‘Don’t Donate, Invest’: Ex-Journalist Empowers Beggars By Upskilling & Helping Them Earn |
Originally reported and written in April 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.
Were you aware that India donates Rs 34,000 crore every year to support around four lakh beggars? Laying stress on investment and not on donation, Odisha’s Chandra Mishra dedicated his life to empowering beggars in Varanasi.
The 59-year-old journalist-turned-social worker believes that if people invested in creating alternate livelihoods for beggars, it would give them a life of dignity and respect.
With this idea, he set up Beggars Corporation in 2021 to transform the community into entrepreneurs, by equipping them with the necessary skills. So far, he has helped 12 families, who have shunned beggary to engage in making conference bags, laptop bags, and shopping bags. The products are supplied to top hotels and multinational companies in the city.
In conversation with The Better India, he says, “These families have now turned into businesspersons by forming a self-help group. In 2021-22, people invested Rs 5.7 lakh to boost the business of our beggars. In 2022-23, they were able to make 10 times the investment; a business worth Rs 57 lakh. These beggars have returned whatever amount was invested in them.”
“Our mindset toward them needs to change. They are not just meant to take coins from us. And the donation is not a solution to address the problem of begging. If given opportunities, they can be entrepreneurs. Earlier, they were dependent on unstable income through begging. Today, they are able to earn at least Rs 10,000 a month, which is more than what........