Like most on this site I have seen what distruction and loss of life the quake in Asia as caused, and can feel nothing but sorrow for all those poor people over there. I would love to donate to one of the charities but I remember listening to a programme on radio 2 last year where they were speaking to an ex charity worker, He said out of every pound donated only 10 pence maximum got to the people needing it, If this is true l am very weary of giving money to any of the funds,I do not want to here of already rich people making money out of somebodys grief. Also why cannot some of the lottery money go to help these poor people. Just wished that there was more that I could do it is so sad to watch the news and see all the parents looking for their children.
Tend to agree with you Richard. We we all saying how lucky we were to have been able to enjoy Christmas and that we get so few real natural disasters in this country.
I must admit the only charities I ever donate to tend to be our local hospices, Macmillan and always the Sally Army. Suppose I have a soft spot for the SA as, when I was young, every Boxing Day, a band of them used to come to play carols for us outside the house, together with the fact that they do so much for people. Charity at home I know but I think the best way to give overseas is actually to donate things that they need to the agency that parcels them up and then takes them out there.
It doesn't make it any less tragic or devastating but I believe all these things happen for a reason and often brings out the best in human nature with everyone pulling together to try to help one another.
My gut reaction was to donate without a second thought, peoples lives wiped off the face of this earth in seconds, lively hoods crushed before their eyes, could God have prevented this? Is it worth praying anymore? Is there a God?
I cannot believe that sums of only10p in the pound are all that is passed on to charities from public donations, I am more likely to believe that large stores that make pledges of monies for charity would pass on 10p in every pound spent.
I dislike having charity tins shaken in my face and shop doorways being partly blocked by charity collectors and wont give to them but do give regularly through D/debit.
I would urge everyone to give what they can afford at this traumatic time.
This link may throw some light on where the money goes (although it’s an old link)
http://society.guardian.co.uk/charityfinance/story/0,8150,431097,00.html
And another if you feel the need.
http://www.dec.org.uk/
Happy New Year
http://www.bluepeter.redcross.org.uk/tsappeal/appeal.htm
http://www.dec.org.uk/
It would be very sad if only 10p in every pound gets to the people who need it but even still I have been to the www.dec.org.uk site and made a donation for as much as I can afford. Helping with clothing and non-monetary items is good but medical supplies, rebuilding infrastructure etc. will only happen from monetary donations. What a sad way to end 2004.
Richard - I'm sure that there have been examples of bad practice but I'm equally SURE that things are improving & that we HAVE to give all we can.
You'll never see the results of your individual effort, but what a sad day if everyone felt the same. I've lived for years with those wonderful people. Nice that the central fund acknowledges a contribution within minutes.
NOT directed at you, but one wonders if a shortage of tropical prawns in the supermarkets would strike home?? = Tim
I agree with what you have said Tim, I will donate just hope that it gets to where it is needed
I too share some of the concerns about how money donated is spent. One way I have got around this in the past is donating to this site, a very specific project but very worthwhile, supported by the Rotarian organisation:
http://www.shelterbox.org/box_graphic.html
It is also a brilliantly simple idea!
Another good way to donate is through:
http://www.dec.org.uk/
Make sure you select the gift aid option as this negates the effect of tax on you donation.
Jerry
(I used to live in Indonesia, very upset)
My first reaction is like many here, and yes we all have our part to play, then richards valid comments brought home to me the disgusting fact that some GIT somewhere is getting RICH outta of all this, and don't doubt this.. cus someone is.. and the ampount of tax fiddles is pathetic.... so there u go richard... big business organise charity and then donte money to themselves and then pay themselves HUGE wads and then pass a teeny wee lil bit on.... is time to tighten up the tax loopholes on these freeloaders.. talk about scroungers/parasites??? but thats their shame, not ours..
another thing is... how did this go unforseen???? given technology is what it is today?
and very sorry to say this but feel I have to, How do we know that WE are not directly responsible??, we all grow things.. we all know the value of environment.. yet we continue to let the few, not only pollute but chop down rainforests etc etc etc.. everything has its origin and this is no different.. easy to blame nature.. is a cop out, we all now if we create an environment that is sound and stable.. then we reap the rewards.. planets no diff....
shame on anyone who makes $1 proffit from any of this
Ozzy/Ciaran
Oooh Richard - you've touched a nerve there; you're "weary of giving" ???
I am angry that this should be the first reaction of our little community. Sorry, but I hope you will understand my fury --- with 20 years experience of working with charities (as a fundraiser; and in the field in some of the poorest communities of the world, it could have been my friends or family).
First - like any other walk of life, there are the shysters and the thieves. The world of charity donations is no different, and, yes, we need to be careful how we give our support. I'm probably a LOT more careful than most.
Do you walk into the local petrol station and pay £50 a litre just because that's what they've asked for? No, you don't. You take a few seconds - and you go to any petrol station that offers some sort of value for the money you're paying. (I will only use 1 or 2, cos I have a pretty good knowledge of how the "industry" works).
BUT I'll say a few other things besides
- There is NO professional and reputable charity who would DARE let as little as "10% reach the people who need it".
- And EVERY reputable and professional charity is desperately aware of the damage that they all sustain when a shyster hits the news.
I'll venture to say that you have little idea of the paranoia about bad publicity, the absolutely FEROCIOUS pressure to ensure careful, transparent and scrupulously clean use and spending of funds, that drives the management of aid agencies.
It makes me SO [deletive expleted] angry that things like
Quotea programme on radio 2 last year where they were speaking to an ex charity worker ... etc
should have so much power to stick in our memories, and influence our decisions.
Real people I know - mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins etc etc like you and me (apart from their need?) - have to depend on such casual items on radio 2. This may be right, or wrong - but it's a fact.
Sadly, the paranoia you're encouraging prevents some very creative and visionary projects with real potential to improve or save lives. [Don't want to rub it in - but your argument is possibly EXACTLY the kind of argument that sank the discussions about setting up an early warning system for tsunamis in the Indian Ocean area. "The donors won't like it - we haven't had one for 120 years. Too much administration. Costs too much. '
NOTHING WILL GO TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT,' they'll say."]
Happily, I'm hearing on the news that people, charities and aid agencies are NOT entirely prisoners of the silly myths and the paranoia. All power to the generosity, all power to the DEC coordinating and facilitating a generous and humane response to the disaster, all power to the "£1 million being raised an hour" - Radio 4 news as I type at 12.14.
Gavin
Gavin
I think richards intententions are the same as mine, and that is regardless of what we do.. a great great deal of money is syphoned away into the pockets of greedy shysters... mahn check out the pay check of the director of Oxfam??? they is all at it.. see charity now has become business,, I hear what your saying, but believe me even in the projects u mention sumones getting rich, and by playing on our emotions they make a buck.. tis sad and very true, the real value comes wth peoples minds, there are carpenters brickies all sorts now on a plane to help out and fair play to them.. but it still grates to know there is sumone making a profit.. and once again whose fault is it??? tis very sad gavin, even sadder to know some git is raising a glass of bollinger whilst we say nothing.. can see a blame game going on here and no one is pointing at themselves.. the way charity is going Gavin, the likes of who u talk about will be swalowed up.. everything starts with us.. be good to see governments naming and shaming those who made or intend to make a proffit from all this..
all the best for 2005 Gavin
Ozzy
:-* :-* :-*
Oz,
To answer the point of 'why was this not forseen?', I saw an article on tv which was centred around the Pacific earthquake monitoring system. It was suggested that the same should be set up for the Indian Ocean but, unfortunately, Asia rejected setting up such an organisation just this year on the grounds of cost.
The Pacific guys reckoned that, had Asia had the same system, they would have been able to give a 4 hour warning for evacuation. Sadly though, even 4 hours wouldn't have been enough to save those in remote areas with little or no communication but it could have helped some.
My donation has gone here
http://www.care.org/
I've donated through the Red Cross website. I was a bit miffed that their minimum donation was set at £20 as it's probably ruled out quite a few people at this time of year. Never mind.
I've watched a lot of the coverage and I've cried quite a lot. Some of those people had nothing but their families and now they don't even have that. Mother nature is indeed a cruel mistress.
Doesn't make me want to celebrate the new year when so many people are suffering. 127,000 and still rising.
I think the public of the UK have been great. Over £30 million donated by them alone and £50 million from the Government.
My wife informed me that she heard on the Beeb news that the public can be assured that 98pence in every pound will go to the relief fund.
I would like to add that relief aid tasks need more than just brawn to get organised, so to pull top brass out of well paid jobs to organise such a feat cannot be expected to do it for nothing, if you pay peanuts you get monkeys and the job just wouldn't get done IMHO.
if you pay peanuts you get monkeys and the job just wouldn't get done IMHO.
Sorry to say this m8, but your above statement iz bolucs (soz soz Roy, is just the way i talk, I dont mean it offensively. so please dont take our disagreement the wrong way, cus theres lots we prob agree on) Like gavin I have worked in the voluntary sector, and there are many who give thier time becus they is nice peeps and dont want paying for it, know for sure there are peeps out there who are more than capable of organising relief and would do so for nothing, why do charities have to pay a HUGE wedge, to someone who should be doing this from social conscience???? it de-values every single volunteer.. there are peeps rich enough in our society who are more than able to assist, without them suffering any loss other than their time.. gets the goats up of many people, that people actually make a living from this.. why the fat cheque to the director, plus his perks etc and bet you anything... they are substantial.. I would sooner see the likes of Bob Geldolf organise this and they would do it for ZERO pounds.. ya want monkeys? you pay peanuts? can be turned around.. u want shysters... giv em a big payday.. soz roy aint personal m8, just somat we disagree on.. I would sooner see the "emotional content" taken away and discuss just why it is "we" allow peeps to make a substantial amount of money from misery??? kates point about the early warning system.. is well good.. they couldnt afford to BUY it... mahn should have been given free.. shame on those who could have helped prevent the loss of life but instead chose the way of the dollar, shame on them,
soz for the rant :) but iz what makes us who we are..
Ciaran/Ozzy
and once again Roy LOL dont go thinking I iz having a go at you, cus I aint...is just me m8
I would sooner see the likes of Bob Geldolf organise this and they would do it for ZERO pounds..... Ozzy...It's been slowly creeping through the grapevine that certain fatcats (and lets face it, all in that business are ultra rich) of "Band aid" got substantial payouts...mmm I wonder who paid them?
I'm not saying don't give. Just be very careful to what organisation you give to.
Gave up years ago trying to decide which charity was "fairer" than the other so decided children were my priority (Save the Children and Children 1st[the old SSPCC) and also Alzheimers and Oxfam) so give thru monthly direct debit. Also would never pass the Sally Ann collectors - they don't discrimiante and years before it was "popular" they helped people no one wanted to know.
I will give to other can shakers of charities I believe in - maybe to salve my conscience or maybe because I am soooo grateful I and my family have never yet found it necessary to need their help.
It is sad but a fact of life that running chairities has to be done as a business and I think its naive to think that can be changed purely by volunteers - so as I say maybe donating is my usual thing of "keeping y fingers crossed"....
The trouble with using the likes of John Cleese (Amnesty International) and Bob Geldof (Live Aid) (and what marvelous jobs they did I hasten to add) is that charities like Oxfam don’t just operate once in every 20 years they are there 24/7 and get dedicated staff there for much longer, paid and unpaid, try persuading fallen stars to give that much time for free, lets not cover over the cracks here, stars don’t do charity for free, the popularity band wagon brings in dividends that is why they all jump on it.
No offence taken Ciaran/Ozzy it’s freedom of speech, I just wish I new how to use it. ::)
Yo wicker
All I am trying to say is, that it al starts with us, its so easy to reach inside our pockets and give a quid here or there, is so very easy, and maybe that this this "ease" makes us think that we relinquish our own responsiblilities, in my own way, I feel responsible for this, is so easy to pass the buck, but fact is, there was available technology that was not supplied cuz of money???? and what do i do.. sit here and shout??? knowing what we know about growing, cant help thinking that we in our ignorance have allowed the current status quo to exist.. we/I seem to live in a culture that is purely dominated by dosh... just cant help thinking that each and every single one of us are responsible for this, how many lives would have been saved if we INSISTED that things that benefit humankind cost zero.. starts with us, I for one am very ashamed to now know that there was an early warning thang available and the only detterent was monetary.. ffs what wrong wiv us that for the sake of a few dollars we allowed peeps to be taken from there families, money is man made, and here it is shown just how cheap life is. starts with us, and whilst I give.. i wont stop shouting at the shysters who should be ashamed of themselves.
same things being said, just diff outlook.. is just all the corruption , the theiving, the profiteering... is all a reflection of who we are... not ur responsibility???? then why does it exist????
that last comment wunt directed at you megan lol, god, why do i feel the need to explain myself psml.. is all there.. is all our faults, so lets sack whitehall :)
Ciaran/Ozzy
Sadly, Oxfam has been proven to be one of the biggest rip off charity merchants of all time, which is why I absolutely will not give them anything.
The best thing I ever saw was a guy in the village here, with a highly paid job who, during the Roumanian crisis took time off, put himself where his mouth was, and that was pretty objectionable sometimes, lobbied us all, got donations of things that were needed, organised transport and got it out there himself with other volunteers. Now, we might not have the dosh to organise a plane out there but, with a little of the determination he showed, and he did it several times not just the once, things might be helped. I have to say, from thinking he was a mouthy prat, he gained a tremendous amount of my respect and that of many others who had felt the same. When it came down to it, his heart, mind and determination proved his worth.
Hi Muddyboots
QuoteOxfam has been proven to be one of the biggest rip off charity merchants of all time
It's odd how perspectives differ - sorry, I'll not let your statement stand as the only comment. Another pov, having seen their operations "in the field" in several countries, in emergency relief work and long-term development.
- Extremely professional, effective and efficient;
- Superb in their work with poor communities and groups;
- An extraordinarily high calibre of personnel, local and expatriate;
- Good at cooperation and coordination.
They have earned an immense credibility and respect ---
"in the field", amongst other agencies, in countries where they operate, and with groups/communities they work with/support.
Yes, of course I can think of occasions when the organisation has fallen from its extremely high standards; inevitable with an organisation that size. But nothing to merit/explain the strange contrast with such a negative reputation "at home"?
Ah well - different perspectives; I've seen 'em at work, and would unhesitatingly support them :-)
All best - Gavin
Here’s an interesting read on behalf of the Director of Oxfam, she has got to be worth a few bob out of the kitty.   http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/degree_days/degree_2003/Winter/stocking.html
Hats off to anyone & everyone who does charity or voluntary work. I volunteered for Social Services for three years before taking on a wage and it was fantastically rewarding.
At the end of the day, all charities provide millions of people with things they would never ordinarily get - shouldn't that be the ONLY thing it's all about?
Sam.
MAY I PUT IN MY PENNYWORTH.
CAN WE ALSO REMEMBER THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO WORK VERY HARD FOR THESE DREADFUL DISASTERS AND TAKE NOT ONE PENNY, BUT GIVE AN AWFUL LOT IN RETURN SHOULD WE NOT ALSO BE PRAISING THEIR EFFORTS.
DONT LETS GIVE THE THIEVING BAST**DS ALL THE SPACE.
I have to admit I was reduced to tears whilst watching the news tonight when I saw a poor woman clinging to the BBC correspondent sobbing as she had lost her husband, four children, her home and all her possessions. If anyone wasn't moved by that they must have a heart of stone! So glad I have donated.
I am still waiting to see if my friends who live out there are safe. The one is a distinguished medical doctor. My father's village is 8 miles inland from the south coast (Matara district) where I think we still have distant family.
The family who live almost opposite my mum are Sri Lankan and have lost family and friends. They posted letters through all the doors down the street asking for donations of clothes as they are going out on Thursday as part of the aid mission. Mum spoke to my auntie in Australia and she had heard that altho they need clothes and other essentials, they also need things for the kids to help them get back to some sort of normality, things like pens and pencils. Well, dad was a milkman and pencils were a speciality in our house, so mum sorted out a carrier bag full and took them along to the family. The whole road has been pulling together and donating alsorts of things.
I saw the kids on telly today, those who watched their parents get washed away....or those who have no idea if their parents are dead or alive....there is nothing I can say...........
Dear multiveg i do hope your friends are safe,and any family you have .
Do let us know of any news won`t you. Best wishes Rosebud. :(
Our local Radio Station is begging us not to send items of clothing or any other type of goods as they are not essential and cannot be easily distributed or safely packed in haste, there are suppliers working all hours putting together desperately needed well packed medical, food and other urgent supplies, so money is what is needed most to get these items out promptly.
We've got a local St. Johns that are collecting things rather than money. Toothbrushes , toothpaste etc. I prefer giving this way, in fact they've asked not to give more clothes but more toiletries.
Don't know if any of you noticed the ad on tv for WAterAid - it's not a very big charity as they go and is NGO (non governmental organisation) but does essential work meeting the most basic of needs - clean drinking water.
"In 2003, WaterAid was named UK charity of the year at the Charity Times Awards. It currently works in partnership with local organisations in 15 countries in Africa and Asia to help poor communities establish sustainable water supplies and latrines, close to home. It also works to influence governments? water and sanitation policies to serve the interests of vulnerable people."
http://www.wateraid.org/