Philanthropic Colonialism

Credit Suisse held an Inaugural Philanthropists Forum in Singapore in Raffles Hotel. It was opened by Senior Ministry Goh Chok Tong. The theme was “The Road to Giving.” The bank invited philanthropists, practitioners and thought leaders of the field who travelled on that road to this Forum.

Among the impressive list is Peter Buffet (Musician and philanthropist and son of Warren Buffett, Jamie Zobel de Ayala II (Chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation), Somsook Boonyaancha (Sec-Gen of Asian Coalition for Housing Rights). Rt Hon Sir John Major (former Prime Minister UK), HRH Raja Zarith binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah (Sultanah of Johore), Niu Gensing (Chairman Lao Niu Foundation), Apolo Ohno (Winter Olympian and Supporter of Special Olympics).

It is to the credit of the Bank for organizing such an event as an act of Corporate Social Responsibility and lifting philanthropy from the level of charity in giving to the poor and needy to the higher level of development in solving the problems of humanity in our already crowded planet earth. The further need is for more clarity about the social vision or the goals of social transformation – moving from individualism to a sense of community and crossing the boundaries that divide our society.

Peter Buffet made a reference to what he termed “philanthropic colonialism.” I resonated with that observation and went up to him to express appreciation for his sensitivities of the question of power which are in the hands of those who hold economic wealth. The responsibility to travel the road to giving is greater than the road to gaining wealth.

When the HRH Raja Zarith shared about her philanthropic acts she does not just distribute gifts but also engaged the poor villagers and interact with them in order to understand their plight and their needs. I had the opportunity to compliment her and also on her published comment on the current controversy between the Christians and Muslims appealing for more mutual respect and understanding.

I was reminded of an account in my recent reading of a Congress of Disability in 1981 in Winnipeg, Canada. Among the 3,000 delegates only 200 were disabled. The disabled participants requested for more participation in the proceedings but was refused. So they left the hall and held their own meeting. The issue is that in addressing the issue of disability they did not fully consider the views and feelings of those who are differently-abled. The tag line of the differently-abled people is “Nothing about us without us.” Practitioners of philanthropy must take into account the voices of the people whom they want to help. The approach in that situation was a shift in emphasis of awareness of disability from a medical diagnoses and viewing disabled people as patients with a problem to that of people who are differently-abled as normal human beings with rights. One model is for the individual to adjust to those in power in society, the other is for the need of society to adjust to those who have less power.

This is what philanthropic colonialism can lead to. People in need are not to be marginalized, silenced, disempowered and become passive recipients of the largesse of the advantaged practitioners of philanthropy.

The rules of engagement is to socially embrace and celebrate the differences we have with one another. We are all differently-abled with wealth, intellect, physique, emotions. We are all disabled in one form or another and no one is perfect. The catchword that I caught from another conference of handicapped people is “My handicap is visible what is yours?”

Let us abandon the temptation of being patronizing in our philanthropy and seeking self-interest as an individual or corporation. Let us be truly socially responsible and support one another and mutually evolve a more caring and compassionate society.