Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Insights from a community builder in India on Effective Altruism in a Third World country, published by Nayanika on September 17, 2024 on The Effective Altruism Forum.
This post will attempt to outlay outcomes of my 1 year worth of observations as a community builder in the Indian city of Kolkata and navigate some 'desirable developments' that the EA movement could bring about in the developing or the underdeveloped nations of the world [will use 'India' in this context].
Some ideas discussed herein are:
UGAP as a brilliant opportunity for India (alongside economically similar nations) and how it remains untapped
Hindrances of an EA community builder in India
A suggestive way forward
Non-profit work is a great way to approach development in Third World countries, especially in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). People here need more of 'non-profitism' than ever before.
As UNDP mentions, development is, fundamentally, about more choice. It is about providing people with opportunities. The question is what kind of opportunities are we talking for a developing nation like India? Ideally one thing strikes out: Career advancement opportunities. Precisely, the more enlightened University students we have, the better tomorrow for a nation.
That's how I feel the UGAP is a brilliant opportunity! How we can penetrate into these educational hubs (Universities and colleges) dwindling with bright and charged minds and then hopefully channelize their energy towards better opportunities.
But there are some what ifs:
What if these students are not aware of the opportunity cost of not indulging into something like a UGAP?
What if they don't understand EA at the first place?
What if they might become hugely interested only if they had that 'incentive' to come and take a sneak peek at what EA is all about?
In my 1 year of EA community building journey this has been the biggest hindrance. A volunteer recently reported that her college club is not green signaling an intro-talk as "EA is almost dead in India".
Most Students have "zero clue" of what EA is/could be and there's a lurking inertia. The sad part- they aren't interested! Mostly because of subliminal barriers of 'EA' not being attractive enough like the foreign pop-culture. My motivation and challenge is to give them that "clue" using some 'incentive' that would bring them into an EA room. Once they are inside, it's again on us, the community builders/group organizers to show them the world of opportunities that awaits.
Interestingly not every University/College here is welcoming enough to bring in any movement oriented talk. Apart from college goers, recently passed graduates are also 'untapped potential' that are freshly out of these educational premises.
And so,
How do we show them about EA?
Why will they want to listen about what Effective Altruism has in store for them?
It's a bit tough here in India for people to get interested as working hours are already more than their counterparts in other countries
College authorities are mostly conservative [can be hard to convince].
Quoting Keerthana Gopalakrishnan from her 2 year old forum post,
The lack of diverse representation in thought leadership from poor countries makes EA as a movement incoherent with the lived realities of the developing world.
Now quoting CEA's plans for 2021 (could not find any other years')
Add capacity (via CBGs) to cities with a high number of highly-engaged EAs relative to organizer capacity
Unfortunately, this cannot be applicable in many deserving (in terms of skills which is not subjective) pockets of India where most people unfortunately are still unaware of EA. Let's break down 'Highly-engaged EAs': Simply put 'Highly-engaged EAs' as originally people who need something to get 'engaged' with first, then become 'EAs' in the process and final...

EA - Insights from a community builder in India on Effective Altruism in a Third World country by Nayanika

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