Debtor is a person not an object!

We are all judged and given different tags throughout our lives, and not all are good ones. We don’t enjoy all the titles, labels, and identities that we are given. But can we stop others from doing this to us? No, we cannot. It is next to impossible to make other people think the way we do, and vice versa. So, what can we do?

As responsible beings, we should first start with ourselves. We should demarcate everything that we have and want to have, be it our identity, our belongings, or everything related to us. The world is competitive and can be cruel. But does that rule out vulnerability?

No! Vulnerability is central to life. If you look closely, you will see that society developed rituals and relations, the market developed products and services, and we also developed our own coping mechanisms to deal with vulnerability. But does it make vulnerability a bad thing? No, it doesn’t. It is our intrinsic nature. Philosophers have been questioning existence not to demean it but to understand it, to find its meaning, or to give it a meaning. Questioning doesn’t mean devaluing.

Returning to our area of concern, in the debt world, we often see debtors' identities being reduced, either intentionally or unintentionally. They become just sources to extract the lost money, like a vending machine that must give out what you want, and you keep hitting it till it doesn’t work or gives out what you want. Everyone who has experienced collection activities understands this.

Harassment frequently tears the ‘self’ apart. It looks harsh to read but is even harsher to experience. It is often tough for people to gather themselves into their original selves after such experiences. In fact, the families of such people also experience a great deal of pain and shame. Being debt relief providers, FREED has been carefully accommodating debtors in its programs. The entire FREED team understands what being a debtor means and never rules out the fact that anyone can be trapped in debt despite having access to many privileges in their lives.

This understanding sets FREED apart, and we want to share that we don’t want to be the only ones. We want to make everyone aware that, in most cases, debtors are just like us and face challenges to repay. With a few exceptions, all debtors want to be free of the stigma of debt and find debt relief as soon as possible. FREED’s Debt Experts have not come across a single debtor who enjoys the guilt and shame associated with debtors in India. Many of them even hide from their spouses that they have to take out personal loans to make ends meet. Don't you think it is now time to reducing people who are trying to make things work for themselves or their families? No, we are not doing moral policing here. We just want debtors to breathe fresh air like anyone else would. We are not saying this because we work with them through our Debt Relief Program which includes a Debt Consolidation Program and a Debt Resolution Program. We say this because we know how it feels to be there. We are empathic and have respect for all those who want to repay and seek help. What do you think about it?