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I sincerely understand this perspective from which you are reacting dear friend. It's normal for some people to want to claim ownership on the progress you've made especially because they were the link. Again, I think it is totally abnormal because if the thing had failed, they wouldn't claim responsibility. That's why people say that success has many brothers, friends and relatives but failure has nobody.
Most of the reasons people help others, is to shake off the burdens of dependence of those people on them. When you help someone and the person becomes established, you're doing yourself more favor because for a very long while, you will be free off their loads. Such people too could be of help to others in the future. If we continue this way, helping others to get established, I think the society will become a better place. Why do we have people stealing from others? Why do we have people envious of another's success, why do we have eyes prying into our wallets? It is because of the uneven distribution of wealth. The rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer. As a way to survival, those who do not have will become a leech on those who do. That's why I stated that when you help others, It's actually a help rendered to yourself more often than to the people in question.
But however, if someone makes it big from the help someone rendered, I feel it's not totally a bad idea or out of place to give them a percentage of what you've earned. Not as an obligation but as a way of saying thank you. Thank you because if they had kept this idea or information to themselves, we probably would still be at the level we were. Thank you because if they had not chosen to help, we still would be very dependent on them and others. So you could give a token of appreciation to the person in whatever form you deem fit. That thing is good because such people would always want to help in whatever capacity they can in the future because you've shown that you didn't take lightly what they did for you.
In this part of Africa, people consider the help they render others a big deal and expect you to reciprocate when you get to a position of power or authority. If for instance they pay your tuition fee through school or got you registered to learn a skill or vocation, they expect you to help others too. Maybe their kids, relatives or destitute in the street. Some are equivocal about it. Others are not.
The annoying part about getting help from some people is the fact that such people may end up telling the whole world how that if it were not for them, you would have been in the gutters, how they picked you up from the streets. How that you are ungrateful because you didn't pick a microphone to announced to the whole world that they are the ladder to your climb of success. Some expect you to worship them for the rest of your life or lick dust off their feet. That is the reason You see some people after they've gotten help, cut off from their helpers because of the drama they cause. Saying thank you doesn't have to be in monetary form only. You could get the person a befitting gift or anything else you deem fit.
I was introduced to steemit by a dear friend. He taught me to fish instead of giving me fish every time. I'm indeed indebted because he's the ladder to my financial freedom and independence. There were days it was difficult continuing on steemit especially when rewards weren't coming in. He kept encouraging and supporting me. With musing and other communities on the platform, it's become easy to fend for myself. I owe him a gift for this. I'm not sure yet what kind of gift that would be. It doesn't have to be in steem. I'm still looking forward to saying thank you.
i don't have enough funds yet even though my reputation has risen. I look forward to showing how much I'm grateful for his help. You can do same if someone helped your through a major level in your life. Gratitude is what keeps us connected to others. Some may not say it but it might cause a strain in your relationship with them. So to be on safer sides, determine in your heart what you think would suffice as an appropriate thank you gift to them and enjoy your connection to them without a hitch.