[Music] so what now TEDx is your school hi you
so what now TEDx is your school hi you
so what now TEDx is your school hi you guys ready for a change and just pay
guys ready for a change and just pay
guys ready for a change and just pay attention to the screen this is what I
attention to the screen this is what I
attention to the screen this is what I propose to everybody who is in this room
propose to everybody who is in this room
propose to everybody who is in this room and is getting a salary that from
and is getting a salary that from
and is getting a salary that from tomorrow onwards your salary comes in
tomorrow onwards your salary comes in
tomorrow onwards your salary comes in some contribution to the Provident Fund
some contribution to the Provident Fund
some contribution to the Provident Fund there’s some vouchers that you will get
there’s some vouchers that you will get
there’s some vouchers that you will get for food you will get some petrol money
for food you will get some petrol money
for food you will get some petrol money and money to send your kids to school
and money to send your kids to school
and money to send your kids to school irrespective of whether you have a car
irrespective of whether you have a car
irrespective of whether you have a car or you have kids compulsory deduction
or you have kids compulsory deduction
or you have kids compulsory deduction into medical insurance and then at the
into medical insurance and then at the
into medical insurance and then at the end of it you will not have any money in
end of it you will not have any money in
end of it you will not have any money in your hand to spend on things that you
your hand to spend on things that you
your hand to spend on things that you want and I also want to tell you that
want and I also want to tell you that
want and I also want to tell you that this particular salary slip has been
this particular salary slip has been
this particular salary slip has been designed by the best experts in India
designed by the best experts in India
designed by the best experts in India and they are your well-wisher would you
and they are your well-wisher would you
and they are your well-wisher would you like to accept this change how do you
like to accept this change how do you
like to accept this change how do you feel does it feel like childhood but
feel does it feel like childhood but
feel does it feel like childhood but this is precisely how we are treated
this is precisely how we are treated
this is precisely how we are treated treating 300 million ultra poor people
treating 300 million ultra poor people
treating 300 million ultra poor people in India its people like you and me who
in India its people like you and me who
in India its people like you and me who decides how the money which is for their
decides how the money which is for their
decides how the money which is for their welfare is going to be spent they are
welfare is going to be spent they are
welfare is going to be spent they are plethora of NGOs government agencies
plethora of NGOs government agencies
plethora of NGOs government agencies political parties aid agencies who
political parties aid agencies who
political parties aid agencies who basically allocate all these resources
basically allocate all these resources
basically allocate all these resources for the poor on their behalf if they
for the poor on their behalf if they
for the poor on their behalf if they decide whether the poor needs a toilet
decide whether the poor needs a toilet
decide whether the poor needs a toilet or they need a school whether towards
or they need a school whether towards
or they need a school whether towards should go and do vaccinations or
should go and do vaccinations or
should go and do vaccinations or something like this have you also
something like this have you also
something like this have you also wondered when it comes to giving things
wondered when it comes to giving things
wondered when it comes to giving things why is that people are always handing
why is that people are always handing
why is that people are always handing out an old piece of clothing or they are
out an old piece of clothing or they are
out an old piece of clothing or they are giving something which is they don’t
giving something which is they don’t
giving something which is they don’t need it’s their crash because in our
need it’s their crash because in our
need it’s their crash because in our country when it comes to working with
country when it comes to working with
country when it comes to working with poor
poor
poor and you know helping them our benchmarks
and you know helping them our benchmarks
and you know helping them our benchmarks are really really low we believe that
are really really low we believe that
are really really low we believe that something is better than nothing and no
something is better than nothing and no
something is better than nothing and no wonder so many years after independence
wonder so many years after independence
wonder so many years after independence we are not able to lift extreme poor
we are not able to lift extreme poor
we are not able to lift extreme poor people out of poverty I work in the
people out of poverty I work in the
people out of poverty I work in the social sector and I thought that
social sector and I thought that
social sector and I thought that organized aid an organized way of doing
organized aid an organized way of doing
organized aid an organized way of doing development work is more effective but
development work is more effective but
development work is more effective but that is really not the case on any
that is really not the case on any
that is really not the case on any development project which do you see
development project which do you see
development project which do you see whether it is giving cows and goats or
whether it is giving cows and goats or
whether it is giving cows and goats or it’s a cow in a good kind of a project
it’s a cow in a good kind of a project
it’s a cow in a good kind of a project behind every one such cow or goat they
behind every one such cow or goat they
behind every one such cow or goat they are consultancies project overheads
are consultancies project overheads
are consultancies project overheads worth four cups and sometimes you have
worth four cups and sometimes you have
worth four cups and sometimes you have to stop and ask this question is the
to stop and ask this question is the
to stop and ask this question is the value that we are adding into the
value that we are adding into the
value that we are adding into the project more than four cows maybe yes
project more than four cows maybe yes
project more than four cows maybe yes maybe not now when it comes to working
maybe not now when it comes to working
maybe not now when it comes to working with the poor in the world they’re
with the poor in the world they’re
with the poor in the world they’re basically two big groups yeah one group
basically two big groups yeah one group
basically two big groups yeah one group things that the poor are poor because
things that the poor are poor because
things that the poor are poor because they’re uneducated yeah they make really
they’re uneducated yeah they make really
they’re uneducated yeah they make really really poor decisions yeah they cannot
really poor decisions yeah they cannot
really poor decisions yeah they cannot be trusted yeah so they need us to tell
be trusted yeah so they need us to tell
be trusted yeah so they need us to tell them what they need yeah and then we
them what they need yeah and then we
them what they need yeah and then we give it to them and not only that we can
give it to them and not only that we can
give it to them and not only that we can trust them with a cow yeah we can trust
trust them with a cow yeah we can trust
trust them with a cow yeah we can trust them with a training program what we
them with a training program what we
them with a training program what we cannot trust them with money on the
cannot trust them with money on the
cannot trust them with money on the other hand there are some people who
other hand there are some people who
other hand there are some people who believe that poor people are just like
believe that poor people are just like
believe that poor people are just like you and me they probably unfortunate
you and me they probably unfortunate
you and me they probably unfortunate yeah they are intelligent they really
yeah they are intelligent they really
yeah they are intelligent they really know what they need so instead of giving
know what they need so instead of giving
know what they need so instead of giving them a cow if we were to give them money
them a cow if we were to give them money
them a cow if we were to give them money and the choice to decide what they
and the choice to decide what they
and the choice to decide what they should do with this money so maybe
should do with this money so maybe
should do with this money so maybe they’ll go and buy a cow or maybe some
they’ll go and buy a cow or maybe some
they’ll go and buy a cow or maybe some of them will go and start a small
of them will go and start a small
of them will go and start a small business and earn an income out of it
business and earn an income out of it
business and earn an income out of it some of them might decide to put more
some of them might decide to put more
some of them might decide to put more food on the table or spend this money on
food on the table or spend this money on
food on the table or spend this money on education or
education or
education or or something yes so these are the two
or something yes so these are the two
or something yes so these are the two distinct groups they are the ones who
distinct groups they are the ones who
distinct groups they are the ones who are basically forming how the work
are basically forming how the work
are basically forming how the work around poor and poverty elevation in the
around poor and poverty elevation in the
around poor and poverty elevation in the earth for the ultra boy is going to kind
earth for the ultra boy is going to kind
earth for the ultra boy is going to kind of work out so now in India in a state
of work out so now in India in a state
of work out so now in India in a state called multiple dish Siva and UNICEF
called multiple dish Siva and UNICEF
called multiple dish Siva and UNICEF actually did a pilot and what they did
actually did a pilot and what they did
actually did a pilot and what they did in this pilot was that they identified
in this pilot was that they identified
in this pilot was that they identified families and they gave money to each
families and they gave money to each
families and they gave money to each household member yeah and then they
household member yeah and then they
household member yeah and then they stopped and they then measured what
stopped and they then measured what
stopped and they then measured what happened and to the surprise they found
happened and to the surprise they found
happened and to the surprise they found that you know the income generation
that you know the income generation
that you know the income generation activities in the village you know went
activities in the village you know went
activities in the village you know went up um the money was given to both men
up um the money was given to both men
up um the money was given to both men and women so women had more our
and women so women had more our
and women so women had more our decision-making when it comes to doing
decision-making when it comes to doing
decision-making when it comes to doing you know things in their in their
you know things in their in their
you know things in their in their household they also found that there was
household they also found that there was
household they also found that there was no increase in the consumption of
no increase in the consumption of
no increase in the consumption of alcohol or gambling or using this money
alcohol or gambling or using this money
alcohol or gambling or using this money for for tobacco elsewhere in the world
for for tobacco elsewhere in the world
for for tobacco elsewhere in the world like in Africa of this a pioneering
like in Africa of this a pioneering
like in Africa of this a pioneering charity in the u.s. called give directly
charity in the u.s. called give directly
charity in the u.s. called give directly they’ve been running large cash
they’ve been running large cash
they’ve been running large cash transfers or you know giving free money
transfers or you know giving free money
transfers or you know giving free money to the poor in in Africa and they have
to the poor in in Africa and they have
to the poor in in Africa and they have found that that every thousand dollars
found that that every thousand dollars
found that that every thousand dollars at the giveaway yeah there was
at the giveaway yeah there was
at the giveaway yeah there was substantial increase in income savings
substantial increase in income savings
substantial increase in income savings the well-being of the family year on
the well-being of the family year on
the well-being of the family year on year closer home in Sri Lanka when money
year closer home in Sri Lanka when money
year closer home in Sri Lanka when money was given to small entrepreneurs as a
was given to small entrepreneurs as a
was given to small entrepreneurs as a grant yeah the returns on that grants
grant yeah the returns on that grants
grant yeah the returns on that grants after five years or close to two hundred
after five years or close to two hundred
after five years or close to two hundred percent so not only this seemed to kind
percent so not only this seemed to kind
percent so not only this seemed to kind of work this is also sustainable enough
of work this is also sustainable enough
of work this is also sustainable enough for a moment I want you to think as to
for a moment I want you to think as to
for a moment I want you to think as to what does it feel to be really poor now
what does it feel to be really poor now
what does it feel to be really poor now imagine that you’re you’re doing
imagine that you’re you’re doing
imagine that you’re you’re doing something really really important yeah
something really really important yeah
something really really important yeah maybe you have an exam or you have a
maybe you have an exam or you have a
maybe you have an exam or you have a presentation to make or something like
presentation to make or something like
presentation to make or something like that but your mind is constantly
that but your mind is constantly
that but your mind is constantly somewhere else yeah you are not able to
somewhere else yeah you are not able to
somewhere else yeah you are not able to focus yeah you are really worried about
focus yeah you are really worried about
focus yeah you are really worried about where your next meal is going to come
where your next meal is going to come
where your next meal is going to come what are you going to do today will you
what are you going to do today will you
what are you going to do today will you get some pages today or not these are
get some pages today or not these are
get some pages today or not these are the things that you’re worried about you
the things that you’re worried about you
the things that you’re worried about you really cannot focus on the future you
really cannot focus on the future you
really cannot focus on the future you cannot attend the training program you
cannot attend the training program you
cannot attend the training program you not a capacity building program or do
not a capacity building program or do
not a capacity building program or do something else it’s almost like a
something else it’s almost like a
something else it’s almost like a computer which is a fairly good computer
computer which is a fairly good computer
computer which is a fairly good computer but you have too many programs that this
but you have too many programs that this
but you have too many programs that this computer is is running so the screen
computer is is running so the screen
computer is is running so the screen freezes this is not a bad computer so
freezes this is not a bad computer so
freezes this is not a bad computer so you cannot thinker with the software if
you cannot thinker with the software if
you cannot thinker with the software if you now want this computer to work maybe
you now want this computer to work maybe
you now want this computer to work maybe it is time to add some memory and
it is time to add some memory and
it is time to add some memory and hopefully the computer will start
hopefully the computer will start
hopefully the computer will start working again in the context of the poor
working again in the context of the poor
working again in the context of the poor money is that memory so if be able to
money is that memory so if be able to
money is that memory so if be able to give them money maybe that will increase
give them money maybe that will increase
give them money maybe that will increase their bandwidth now they are not worried
their bandwidth now they are not worried
their bandwidth now they are not worried about here and now they can start
about here and now they can start
about here and now they can start worrying about future how should they
worrying about future how should they
worrying about future how should they come out of poverty how should they
come out of poverty how should they
come out of poverty how should they really really improve their lives yeah
really really improve their lives yeah
really really improve their lives yeah so I have spent about 15 years in the
so I have spent about 15 years in the
so I have spent about 15 years in the social sector and and I have really
social sector and and I have really
social sector and and I have really asked this probable proverbial question
asked this probable proverbial question
asked this probable proverbial question to myself am i worth more than four cows
to myself am i worth more than four cows
to myself am i worth more than four cows is the value that I add into the whole
is the value that I add into the whole
is the value that I add into the whole system is it more than 4,000 and it
system is it more than 4,000 and it
system is it more than 4,000 and it seems like at least in this case uncle
seems like at least in this case uncle
seems like at least in this case uncle is not buddy then pass it seems like
is not buddy then pass it seems like
is not buddy then pass it seems like four cows are better than one of me
four cows are better than one of me
four cows are better than one of me actually doing in the something in the
actually doing in the something in the
actually doing in the something in the field so I believe that giving money for
field so I believe that giving money for
field so I believe that giving money for free to the poor it’s a very very good
free to the poor it’s a very very good
free to the poor it’s a very very good idea yeah economies call it with a very
idea yeah economies call it with a very
idea yeah economies call it with a very very fancy name it’s called an
very fancy name it’s called an
very fancy name it’s called an unconditional cash transfer I believe
unconditional cash transfer I believe
unconditional cash transfer I believe that poor people are very very
that poor people are very very
that poor people are very very enterprising they trustworthy they
enterprising they trustworthy they
enterprising they trustworthy they precisely know what they need they don’t
precisely know what they need they don’t
precisely know what they need they don’t need me to tell them what they need and
need me to tell them what they need and
need me to tell them what they need and then give it to them if we were to give
then give it to them if we were to give
then give it to them if we were to give unconditional money to the poor over a
unconditional money to the poor over a
unconditional money to the poor over a period of two to three years three
period of two to three years three
period of two to three years three hundred million Indians then they will
hundred million Indians then they will
hundred million Indians then they will find out innovative ways to to come out
find out innovative ways to to come out
find out innovative ways to to come out of a poverty so this is what i am trying
of a poverty so this is what i am trying
of a poverty so this is what i am trying to experiment through this initiative
to experiment through this initiative
to experiment through this initiative called cash reef which is about giving
called cash reef which is about giving
called cash reef which is about giving unconditional money free money no
unconditional money free money no
unconditional money free money no strings attached to the poor people so
strings attached to the poor people so
strings attached to the poor people so what we are going to do is we are going
what we are going to do is we are going
what we are going to do is we are going to give 96
to give 96
to give 96 Ruby’s to every household in a village
Ruby’s to every household in a village
Ruby’s to every household in a village this is equivalent to their two years of
this is equivalent to their two years of
this is equivalent to their two years of income over seven installments we will
income over seven installments we will
income over seven installments we will not tell them how to use this money yeah
not tell them how to use this money yeah
not tell them how to use this money yeah we will probably step back and then see
we will probably step back and then see
we will probably step back and then see what happens yeah and maybe you know we
what happens yeah and maybe you know we
what happens yeah and maybe you know we are in for a for a surprise because we
are in for a for a surprise because we
are in for a for a surprise because we believe that poverty is really not a
believe that poverty is really not a
believe that poverty is really not a lack of character or ability it is lack
lack of character or ability it is lack
lack of character or ability it is lack of cash so it’s high time that we fix it
of cash so it’s high time that we fix it
of cash so it’s high time that we fix it we give money to the poor unconditional
we give money to the poor unconditional
we give money to the poor unconditional thank you very much
thank you very much
thank you very much [Applause]
”
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