Charity Work - A Delusion?

When my partner-in-crime Leticia ran the idea of doing the Wedding Wishes Campaign as part of the AWP Malaysia's social responsibility programme, I was extemely keen. I'm always for supporting a worthy cause and so - with the support of our members who sponsored their bits as well as TV3 who joined us as media sponsors, we embarked on our plans.

The "Mahligai Impian" project aimed at helping single couples where one or both are terminally ill because getting married presents to be a challenge as money is put aside to finance treatments and as a result, couples forgo the idea of having a complete wedding with the whole works. Briefly, the "Mahligai Impian" campaign was aired on TV3 in July 2010 and invited participation from Malaysians aged 20 and above. The condition was one or both the couple needs to be terminally ill to qualify and they need to submit a piece of their story as to why they would like to get married in any languages. Finally, after much scrutiny of the results, TV3, as the judges together with invited NGOs selected the final winning couple. They had their grand wedding reception just last night - which coincided with it being Thanksgiving.

However, I am truly saddened and maybe disheartened at how the couple, as well as their parents treated the entire crew and team during the entire planning stages right down to the implementations yesterday. Mind you - the entire wedding was fully-sponsored by all AWP Members and it was well worth over RM100,000. Some members even sponsored their products / services / cash to the value of RM10,000 each without a bleep because we all held to one believe - that this was for a good cause.

Instead of the "thank you" - which societal P's & Q's would dictate as the norm, we had the family saying very unpleasant things to the wedding planning sponsors - rather rude and loudly in public. No, we do not expect to be thanked because we did this from the bottom of our hearts. But neither did we expect to be called "disgusting" or generally being insulted in public view that way. Being professionals, everyone kept their cool and the show went on without a glitch. But STILL - the families were not pleased. Right to the point that they actually walked past the Sponsor's table without SO MUCH AS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, let alone a THANK YOU.

I saw some frustrated FB statuses today. We all have the right to be. As sponsors - we gave up our time, money, effort and most importantly - heart to make sure the project ran smoothly and the well-deserving couple happy. As professionals, we maintained our professionalism and poise by grinning and bearing through it all. When they say this is a thankless profession, INDEED it is. But as professionals too - whether on a pro-bono basis or a paid basis - we do not expect to be mistreated. We are not your slaves nor servants. Period.

What got me frustrated and disheartened is this : - There is a whole wide world out there for us to try to help in whatever ways we can. How many more will turn out to be like this? I know what your answers will be : "You try to save them all. You don't care about who they are or what they give you in return." That's not the point, you know. The point is our means as individuals and even as small groups / companies / associations are limited. We can't save them ALL. As such - I much prefer to save those who are well-deserving of it.

I mean, this is me writing in frustration but if you asked me now, after the incident yesterday - the RM10k cash & value sponsorship that some of the sponsors forked out - between an orphanage for HIV+ children and an ungrateful and rude family member of a deserving couple, I choose the orphanage! Need I say more?

** image courtesy of showersmile.wordpress.com