then whose is it? The peoples'? Fine maybe one or two men decided to bunk school and never became anything, but what about the children? They don't choose to be born into a beggar's lap and as the upper-class of the society; it's our responsibility to help them. Donate to charities, volunteer in helping these people, but just don't sit around like a couch potato eating junk-food and watching TV.
There are many ways to donate money to charities online. You can do it by playing games online, clicking on click-to-donate sites, buying online stuff from donation sites.
Test your vocabulary in multiple choice questions and with every correct answer, donate rice to feed the poor. Every correct answer gives 20 grains to the poor. Money generated by advertisements shown on the bottom of the page goes to the UN food program to help eliminate poverty.
Click on advertisements to donate money! It's simple and easy to use. It's a site which you can pay two minutes of your time and help to donate to a cause.
With a number of ways to help children, you can click "help a child", send packages and monetary donation is very much appreciated.
Click on the bread to feed the poor and the needy.
Water is one of the prime necessities to living. Help donate ten cups of water for every correct answer you give. Try locating the places on the map - helpful and educational.
Donate spoons of flour to needy people by testing your knowledge.
See, we don't have to billionaires to donate money and help the poor. We can just have an average brain, ten minutes per day and the will to feel the burden of others on our shoulders. There are people in my city missing limbs. I've got all, and I'm going to use them - it's time you do the same.
