Development
Diary
K.T

"So what do you do, baita?" the quizzical aunty asks me.

"I work in development", I answer.

"What sort of development?"

"Social Development"

"Oh you mean social work, baita".

"No, I mean development of marginalized communities and low-income urban areas," I try to explain.

“Achha, like charity work na?” She seems confused now.

"No, no, like implementing integrated rural development projects and self-awareness through participatory strategies." I flounder, even more confused.

Aunty opens her mouth to question some more, but then decides otherwise. "Do get in touch when you have your next fund-raiser. I would love to help out."

I give up.

Conversations like these have seemed to become the norm for people like myself working in this big bad world of "social development". Sometimes I feel that at least one out of the multitude of workshops and seminars that this area generates every month, should be on the art of explaining the profession to the ordinary person. I know at times even I wonder exactly what I "do". Like those numerous occasions when filling out the part in forms that says "occupation". Let’s see, I could put down "trainer" (physical?), or "conference organizer", maybe "social mobilizer" (that's one no one will be able to figure out), or then maybe "report writer". Better yet, I could put down all of the above because that is certainly what I have had to "do" since joining this noble profession. It gets worse when you have to tick the box marked "other" in a list of recognized professions. I leave it empty most of the time.

So why is the world so oblivious to our kind? Is it because we have yet not managed to bring the cause of doing good for the under privileged out of the realm of charity balls and Edhi centres? Or is it because we a) like to lie low, b) need to get our PR act together, or c) are really not doing any "good" at all? Most of us who work in this field would rather like to think of this situation as one that is still very new in Pakistan and therefore not yet into the mainstream. ATM machines are still very new in Pakistan, but even those who don't have access to them know what they are. Others would say that because such activity is restricted to only the rural poor and urban slums, the more cosmopolitan population is not exposed to them. But aren't most urban slums located immediately next to the posh residential or commercial areas of the city?

Whatever the reason may be, if Pakistan has decided to jump on the bandwagon of participatory development and self-help projects, then it must also let everyone know of it. Why must only the poor have to suffer such monotonous jargon? Don't they already have enough problems? And moreover, if we want to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, shouldn't both groups be part of the deal? Take the above aunty for instance. She knew about fund-raisers and charities (probably for some struggling orphans or unfinished hospitals), but did she actually know what she was trying to raise funds for? Had she actually seen the conditions the orphans lived in, or what was needed to finish the hospital? That's the difference between social development and charity; we in the former actually get to "see" and experience what we are working for.

Living in oblivion is not good for any of us then. If I know what charity fund-raisers are meant for, then others should know what social development is too. Alright, maybe I am being too presumptuous, but let’s face it, there are more people in need, of this kind of help than of the other kind. But to be realistic, both sides need to give way. We in social development have to realize that our own culture is inching perilously close to our urban fund-raising counterparts. Conferences and seminars in five-star hotels, study tours and training sessions in faraway countries, high-powered meetings with the World Bank and foreign officials, not to mention the weekly day-trips to Islamabad (and that too on an Rs. 8,000 plus air fare!). It seems that priorities are getting a little skewed in the name of sustainable development for the future of our children.

I don't really mind exchanges like the one with aunty, but it makes me wonder whether what I am doing is any different from what she does? At least she doesn't hide her intentions behind difficult jargon and dual-purpose visits to exotic locations (the shopping's really great too!). So what are we really doing, people? Let’s think about it for a while and try to remain on Planet Earth rather than on Planet World Bank or Planet Gender and Participatory Techniques. Most of you reading this may not like what I have to say, but KT is now going to be in the business of speaking its mind. No hiding behind complicated terms. So watch out for the next installment of my diary. It may get you thinking again! I hope this has.