Luhia Apashiyas
General introduction
Even if Andaperna is a land of plenty, at least when it comes to the availability of grain and cereal products. This is why all kinds of bread, called Anindas in many Andaperna cultures, play such an important role in everyday life. There are, however, the poorest of the poor, who can hardly fend for themselves and are relying on alms and provision by others. Many temples have thus installed their own small bakeries, not only to feed the priests, attendents and worshippers, but also to produce tugas, a thin sheet-like bread to give out to the poor. A special group of devout helpers takes care of the distribution, the Luhia Apashiyas.
Specialisation and cooperations
The Luhia Apashiyas are volunteers who formed groups all over Andaperna, to assist with providing the poor with tugas from the temples. This endevour is a little two faced, as on the one hand, doing good and being charitable is an integral part of most deities worship, but on the other hand the sick and poor profiting from the temples provisions are unwelcome there, as the temples have to be kept clean and pure, metaphorically as well as concretely.
Groups of Luhia Apashiyas belong neither to a temple, nor a specific cult. It is more like a general term for people engaging in the same activity, which is aiding temples in providing the poor with tugas as basic food. Everyone in society can be part of the Luhia Apashiyas at any time. To be seen as one you only have to devout a noticable amount of time and energy to the cause. One is not seen as an Luhia Apashiyas for making donations or for bringing some tugas out on the streets from a temple visit. It is more like a communal service which especially young people on the verge to adulthood or older people after finishing their work life engage in for weeks to months, sometimes even for years. For those engaging in this activity for longer, they also profit from it by being themselves provided with clothing, opportunities to wash and groom and in some cases even places to sleep.
Infrastructure for the Luhia Apashiyas like kitchens, sleeping cells or provision with objects for everyday use like clothes or products for hygiene are paid for by donations, mostly by wealthier individuals of society. It is not supervised or organised by temples or cults, irregardles of the otherwise close intertwining between those and the Luhia Apashiyas.
Role and reputation
While depending on financial support from donators themselves, Luhia Apashiyas are not seen as beggars, because they fill an important role in society by giving out food to the poor and keeping them likewise off the sacred areas. It frees the general public to endure watching people suffering from hunger in the streets without ushering every single individual to help. On the other hand, most individuals have been or will be part of the Luhia Apashiyas at one point in their lifes and thus contribute to taking care of the disadvantaged. The system also keeps the social hierarchy stable, as the poorest are only given the most basic food, whereas the volunteers profit from an entire infrastructure. That is also why the system, despite being more expensive to keep up, is so deeply rooted in Andaperna societies. While doing good to those who need it, it is also not encouraged to only profit from others too much without doing much. Thus the charity system of the Luhia Apashiyas also ensures beggars being lower in social status than other parts of society and making that visible as well.
Type
Activist, Charity
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