Most of the work BODHI does is with young people, and on this page we list three main reasons why we hope you might become interested in helping us. We know that the future of BODHI relies on young people.
First, BODHI is a conduit, a vessel, a path which can link you with other people, who are much poorer than you are. There is no easy way for you to do that. It's not very realistic to think that you can easily go to a slum somewhere and connect in a lasting and valuable way with the children there. You really need to be in touch with people who go there on an ongoing basis. BODHI has several partners who are in that position.
Second, you might think that your donation to BODHI is so small (say $20) that it doesn't count, or that we don't value it. In a numerical sense that is true, but even a small donation opens a door in your mind which is likely to make you far more interested in both our work and the lives of others. You become a part owner, an investor in BODHI's work, not just an observer. An increased interest in the position of others is a step in what Buddhists call "bodhicitta" the development of compassion. Awareness of the conditions that others who are not so well off as you can enrich your own life, and help you appreciate and value it more. In other words, a small act of generosity is not the same as accidentally leaving $20 on the bus; you get something much more valuable in exchange. And so does someone at the other end, e.g. in a slum in Pune. And we also appreciate it.
Lastly, BODHI is small enough for your input to make a wonderful difference, if you want to do something else to help us (though probably not volunteer to go to India - that is a huge step, and your skills may not be as useful as you think). There are many careers relevant to international development, diplomacy, or public health, for which involvement in BODHI could prove educational and helpful.
So, please, do not think you are young, poor and can't do much. We'd love to hear from you, and would like to publish the best correspondence.
Colin July 5, 2015
First, BODHI is a conduit, a vessel, a path which can link you with other people, who are much poorer than you are. There is no easy way for you to do that. It's not very realistic to think that you can easily go to a slum somewhere and connect in a lasting and valuable way with the children there. You really need to be in touch with people who go there on an ongoing basis. BODHI has several partners who are in that position.
Second, you might think that your donation to BODHI is so small (say $20) that it doesn't count, or that we don't value it. In a numerical sense that is true, but even a small donation opens a door in your mind which is likely to make you far more interested in both our work and the lives of others. You become a part owner, an investor in BODHI's work, not just an observer. An increased interest in the position of others is a step in what Buddhists call "bodhicitta" the development of compassion. Awareness of the conditions that others who are not so well off as you can enrich your own life, and help you appreciate and value it more. In other words, a small act of generosity is not the same as accidentally leaving $20 on the bus; you get something much more valuable in exchange. And so does someone at the other end, e.g. in a slum in Pune. And we also appreciate it.
Lastly, BODHI is small enough for your input to make a wonderful difference, if you want to do something else to help us (though probably not volunteer to go to India - that is a huge step, and your skills may not be as useful as you think). There are many careers relevant to international development, diplomacy, or public health, for which involvement in BODHI could prove educational and helpful.
So, please, do not think you are young, poor and can't do much. We'd love to hear from you, and would like to publish the best correspondence.
Colin July 5, 2015
For Millennials
A PLOS blog by Jack Fisher, called "Millennial and proud: How youth will shape Global Health in 2030". argues that what drives millennials are not "six figure salaries, grandiose titles or expert tenures" but "a sense of purpose and the wish to bring prompt and meaningful change". He says Millennials are aware of their social responsibility to solve the issues left to his generation (by mine), one of which is the legacy of the Global Financial crisis, and another of which is runaway climate change.
For sure, global health needs a new generation, new energy, and new hope such as to me seems to the main driver of Bernie Sanders' campaign against Hilary Clinton, who, it seems to me, is far too close to the robber barons of Wall St. (The BBC reports: "When asked why she had accepted $675,000 from Goldman Sachs for three speeches, the Democratic front-runner said that was the amount the bank had offered").
Jack is co-ordinator for Europe and Africa for "NCDFree", an alliance to reduce the burden of non-communicable (chronic) diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and mental illnesses. I met Jack at a conference in Copenhagen in 2014; he was one the few in my audience who really seemed to grasp the point of my talk, which had been on Limits to Growth and the impending collapse of civilisation if we take insufficient corrective action.
Colin May, 2016