Surely Dolma is not the only person in the world who you can sponsor...there are lots of other very worthwhile kids to invest in out there. Not to mention that Dolma has already benefited for six years- perhaps it's time to give other kids a chance too.
You can be a good person and not be taken for a ride.
There are hundreds of girls' schooling charities, ones which do not involve annoying men named Ramesh who are probably using their association with an innocent girl to make themselves a little money on the side. You've done well by Dolma by furthering her education at all. Backing out because her handler makes you feel uncomfortable is ENTIRELY justified. He made it about business instead of about goodwill when the frequency of his calls increased.
I personally think that the Central Asia Institute (http://www.ikat.org/) is doing very good work in the same area of the world (Afghanistan stretching east to Nepal). There are other similar charities for schooling if CAI is not your style. I would start giving money to a proven charity instead of privately funding one individual. They're significantly more trustworthy than Ramesh seems, and they're very good at getting the most out of a dollar.
In India, not only would the beggars rent or use children to up their daily take, but they would also drug babies to encourage sympathy for a "mother" holding "her" baby. Bad people will do anything to con those of us with sympathetic hearts, so we have to be wary of their intentions.
It's wonderful that you've done what you have for her.
In the end, how much is enough? No one else can answer that question, especially since there are people who would suggest that it's never enough. After all, they will say, you can afford it, others deserve what you have.
No, it's yourself you have to ask. You've likely already made a tremendous difference in the girl's life. Are you obligated to do more, if you're no longer comfortable doing so?
By all means, help others, but (as I see it) you not only have a choice but something beyond that to direct your charity where _you_ see fit, not where others do.
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You can be a good person and not be taken for a ride.
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I personally think that the Central Asia Institute (http://www.ikat.org/) is doing very good work in the same area of the world (Afghanistan stretching east to Nepal). There are other similar charities for schooling if CAI is not your style. I would start giving money to a proven charity instead of privately funding one individual. They're significantly more trustworthy than Ramesh seems, and they're very good at getting the most out of a dollar.
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In the end, how much is enough? No one else can answer that question, especially since there are people who would suggest that it's never enough. After all, they will say, you can afford it, others deserve what you have.
No, it's yourself you have to ask. You've likely already made a tremendous difference in the girl's life. Are you obligated to do more, if you're no longer comfortable doing so?
By all means, help others, but (as I see it) you not only have a choice but something beyond that to direct your charity where _you_ see fit, not where others do.
Reply
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