Charity Holidays

robinbird

A few years ago when planning to climb Kilimanjaro I realised that most of the companies doing the trip had two options. One where you pay for it yourself and another where you fundraise and pay for it out of the fundraising with whatever is left over going to "charity" Many people got free holidays through the likes of the Niall Mellon Trust and Kilimanjaro.

Those that chose the charity option got the added bonus of bragging rights about what wonderful people they are for doing something "hard" like climbing a mountain for the good of others. I opted to pay for it myself without the "charity" tag on. It was a wonderful holiday of a lifetime that wasn't too tough but it cost me about €6000.

Reminded of the above when I saw the below story in the Examiner about a cork woman who has done this trip multiple times and is now fundraising again ostensibly in order to buy stationary for a local school. So far this time she has raised €5000. Now I don't know that she is paying for the holiday herself rather that using the fundraising money as it is nowhere mentioned in the article of the gofundme page but even if she was would she not be better off just giving the €6K plus that the holiday will cost to charity rather than asking other people for it.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40863476.html

the beer revolu

Ha, my reaction to this kind of "fund raising" had always been; "Sorry, but I'm not paying for your holiday/parachute jump, etc."

I've always thought it a complete scam.

I'm even sceptical of med students raising funds to do charity work in developing countries. I always feel that it's more about a life affirming opportunity and part of the training for doctors than a real charitable act. I wonder how much useful work these students actually do. Open to correction, here, though.

robinbird

Kilimanjaro Trip

SELF FUNDED

It’s like paying for an all-inclusive holiday.

• You pay for the trip

CHARITY SPONSORSHIP

• You pay the registration deposit only, then fundraise double the remaining trip cost for a charity of your choice
• Action Challenge will invoice your charity for your trip cost before departure.
• Let us know what charity you want to support when registering so that we can set up your agreement

SPONSORSHIP PRICE 2022

Kilimanjaro Expedition Group Climb

Deposit £795

Fundraising target £10,400

Portion of trip cost from sponsorship raised £5,200

Portion to charity of your choice £5,200

dory

I've always been sceptical about those things, but the gang you mention up there seems like a for-profit company, not a charity. That's a total scam. Go fundraise but give a company £5k. A lot of the volunteering abroad companies are the same, people think they're fundraising for a charity but it's just a company that goes and finds projects abroad so they can profit off them. I feel bad for genuine charities who are trying to run volunteer trips (those that are worthwhile anyway, not the type that has 16 years olds building houses).

Montage of Feck

The old adage about learning a man to fish always rings true with regards to the Neil Mellon fund.

robinbird

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119038392#Comment_119038392

i think any of these holidays where people raise sponsorship to go to a third world country and " volunteer" are bad.

Not just because of the self righteousness and virtue signalling but they do more harm that good to local economy and are indicative of a colonial superior mindset.

However issue I raised here is people who raise sponsorship which they use to pay for a "challenge" like climbing a mountain , jumping out of a parachute , going for a cycle etc.