All over the world there are catastrophes happening on a regular basis. Nature causes disasters, and there is nothing we can do to prevent it. Well, at least very little.
Every time one of these disasters happen we are asked to donate money. At the same time we're reading about that the help is not reaching the destination. So what to do?
I used to be a member of the Red Cross, until I read about the bonuses the top guys got. I used to give money to Greenpeace, until I heard they were using violence to achieve their goals. I donated a 100 francs to Doctors without borders some years ago in support of the disaster in Haiti, and my company back then doubled the money.
But since then, I have received monthly begging letters from Doctors without borders using the money I donated to postage for letters to me again. Which means the money I sent are used for administration and not giving me the feeling that I actually helped.
I am very sorry for the Philippines right now, and I have empathy, but not having any personal connections to there, I don't think there is anyway I can help even if I want to.
And I refuse to give money to organizations that use it for the top guys, and not for the people it was intended to.
Give or not give, that's the question.
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2 comments:
You can't make money without spending money. I used to work for one of these kind of organisations, the fact is that the money they spend on sending out requests for donations is returned to them 10 fold or more, so its a good investment. Apparently the Red Cross spends less than 5% on administration (which includes salaries and bonuses I think) and about another 5 on fundraising. Which I think is pretty good.
Sure it would be good if all of the money went directly to help the affected people, but that is never possible.
B
I hear what you're saying, but at my place all begging letters go directly into the trash.
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