Micro or Macro?

Let me talk about Macro first:

The danger i confront everytime i think of shaping my career drives me crazy. I am in the social sector; where most of the people make money out of national concerns. Look at the NGOs. They communicate for behavior change (BCC- Behavior Change Communication), they network with media and law and engage them with the issue they are concerned with.

But it all boils down to keeping a project going and keeping the money coming in.

For example: In Madhya Pradesh, close to 3 NGOs [Save the Children Finland, WASH Institute (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) and UNICEF] are working on Child Rights to Health.

In Chhattisgarh's Public Health (more specifically maternal health and child health) domain following departments are active:

1. CCDU (Communication and Capacity Development Unit) - Government
2. NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) - Government
3. WCD (Women and Child Development Ministry) - Government
4. SHRC (State Health Resource Centre) - Government
5. MNI (Micro Nutrient Initiative, by CIDA- Canadian International Development Agency) - International donor [All the international donors are in partnership with government, private sectors and CSOs]
6. CINI (Child In Need Institute, Belgium) - International donor
7. WHO (World Health Organisation, Switzerland) - International donor
8. UNICEF (United Nation's Children Fund, USA) - International donor
9. CARE (Co-operative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, USA)

It is insane! How many people work on one issue!

Most of the NGOs develop communication materials to bring about a change for the better. Even if one agrees that right communication is the key to bring about the 'action'; still in India; there are many other factors that come into the picture of social reformation.

When one creates a need through communication; one should make sure that the supply to provide the need is in place. Supply is overseen by the Government and often they encourage people to avail them.

Even when supplies are provided; the aspect of corruption steps in because for the supply to reach the end user (aam junta); the last mile service provider should be honest.

Honesty itself is a tall order in India.

Most of the times, people are honest. But they are afflicted with nepotism, greed, social, financial and cultural problems.

I was lucky to meet a very intelligent and a charming lady, who is a Class I Gazetted Officer in Chhattisgarh. She rightly said, "Don't attempt to bring about social reformation by telling people not to commit crimes! Crimes are an intrinsic part of human life. For instance, look at the terms- jurmana, nazrana and shukrana."

Jurmana is when we break a rule and pay the fine. The fact that we broke the rule (consciously or unconsciously) makes us a criminal; no matter how petty the crime. Then there is someone on the other end who makes us pay for our 'crime'. Since he knows we are criminals; most of the times; he may not bother being a saint either. That makes the two of us. So we pay the jurnama grudgingly.

Then the term nazrana- we offer nazrana when a person does our work without much khich-khich. Sometimes, he/she is meant to do our work quietly anyways. Since the species of honest workers has become dangerously extinct; we award the one that we see. It is as ridiculous as paying a mother to breastfeed her infant. She will do that and she is supposed to do that, and mind you it's not a thankless job either; remember "maa ke doodh ka karz?"

Then there is shukrana- it is an extension of nazrana. If we are over-impressed at the work someone has done for us; we award them on-the-spot and extend our favors over lavish dinners, exotic holidays, cars etc; depending on the magnitude of gratitude we feel.

This is not restricted to the Government officials. We do that often to our friends, family, employees, employers.

The basic problem that i face in my life is to make up my mind about continue being macro and going micro. Micro includes all the jobs that are not social sector oriented.

When you are micro; you feel guilty that you are not macro. There are many things around you that makes you feel like you are harming something- you don't know what it is, but you dont 'feel right'. Something is amiss.

When you go macro; you feel like you are fighting a lost battle. Robert Brault says, "When you go to solve a problem; people blame you for causing it." Like i said earlier, you have a nagging feeling about making money on national concerns. If all the issues get resolved imagine how many people would be jobless! I often get such nightmares myself, and then i feel guilty for thinking so.

If you haven't got bored as yet; please go to my earlier blog [which will definitely bore you :) ] to the sentences marked in bold. Read, reflect and tell me what you feel. They have some link to what i am saying now :)