Why are people rushing to financially assist Hanan? Let her be

The enterprising 19-year-old girl Hanan Hamid who went about her life doing odd jobs like selling fish, taking tuitions, anchoring local stage shows and even auditioning for minor film roles to earn a livelihood was reduced to an emotional wreck on live TV by the antics of cyber bullies. She, however, fought back and the naysayers who doubted her story and dubbed her a publicity seeker were forced to apologise, especially after local and national media took note of the cyber bullying and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan came out in support of her, forcing the police to swiftly get into the act and arrest two trolls.

Something else about the whole episode distressed me. The moment Hanan’s story went viral, offers of financial help began to pour in, including from NRIs. From what I read, this spunky girl was not looking for charity. In adolescence itself, she had taken on the task of fending for her family and had discovered her agency and enterprise. One NRI offered to help for no particular reason other than because he had a daughter Hanan’s age.

And then I suddenly remembered the old proverb, “Give a man a fish, and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you’ve fed him for a lifetime.” If I could, I would warn Hanan to be watchful of these offers of help and distrust the society that is suddenly generous with assistance. Society must help, but those who are not in a position to fend for themselves.

Hanan does not deserve pity. She is working and studying her way out of her difficult circumstances and if more of our youth can do this without state assistance India can achieve its demographic dividend. Having lived and studied on my parents’ earnings until my early-20s, I certainly am not qualified to advise Hanan. But I believe the teenager is doing well for herself and must be left alone or encouraged to go out into the world and make the best of it. Just as her qualities got her noticed, these will also fetch her success. The overtly solicitous society with its socialism and religious spirit of charity may help her, but what if it demands mediocrity and domesticity in return?