Dr. Abdul Wadud.

1979. The Nobel Peace Prize for service seems to be the only one Mother Teresa deserves. It was an honor and recognition for her great work. And so, even after the person passed away, a new day was born, the International Day of Charity.

Mother Teresa was born in 1910. She was a nun and missionary. She went to India in 1929. She became a citizen there in 1948. She dedicated herself to helping the poor there. She received many awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, for her work, which was recognized and praised around the world.
Different countries, different types of castes live within them, they have different religions, and they have different rules. However, all religions have something in common, namely humanity. Every year on this day, this silent event is held to honor humanity and Mother Teresa’s tireless work. She died on this day in 1997 at the age of 87.

A little curious is why the International Day of Charity is celebrated on the day of Mother Teresa’s death!
Mother Teresa was a dedicated Roman Catholic nun. She was the founder of the Missionaries of Charity, which was established in Kolkata in 1950. Missionaries of Charity offices were established first in India and later in other countries. She devoted herself to serving the poor, sick, orphans and helpless people of the society for 45 years, without asking any questions. Is it a small matter to lose a person with such a big heart? We must remember him. He was a person in the heart.
People loved him. Many people of Sanatan Dharma worshipped him as God. He was a person who used to go to the houses of the rich and bring financial assistance. And he did not tolerate shame at all for this work. This is where his specialty lies. Where we stop thinking about shame, he has taken on the responsibility of putting a smile on someone’s face.

September 5, 1997. Mother Teresa left the world in silence, leaving a question mark. The day of her death became the International Day of Charity to pay tribute. The aim of the day is very beautiful. Helping the needy, creating public awareness in society, the state or the world through donations and service. The aim is noble – to promote the activities of all kinds of voluntary and charitable organizations at all levels. The declaration of the United Nations General Assembly came in 2012 and since then the day has been recognized internationally.
The day has been celebrated since 2013. Poverty is increasing at an increasing rate in society, the state or the world. Many may be living well in the midst of this; but we do not know the news of people who have failed in the struggle for life. This number is also not very small. Through this, a part of society is gradually becoming endangered. Many of us do not realize it or do not even see it. It is our responsibility to make this part development-oriented. For this, is there any other way to enrich them other than charity, free treatment, and donations?

This day reminds us of many things. Even a little help from someone else in their difficult times can save us from helplessness! One of the most important goals of the United Nations is to create a world free of poverty by 2030. There is work to be done for this. Is this work possible with our own efforts?

As the saying goes, more people die from lack of love than from lack of food! Even people who are drowning in a house full of property or luxury cry out for a little sincere affection. Even the hardest of souls want care at the end of the day. This care, service or humanity is not something that only humans need. Animals also understand care. It takes a big heart to understand service, volunteer work, donation or to work hard at it. That is why perhaps the Corona pandemic or the recent floods have taught us a practical lesson in charity. We are all familiar with the word donation. The surprising thing is that in every religion, there is a wonderful greatness in being charitable and donating. For example, there are many sections in Sanatan Dharma. Brahmins are one of them. It is said that these Brahmins used to beg in the Vedic era. Moreover, according to the Puranas of Sanatan Dharma, donation is considered a great deed. Even in ancient Gurukuls, donation was practiced.

Again, if we talk about Islam – there are many rewards for donating in this religion. Be it openly or secretly. However, there is more emphasis on donating secretly. To understand the importance of donation, it can be understood better if you look at the Zakat and Fitra of this religion. In this religion, rewards are allocated for any good deed.
In Buddhism, donation has been taken to a spiritual level. The soul of the one who donates develops towards purity. What great things! All religions say almost the same thing for a deed. But the question is, how much of this is reflected in society?

People of different nationalities, different cultures, are divided into different communities in the world. When someone is donating or receiving a donation, it is not necessary to know who belongs to which community, have you noticed? The main thing here is the exchange of services, in other words, bringing about universal equality. Many people ask, what is the benefit of giving? What is there to learn here? There is nothing great about giving for the education of generosity.

Poverty is a big problem in developing countries. Look around you. Look, there are many people crying silently. Some can express it, some can’t. There is no one to pat their heads, no one to sit next to them and give them two good words or encouragement. Many are dying due to lack of medical care. Have you seen it? Look further, there are many children scattered on the streets. We have named them street children to avoid responsibility. We don’t care about what they are eating, how they are living their lives. Yet, as citizens of the state, they were supposed to get the same benefits as us. How much are they getting? Here too, we blame the state to avoid responsibility. But how much is the state alone? We lack the will, otherwise why is no one doing anything for them?
The wheels of the economy are turning. But some people who are registered in the poverty register are being crushed by that wheel. If it were not a challenge for a crushed person to turn around with the help of one person, then it could have been – if people’s interest in charity and voluntary work had increased. If everyone’s help were the same little by little, it would no longer be small.

Since 2020, the remaining one percent of the world’s population has acquired almost twice the wealth that the remaining 99 percent of the world’s population has acquired. In other words, almost two-thirds of the new wealth has gone to just one percent of the world’s people. This information was given by the UK-based international charity Oxfam in its report titled ‘Survival of the Richest’. The report was released at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Al Jazeera’s report said that since 2020, almost two-thirds of the new $42 trillion in wealth has gone to just one percent of the world’s people. Oxfam says that 1.7 billion workers in the world are struggling to keep up with inflation. Inflation is rising in the countries where they live, keeping pace with wages. Meanwhile, the wealth of billionaires is increasing by $2.7 billion every day, the report said. Half of the billionaires live in countries where there is no inheritance tax.
Oxfam says that if millionaires and billionaires paid a 5 percent tax, it would raise $1.7 trillion a year. This money could lift two billion people out of poverty.

There is a deep psychological link between giving and peace of mind. Giving brings indelible joy, satisfaction and peace of mind to the person giving. Giving increases self-satisfaction, which helps reduce stress and improve the quality of life. According to psychology, this process creates a sense of social responsibility by shifting from ‘true’ self-centeredness to ‘false’ self-centeredness, which gives the person peace of mind.
By giving, we fulfill our social responsibility. It creates empathy for others and strengthens social bonds.
The mental joy and satisfaction that comes from giving is called ‘pure altruism’ in psychology. It is a positive feeling that gives rise to self-esteem and confidence.
People who give often get relief from stress and anxiety. It has a positive effect on their mind and increases overall mental well-being.

Giving is not just financial or material, it also brings peace of mind. When we help someone selflessly, a kind of peace of mind comes to us that cannot be found in any other way. There is a close relationship between charity and social justice. Those who donate become part of a larger social purpose, which gives them deep peace of mind. Charity is a spiritual process. Through it, we work for the greater good by giving up our own advantages and disadvantages. It helps in mental and spiritual development. In this way, charity not only improves the life of the recipient, but also brings a deep peace of mind to the giver, which is very important for a healthy and beautiful life. Charity is a rich step towards humanity.

Author: Wildlife expert
, educator, researcher, and political analyst, founder of the Fifamily theory.