One might respond to Einstein that science has done so much for people in need, and improved our quality of life immensely. For example, computers are easing our individual lives – and in coping with population explosion as well. They emerged largely out of the Apollo mission to land men on the moon. So there is no need to apologize for Science. We have a computer lab at C4L to train those working in witness and service how to operate computer tools. Science and technology can be a blessing.
On the other hand, as Einstein got older and wiser, perhaps he was saying something about priorities? Here I go with a lot of alliteration! The three sectors in democratic societies are public, private and philanthropic. They each have a key ingredient – power, profit and putting it back.
Abraham Maslow is probably the best known industrial psychologist. His “hierarchy of needs” helps in many settings to prioritize needs. He said that once more basic “survival needs” were satisfied, that other “higher needs” emerged. The highest one in his pyramid was “self-actualization”. In recent decades, psychologists have come to agree that he missed one. Like that most distant planet which was not perceived early on, another even higher need appeared – putting it back. So you find not only the wealthiest people establishing Foundations, but a whole sector call Corporate Social Investment (CSI).
The Secret to Perfect Happiness
I read recently in a Krishna tract that the Supreme Personality has six opulences – all strength, all fame, all wealth, knowledge, beauty and renunciation.
Huh? Where did that last one come from?! The simple answer is that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Even Einstein figured it out!
I want to wish that Perfect Happiness in this C4L Bulletin to three families - one from England, one from the USA and the third from Canada. I will not name them, but they will know who they are and more especially the Lord knows them and sees their deeds.
Each of these families has been generous to C4L for many years. One gave their annual gift last July, the other in October, and the third in March of this year. I was so intrigued when I realized that they each support one of C4L’s three programmes.
The family from England have supported the Opportunities for Youth endeavours – Kids Clubs for OVC, camps, and advocacy projects at community level. They came to visit C4L for the first time in 2010. I noted that all three of these families have visited C4L. They particularly cherish the memory of visiting a Child Headed Household in a township setting.
It is ten years since the American family visited C4L, but they have not forgotten us. Their gift in late 2011 is what finally got C4L across that vital accreditation threshold! In fact, this is the first year that C4L started as an accredited training provider. Viva! This is opening new vistas for us in terms of capacity building especially youth. It is part of C4L’s core business, Organization Development. For example, the above-mentioned computer lab helps learners to discover how to use technology to strengthen their NGOs, CBOs and FBOs.
The family in Canada visited us for the second time last November. Their gift early this year followed on from the 2-day encounter we had together when they passed through. Their preference has been to support our “livelihood security” programme – offering both technical and entrepreneurship training to youth. The technical training includes plumbing, solar water heating and some of the newer “green occupations”. The focus on renewable energy is dear to them as they are a training provider themselves – for the oil industry. So what C4L’s solar programme is doing really resonates with them.
We wish each of these families that Perfect Happiness. I am not preaching Krishna now! But your generous gifts are clearly in that category of “renunciation”. You have sacrificed a lot. You are “putting it back” and that is why nonprofits exist in the scheme of Democracy.
Bricks and mortar
I have a simple image in my mind. C4L is a strong wall, built from bricks. These bricks are the larger projects, usually funded by grants from Foundations or government donors. The three C4L programmes are slated to receive some of these in 2012:
- Organization Development - has applied to the MICT SETA for 20 Learnerships in End User Computing
- Opportunities for Youth – awaits the start of 25 Learnerships in Project Management from the Services SETA
- Livelihood Security Unit – awaits the start of 50 Learnerships in Business Practice, also from the Services SETA
Rest assured that C4L has applied for far more “bricks” than this, but they have not arrived yet! There are several new initiatives in the “proposals pipeline”!
What families like those mentioned above give is the mortar that holds these bricks together. Not much of the wall is mortar, relative to face brick, so you don’t notice it. But when you think of all that webbing between the bricks, holding them fast, it adds up!
You cannot build a wall only with bricks. And it is not only the responsibility of corporates, foundations and government windows of funding to fund nonprofits.
One of the opulences of the Supreme Personality is renunciation. Einstein was right about replacing the symbols of science with the symbols of service.
Thank you to all of you, beyond the three families mentioned, for your generosity and your prayers. C4L is emerging from a “funding drought” but we are very optimistic about the future, in spite of high unemployment, a water emergency and an energy crisis!
Always remember your own highest need – putting it back.
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