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Best 3rd world charity to donate to?

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  • 09-10-2017 4:23pm
    #1
    Puteq
    Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭


    Hi, I was wondering what're peoples thoughts on the best charity to donate to? I'm thinking some third world charity where you'd probably get more out of your donation and obviously some charity with a good rating where a decent amount of a donation goes towards the cause. Googling it leaves me more confused, and all charity rating websites seem to be US based and full of charities I never heard of so I just don't know. Any advice would be appreciated!
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    #2
    gramar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,045 ✭✭✭✭gramar


    I'm more inclined to donate to or support charities closer to home. There are plenty of problems on our doorsteps that need donations too.


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    #3
    Puteq
    Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭Puteq


    Yes I see your point gramar and there are arguments both for and against donating close to home or abroad. Personally I am thinking of putting something towards some 3rd world efferts on this occasion though.


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    #4
    SafeSurfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭SafeSurfer


    Anyone except Amnesty International Ireland.

    Multo autem ad rem magis pertinet quallis tibi vide aris quam allis



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    #5
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Anyone except Amnesty International Ireland.

    What's wrong with Amnesty International Ireland


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    #6
    SafeSurfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭SafeSurfer


    gctest50 wrote: »
    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Anyone except Amnesty International Ireland.

    What's wrong with Amnesty International Ireland

    Nearly 70% of funds raised go on staff salaries for one thing.

    Multo autem ad rem magis pertinet quallis tibi vide aris quam allis



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    #7
    Puteq
    Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭Puteq


    Wow are they that bad!? Thats kind of why I asked this question...


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    #8
    BrokenArrows
    Registered Users Posts: 7,500 ✭✭✭BrokenArrows


    Puteq wrote: »
    Hi, I was wondering what're peoples thoughts on the best charity to donate to? I'm thinking some third world charity where you'd probably get more out of your donation and obviously some charity with a good rating where a decent amount of a donation goes towards the cause. Googling it leaves me more confused, and all charity rating websites seem to be US based and full of charities I never heard of so I just don't know. Any advice would be appreciated!

    Easy answer. None.

    The vast majority of the money for all charities will go directly to the salaries of its staff and maintaining the charities infrastructure.
    Of the little money that remains some will get stolen due to corruption in these 3rd world countries. Corruption being the main reason they are poor in the first place.

    You would be lucky if 20-30% of the money you donate actually gets spent helping people.

    Consider how much money gets donated by every country in the world to the same few 3rd world countries for the past 75 years and has anything changed? Ethopia for example receives a huge amount from the governments of the world, nevermind individuals. Its usually on the top of donations. The UK and USA amount to 1 billion donated per year which is about 1.5% of Ethopias GDP. Image when you combine every 1st world country donating how much money they are receiving every year.

    If you want to help out when go make a 100 sandwiches and give them out to homeless people on the streets. That would help a lot more.


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    #9
    Ulysses Gaze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,570 ✭✭✭Ulysses Gaze


    Puteq wrote: »
    Wow are they that bad!? Thats kind of why I asked this question...

    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/charities-reveal-how-every-1-donated-is-spent-1.2482613
    Concern, which works on fighting poverty, also performs strongly, and says it puts 91.1 cent of every €1 donated towards charitable works, keeping governance costs at just 0.5 per cent. So does Trocaire, another NGO, which also keeps the proportion of each donation that goes to charitable work north of 90 per cent.

    Now bear in mind, this is self-reported data.


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    #10
    rainemac
    Registered Users Posts: 170 ✭✭rainemac


    https://www.quanamfoundation.org This is a lovely charity, fabulously run, legit. I've had personal contact with the lady running the organisation. She travels to Vietnam twice a year to oversee the families, schools etc and none of her travel expenses come out of the charity's funds. Its amazing the work she and her small team do!


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    #11
    First Up
    Registered Users Posts: 14,822 ✭✭✭✭First Up


    Amnesty isn't a charity strictly speaking. They are more pressure group that finds and supports prisoners of conscience. You need people with skills and languages to do that so it isn't fair to compare them to aid type organisations.


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    #12
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    These, you can go and see the result :





    http://www.dailyedge.ie/man-makes-curries-homeless-people-dublin-3507378-Jul2017/




    She advised that anybody who wants to help out can donate to an existing account in Dan O’Brien Butchers in Northside Shopping Centre.

    We all cook very Monday night from our homes and make sandwiches, collect clothes, toiletries, and sleeping bags. It all comes out of our own pockets as we are not registered. We are not allowed to take cash, only vouchers.


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    #13
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Nearly 70% of funds raised go on staff salaries for one thing.

    They publish it all eg :

    https://www.amnesty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Amnesty-International-Irish-Section-Ltd-Accounts-2015.pdf



    You wouldn't see money going running campaigns

    Its call for a “human rights compliant abortion law” cost €160,687 during the second half of 2016.

    And a further €114,776 went on a ‘My Body, My Rights’ crusade, which focused on reproductive rights concerns in Ireland, Nepal, Burkina Faso, El Salvador, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
    .


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    #14
    Puteq
    Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭Puteq


    Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm thinking Concern seems to be the main contender for me now, though I do appreciate all other suggestions both near and far.


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    #15
    SafeSurfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭SafeSurfer


    gctest50 wrote: »
    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Nearly 70% of funds raised go on staff salaries for one thing.

    Is there more :eek:

    I first experienced amnesty way back in secondary school when their campaigns were mainly based on prisoners of conscience etc. Since they started accepting large donations from certain organisations their focus has become alarmingly aligned with that of the organisations that fund them so I believe they are no longer independent.
    It is a shame as it was a fantastic organisation founded in part by Irish man Sean Mc Bride.

    Multo autem ad rem magis pertinet quallis tibi vide aris quam allis



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    #16
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    ............. Since they started accepting large donations from certain organisations ..........

    Someone leading them astray ?

    Who ? :eek:


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    #17
    SafeSurfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭SafeSurfer


    gctest50 wrote: »
    Someone leading them astray ?

    Who ? :eek:

    Covered in volunteerism here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056473000

    Multo autem ad rem magis pertinet quallis tibi vide aris quam allis



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    #18
    Atoms for Peace
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,888 ✭✭✭Atoms for Peace


    The only things that will actually make a long term difference to 3rd world countries is more education and/or family planning.


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    #19
    SafeSurfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭SafeSurfer


    First Up wrote: »
    Amnesty isn't a charity strictly speaking. They are more pressure group that finds and supports prisoners of conscience. You need people with skills and languages to do that so it isn't fair to compare them to aid type organisations.

    Amnesty are a charity. What special skills and foreign languages are required for the campaigns that make up the bulk of their spending?

    https://www.thesun.ie/news/1630446/abortion-is-amnesty-internationals-top-campaign-priority-in-ireland-as-charity-spent-e275k-on-the-issue-last-year/

    Multo autem ad rem magis pertinet quallis tibi vide aris quam allis



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    #20
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,069 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    Bishop Casey's one ;)


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    #21
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Amnesty are a charity. What special skills and foreign languages are required for the campaigns that make up the bulk of their spending?

    ........


    campaigns in these places maybe ? :

    .............a further €114,776 went on a ‘My Body, My Rights’ crusade, which focused on reproductive rights concerns in Ireland, Nepal, Burkina Faso, El Salvador, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia..........


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    #22
    lazybones32
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,647 ✭✭✭lazybones32


    I support Trocaire because the vast majority of funding is spent on projects.

    There are local charities that i sometimes give to: local people who take artic trucks to orphanages in Belarus, Ukraine and Romania. They accept goods, so you could buy teddy bears, blankets, toothbrushes etc; and just donate them.

    I gave to Bothar once and they plagued me with emails thereafter. That put me off them tbh.

    On the news 2weeks ago, rte said that the Govt. spent €750 million + in foreign aid for the year and are seeking to double that figure before 2040 (thereabouts). They could solve the homeless crisis here with that money if they wanted to but i guess the EU wants the money spent/sent elsewhere. You could simply pay your taxes, knowing the Govt. will pay money for foreign aid and give funding to Irish-based charities.


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    #23
    First Up
    Registered Users Posts: 14,822 ✭✭✭✭First Up


    SafeSurfer wrote:
    Amnesty are a charity. What special skills and foreign languages are required for the campaigns that make up the bulk of their spending?


    I don't regard them to be a charity like Concern, Trocaire, Red Cross etc. Anyway I wasn't talking about Amnesty Ireland. The global operations are focused on prisoner and other human rights issues. The work involves research, analysis, communication and legal work. These need skilled people.


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    #24
    First Up
    Registered Users Posts: 14,822 ✭✭✭✭First Up


    lazybones32 wrote:
    They could solve the homeless crisis here with that money if they wanted to but i guess the EU wants the money spent/sent elsewhere.

    We are signed up to the UN commitment to spend 0.7% of GDP on international development.

    Nothing to do with the EU.


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    #25
    lazybones32
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,647 ✭✭✭lazybones32


    First Up wrote: »
    We are signed up to the UN commitment to spend 0.7% of GDP on international development.

    Nothing to do with the EU.

    Okay, some other bunch of @rseholes want the money elsewhere.


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    #26
    maryishere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,549 ✭✭✭maryishere


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Nearly 70% of funds raised go on staff salaries for one thing.

    I believe in some charities it is even higher, and still completely legal.


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    #27
    Arsemageddon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,129 ✭✭✭Arsemageddon


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Amnesty are a charity. What special skills and foreign languages are required for the campaigns that make up the bulk of their spending?

    https://www.thesun.ie/news/1630446/abortion-is-amnesty-internationals-top-campaign-priority-in-ireland-as-charity-spent-e275k-on-the-issue-last-year/

    You are completely missing the point. While Amnesty are indeed registered as a charitable organisation their role is to advocate not to provide food aid. Not all charities have the same function.


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    #28
    SafeSurfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭SafeSurfer


    Arsemageddon wrote: »
    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Amnesty are a charity. What special skills and foreign languages are required for the campaigns that make up the bulk of their spending?

    https://www.thesun.ie/news/1630446/abortion-is-amnesty-internationals-top-campaign-priority-in-ireland-as-charity-spent-e275k-on-the-issue-last-year/

    You are completely missing the point. While Amnesty are indeed registered as a charitable organisation their role is to advocate not to provide food aid. Not all charities have the same function.

    Why do believe that provision of food aid is a necessary criteria for charitable status?

    Multo autem ad rem magis pertinet quallis tibi vide aris quam allis



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    #29
    Arsemageddon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,129 ✭✭✭Arsemageddon


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Why do believe that provision of food aid is a necessary criteria for charitable status?

    I think it should be pretty bloody obvious that I don't


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    #30
    SafeSurfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭SafeSurfer


    Arsemageddon wrote: »
    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Why do believe that provision of food aid is a necessary criteria for charitable status?

    I think it should be pretty bloody obvious that I don't

    Would you agree that their advocacy now reflects the aims of their benefactors?

    Multo autem ad rem magis pertinet quallis tibi vide aris quam allis



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    #31
    Arsemageddon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,129 ✭✭✭Arsemageddon


    SafeSurfer wrote: »
    Would you agree that their advocacy now reflects the aims of their benefactors?

    If you want to discuss the rights and wrongs of Amnesty start a separate thread on it and grind your axe there.


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