The major difference between charity and philanthropy is that charity is more perceived as being an emotional, immediate response whereas philanthropy is more strategic and built on rebuilding. On a similar note, Charity aims at relieving the pain of a particular social problem whereas Philanthropy focuses on addressing the root causes of the problem.
An excellent example of charity would be the distribution of painkillers to malaria-affected patients. On the other hand, in the same scenario, a philanthropic organization would sponsor the education of the people in the affected areas and support medical research teams in finding a cure for malaria. Charity is giving, whereas Philanthropy is acting and changing a system for a better world.
The best way to describe the difference between charity and philanthropy is by using a very common phrase, "Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime".
Here is a list of the top five Charitable Trusts in India:
- Child Help Foundation (CHF): Child Help Foundation (CHF) is a pan-India non-profit, non-governmental organization, that is registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950, in the year 2010. They are a child-centric organization that works holistically to cater to the development of all the factors that directly or indirectly affect children. They work in alignment with the adopte Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. It functions for us as a roadmap to bring effective change in society. Emergency Medical Support, Swastha se Shiksha Tak, Mini Science Center Projects, Baby Feeding Centers, Roti Ghar Program, Village Development Program, and Humanitarian Relief are among the most effective initiatives that we have implemented.
- Child Rights and You (CRY): Recognized as India’s most trusted NGO, Child Rights and You (CRY) works tirelessly to ensure happier and healthier childhoods for India’s underprivileged children. CRY addresses children’s critical needs of healthcare, nutrition, education, and protection from child labor and child marriage by working with parents, teachers, Anganwadi workers, communities, district and state-level governments, and the children. In the last 42 years, CRY has impacted the lives of over 3 million children across 19 states in India.
- Smile Foundation: Smile Foundation is an NGO based in New Delhi, India. It was established in 2002 and was in 25 states across India. As of 2017, the Foundation reaches approximately 4 lakh children and their families. The Smile Foundation aims to provide free quality education to underprivileged, marginalized children. Their development program targets sectors like education, health, livelihood for women, etc. Some of their programs are Smile on Wheels, Mission Education, and Smile Twin e-learning.
- Give India Foundation: Give India is a non-profit, non-governmental organization in India. It is an online donation platform and aims to provide channels and resources to trusted non-governmental organizations across India. As a web portal, it helps raise funds and contributions from individuals in India and worldwide and then distributes these donations to trusted NGOs.
- SEEDS: The full form of SEEDS is the Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society. SEEDS is a 26-year-old organization that is active across India and Nepal. The goal of SEEDS is to protect the people exposed to disasters. Their dedicated team partners up with local and central governments, companies, and other nonprofits to reach out to families affected by earthquakes, floods, cyclones, climate emergencies, and pandemics. SEEDS specializes in disaster preparedness, disaster response, and rehabilitating homes and community infrastructure.
On a concluding note, Charitable Trusts or Philanthropic Institutions both work on the overall development of the society, region, and the overall country. We as a child-centric organization work holistically towards the betterment of all