NKF Saga - Heart of Giving.

[ reflections ]



I haven't been following the news lately. Reading news is like a priviledge for me now. If time and circumstances permits, i can steal afew glances during office hours. My breaks are reserved for rests in office :)

NKF gets public backlash after court revelations

SINGAPORE : The National Kidney Foundation and its CEO TT Durai was the talk of town on Wednesday. This comes after they withdrew their defamation suits against Singapore Press Holdings, following a two-day hearing where the court heard about Mr Durai's pay and job perks.

Some 3,800 donors have cancelled their contributions to the organisation. At the same time, some 15,000 people signed an online petition calling for Mr Durai to step down.

But NKF staff have rallied behind their boss. The public spoke out swiftly - in the wee hours of the morning, vandals defaced a signboard outside the NKF building at Kim Keat Road.
Painters were quick to repaint the graffiti but the damage had already been done. In cyberspace, signatures came pouring in at an online petition website for Mr Durai to step down.

Even at Channelnewsasia.com's online forum, public disappointment was clear. Many donors said they would cut their donations to the charity after the revelations in court.
This has now put the organisation and its spending under intense public scrutiny. "They have been misleading to the public, they are already so cash rich, so I am going to withdraw my monthly GIRO I have been paying them."
"It is very unfair, it is a misuse of the money we donated to the organisation.

"If they need our money, we will donate but if they use our money for other needs, then it is not fair as it is difficult for us to make ends meet and when we donate whatever little we have, we do not know where this money goes to."

Besides this call for greater accountability, the majority of those who spoke to Channel NewsAsia said they will not stop donations to the NKF.

"Why should we penalise the kidney patients? They are the beneficiaries, it is the management. We should continue to support the patients."

"I will still donate, it is about helping people. What if someone in your family gets kidney disease or cancer?"

"The NKF still needs to raise funds here and there, and as a Singaporean, I don't mind to chip in a bit."

Despite the backlash, many staff members and patients at the National Kidney Foundation have rallied behind its chief Mr Durai, and they have also called on donors to take a more measured response to the revelations over the past few days.
Dialysis patient Chan Poh Choo, 58, visits a dialysis centre three times a week for treatment.

Mr Durai is seen as the engine of the organisation, not only for the 1,800 patients at the 21 dialysis centres islandwide, but also among his 900-strong staff. Ms Michelle Ang, Deputy Communications Director of NKF, said: "He addressed staff to explain the decision on withdrawing the case, and they gave him a standing ovation.

"As we all know how hard he has worked, his whole life has been about the NKF, the patients especially, as he knows them by name, he sees everyone of them so we all know what TT Durai stands for and he is a great boss."

That is the general consensus among many staff members of the man who has played a key role in building the NKF over the years.

[adapted from ChannelnewsAsia News]

So much so for a well-known organisation. Its really sad. I know the need to support themselves. I know there is a line that should be drawn between self-support and voluntary work. For a non-profit organisation, they should receive a minimal amount of money as a make-up for the "life and sweat" work the NSF crew have put in. And the line must very very clearly drawn. Especially when its about money matters.


When it comes to this, it reminds me of the church staff in CHCSA. They pour out so much hard work but they earn so little. That's basically the kind of services i feel charitable orgainizations should embrace. A heart to serve. A heart of giving. But of course, reality check - Nobody wants to work in a low-paying job. Even if they have a strong heart to help the needy, an empty pocket provides nothing. They have to be filled before they can fill others


So the point of the matter ?











The Heart of Giving.






I was disappointed by Mr Durai and his committee's management. It's been afew days and yet no public apology, or address has been made. The evidence that piled up so far makes it seem that they are doomed to be the baddies. Whatever the case, I believe that they have actually started out with a true heart of giving and serving. They might have mix business ideas with charitable acts and conveniently paint the picture to make it a win-win situation. But it goes to show that plans change with time. Slowly, they became unwise in handling money matters. I wonder sometimes if private non-profit organizations can manage huge finances? The same saga can repeat to any other voluntary organizations if the lesson is not learnt.





Money doesn't corrupt minds. The lust of it does. A typical example might be just shown here







If you (Singaporeans) remembered, the same episode happened before at a different place.






And guess where is the faithful place ?






City Havest Church.





My church.








And it did not blow up as big as this. Basically because of our continous transparency. Everything done was verified. There is no way the media can twist and spin a story out of it. It tried to do so but it failed. They have limits to the words they say. (Thank God for Good Governance)






The point I'm trying to make?









The Heart of Giving.






We learnt not to give for ourselves. But for others we give and serve.




Because in this world... we are owners of nothing but stewards of everything




I've read a book and it has a theory -

That if the world learns to share and everyone has a abundant giving spirit, we would all soon have more than enough. What you can give, give. Or even better --- Give everything you have. Give as if you will receive back instantaneously.



Pretty funny concept huh? But give it alittle thought. Don't disregard it so easily..


Imagine if everyone of us stop stealing from the streets. [less crime.] Stop stealing from the environment. [ scientist will stop blabbering about Global warming and extinction of natural species.] Stop stealing resources by oppressing the poor. [ Good governance rocks ]


Then imagine when you walk down the street, you receive piles and piles of gifts. Everyone will be carrying turtle shells (big bags on your back) or a 4-wheeled cart, walking down the street ... collecting gifts and giving to those the gifts they don't need. Santa Claus will be out of job. Everyday will be like Christmas day.


Of course you think I must be dreaming. But I believe there is no point stopping our giving just because of a great error made by a top management of a charitable organization. In the end, we are not punishing anyone but the poor kidney patients. Let's learn to be rationale on one thing. If one day we end up with kidney failure one day .... would we not be concern that No one bothers about us anymore ? Would we not be worried that people will stop giving because of simple incidents like this ? Yes, it might seem to be a scam for those who sowed their precious earnings every month to NKF to feed the rich. It might seem that they have more reserve for the next 30 years. That doesn't stop us from giving at all. We can choose to give to other organizations, but we cannot stop giving. Because all of us were here through the gifts of others. Think about all that you had in life that possibly many other could not enjoy.



Ps Kong said, you can give without loving .. but you cannot love without giving.



My question is, which one would you choose to be?



A person who gives for the sake of giving ?



or a person who gives love. And the very act of love is giving itself


I am not going to cancel my donations :) Thanks to those guys who inform me about it. Though it a rush of blurness, and carelessness .. I might have given alot. [take not .. its might. i am not sure if i made a 1 call or 8 call donation] But i am happy to give. Because i know what love its all about.







Its all about giving :)

" Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you .. "

Luke 6:38

My thoughts : A city that gives is a city of love. :)



I hope NKF will use the reserve wisely now. Share and give it to other organization. 30 years of needs supply is really alot. There are so many unmet needs out there..