How To Help Rag-Picker Children in Kolkata Escape Poverty thru Education & Empowerment - w/ Shafkat
Is Beast Philanthropy a Scam? The Reality Behind the Viral Video
When the world’s biggest YouTuber hands over a check, the internet asks one question: Is it real?
Joining us on Ready Set Do is Shafkat Alam, the Joint Secretary of Tiljala Shed and the man who stood face-to-face with MrBeast’s team in the heart of Kolkata’s slums. What he reveals in this episode might dismantle everything you think you know about "internet charity."
But the MrBeast story is just the hook. The truth—the real story—is much harder to swallow.
The "Garbage" of SocietyShafkat isn't just an administrator; he is a lifeline for a community that society has actively decided to ignore. He works with the "waste pickers"—the families who live alongside the railway tracks and canals, earning their survival by sifting through the trash the rest of us discard.
Shafkat shares a gut-wrenching insight early in our conversation: "People consider them dirt and garbage because they deal with dirt and garbage."
This isn't a story about pity. It is a story about dignity. It is about fighting a social stigma so potent that even other slum dwellers refuse to associate with these families.
Why Kids Choose Trash Over SchoolWe like to believe that if you offer a poor child an education, they will run towards it with open arms. Shafkat corrects this naive assumption with a brutal economic reality.
In this episode, we explore the "Rag Picker’s Dilemma." Why would a child sit in a classroom for zero rupees when they can earn ₹50 a day collecting bottles? When survival is on the line, education feels like a luxury they cannot afford. Shafkat walks us through the incredible, strategic patience required to convince a family to choose the long-term promise of a degree over the short-term necessity of dinner.
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
The Beast Philanthropy Verdict: Did the money actually arrive? Did they keep their promises after the cameras turned off? Shafkat gives us the unvarnished "aftermath" report.
The "Trickle Up" Effect: How a $100 conditional grant (not a loan) changed the economic destiny of hundreds of families in the 80s, and why the model still works today.
The Vocational Shift: Why traditional college isn't the only answer, and how skills like tailoring, driving, and even video editing are becoming the new escape routes from poverty.
The Gen Z Reality Check: Shafkat offers sobering advice to young people wasting their prime years chasing government jobs that may never come. His message? Get focused. Get skills. Get moving.
A Challenge to the ListenerWe end on a powerful note about "The Ice Cream Rule." You don't need to be a billionaire philanthropist to make a dent in the universe. You don't need a foundation. You just need to look at the person standing next to you.
Connect with Shafkat & Support the Mission:The work isn't done. Tiljala Shed supports thousands of children, and they need allies.
Website & Donations: https://www.tished.org
GlobalGiving: Search for "Tiljala Shed" to find specific projects.
About Ready Set Do:We don't interview experts on pedestals. We talk to the people just two steps ahead of us. We believe the only way to learn is to do. Subscribe for weekly episodes that bridge the gap between ambition and action.
Timestamps:00:00 Intro & Background 02:15 Is Beast Philanthropy Real or a Scam? 05:12 Is It Okay to Advertise Philanthropy? 07:20 Understanding Tiljala Shed's Mission 09:21 The Impact of Education on Waste Picker Children 11:40 Innovative Approaches to Poverty Alleviation 13:52 Girl Child Education & Financial Inclusion 15:16 Do Children Refuse to Go to School? 17:30 Vocational Training and Career Paths 21:51 Challenges AFTER Kids Start School 25:44 Emerging Opportunities in the Creator Economy 30:09 Advice for the Next Generation (Gen Z) 34:17 Transitioning Children from Work to School 38:58 Building a Supportive Community for Change
