In a world of greed, be a Mother Teresa
Volunteerism, as Mother Teresa’s Nobel Peace Prize showed, is not just noble but central to national development.
In a world of greed, be a Mother Teresa
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OPINION
By Robert Kigongo
“ A life not lived for others is not a life” Unfortunately, these words of wisdom from Mother Teresa have lost meaning in this Social Media and AI Era; it’s now each one for himself or herself.
Well, if I may ask each of you reading, have you ever wondered why, in recent years, people are increasingly degenerating into greedy monsters with untamed selfishness and inhumanly betraying and mistreating others for material gains without considering any essence of humanity?
Well, don’t lose hope or despair because the legacy of Mother Teresa is timely, reminding all of us about her virtues such as humanity, humility, mercy, forgiveness, generosity and kindness as the epitome of our co-existence, cohesion, peaceful, prosperous, and harmonious world for all.
It was laughter and merry-making in Northern Uganda as we shared a heartfelt meal with the starving and vulnerable children of Karamoja who have lost hope, struggling with hunger, water stress and the all-season scorching sun.
On 5th September, I joined hands with some other generous colleagues to donate tons of food, maize and sorghum seedlings, post-harvest equipment for grains, clothing, scholastic materials, and monetary support to the vulnerable Communities in Karamoja Region as we marked the International Day of Charity in honour of Mother Teresa’s legacy.
Since 2012, when the United Nations dedicated September 5 as the International Day of Charity, philanthropists, humanitarians, and volunteers across the world have used the day to celebrate the Catholic nun who spent most of her life in India serving the neediest in the slums of Calcutta and beyond.
She had the option of remaining a privileged middle-class European or continuing as an elite teacher, but instead answered what she called a “call within a call” to serve the neediest directly, with dignity and humility.
Her words still echo with relevance: “If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one”.
Sadly, the values Mother Teresa championed sacrifice, generosity, humility, and love are being eroded in today’s world by greed.
These vices fuel conflicts, inequalities, and hunger, whether in Gaza, Iran, Sudan, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Ukraine.
Even in her own spiritual backyard, some faith-based institutions have abandoned pastoral service for exploitation.
And yet, her legacy remains instructive. From a small grassroots congregation, the Missionaries of Charity became a global organisation operating in over 100 countries.
It continues to provide education, health care, disaster relief, and poverty alleviation, bridging glaring inequality gaps.
She also founded homes such as Nirmal Hriday, the “Place for the Pure Heart”, and responded to crises from Armenia’s earthquake to Beirut’s Lebanon war, demonstrating that charity knows no borders.
Her impact helped governments worldwide recognise the role of charity in shaping public policy, social welfare, and development priorities.
By institutionalising charity, societies can combat poverty, hunger, and corruption, while restoring human dignity and achieving sustainable development goals.
Volunteerism, as Mother Teresa’s Nobel Peace Prize showed, is not just noble but central to national development.
If she were alive today, Mother Teresa would surely be at the front lines feeding starving children in Gaza, comforting refugees in Bidibidi or Kababayan settlement camp in Pakistan or feeding orphaned children in Khartoum, or tending to the wounded in Ukraine and mending peace between Israel and Iran, for St. Theresa always insisted that peace and compassion prevail over war and hatred.
As she once said: “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
Charity has built schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, and homes, creating livelihoods for millions and nurturing hope where despair seemed unbreakable.
Each International Day of Charity is not only a celebration but also a call to emulate her example, a beacon of generosity, solidarity, and humanity.
In a world increasingly consumed by greed and insensitivity toward others, let’s be reminded that we can all still be a Mother Teresa in our respective fields of life and capacities.
Robert Kigongo is a philanthropist and sustainable development analyst.