Social work and welfare organizations

In our society there are people whose lives can change by timely help and assistance from other responsible members of the society. These people are in thousands so the magnitude of change can simply be imagined. We find such people everywhere – in offices, at public places and in social groups. It is no wonder that some people provide essential help and services in institutions like government hospitals. It is very important to know about these welfare groups and how their services can be tapped to help the needy. The assistance may not always be monetary, as in most cases people just need a small piece of information, a helping hand or a push. Unfortunately we are not able to cultivate the culture of social work in Kashmir. We don’t have groups which could identify people who are economically weak, and help them work so that they can earn their livelihood. Social work as an academic subject is not very old in Jammu and Kashmir. Students and pupils are taught new methods, ways and techniques to provide the needed services. Although it shouldn’t be restricted to just academics, social work must be introduced and strengthened at every level of society to remove disparity. Society has evolved in such a way that needy people can hardly come out and talk about the problems they face. This category doesn’t include beggars because there are so many in Kashmir, not only natives but outsiders as well. There is a need to demarcate between poor and beggar as every needy isn’t a beggar. This kind of attitude has proven detrimental for our society. One can die out of hunger but can’t approach a person who can help him. We need to change our attitude towards the concept of charity and then develop various welfare groups which can work to help the people who are in need. This will also prevent the needy people from resorting to illegal ways to meet their needs. In other parts of the world, welfare organizations have played a pivotal role in addressing the social disparities. Efforts should be made to forge closer relationships between different welfare organizations through sustained and increased advocacy.  The efficient working of welfare organizations can foster unity and brotherhood in the community where the privileged ones can help their needy fellow men. In order to bring most out of these welfare organizations, there is a strong need to develop better communication and public relation with different sections of the society.