Giving to Charity

There are many financial needs in our society. It was recently revealed that Nigeria has the largest number of poor people (living below $2/day) in the world. In addition to the financial imbalances, there are numerous social and religious causes that we believe in, that require external financial support in order to achieve their objectives.  Can we just turn our backs and hope those needs would be met by others? Some say, “the need is enormous, what would my small donation do?” Others notice financial impropriety by those responsible for managing donations and decide to stop giving. However, that does not obliterate the need, it only exacerbates it – the beneficiaries of the donations are the ones who suffer. If we really care, we would give to worthy causes. A popular saying is pertinent here – “you can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” If that is true, those of us who passionately defend the cause of Boko Haram IDPs in beer parlours need to move a step further and give financially to them. If you love, you will demonstrate it by giving.

In our society, we give in three major ways – to extended family and neighbours to ease their financial constraints; to religious organisations and to charities /NGOs. Before giving, especially to the last category (the first two are emotional and may not pass rational scrutiny), it is important to do one’s due diligence on the NGO. Firstly, confirm that their objectives are in line with a cause you hold dear. Next, ensure their means and methods conform with your ethos. Then you need to determine that not only are they using the donations strictly for the purposes advertised but that they are efficiently managing their funds by – visiting their websites, interviewing their beneficiaries, speaking to the government agencies that supervise them and interviewing their neighbours.

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I can almost see some readers sneering and asking, “having worked hard for our money and exercised prudence and self-denial, should we be dashing part of it out to others?” The answer is obviously a resounding yes. Giving has so many benefits.

By giving one’s hard earned money out, one is giving a helping hand to those lower down the ladder; demonstrating that you realise that other people helped you up (financially or any other way) and so you’re giving back. When our children see us giving to the less privileged, they develop a healthy relationship with money and avoid the do-or-die, ready-to-compromise relationship many people have with it.

Giving meets someone else’s need. It is a direct answer to that person’s prayer. The idea that one can serve humanity in such a way is liberating. No wonder giving gives one an inexplicable feeling of achievement and satisfaction. There’s an inner joy that drives away depression. Volunteering (giving time and talent) in hospitals or orphanages has been known to aid the healing of depression, low self-esteem and other forms of emotional/mental stress.

Poverty is endemic. Needs are staring us in the face. How many of us have the Biblical Lazarus lying at our doorstep and we ignore him? Some of us can conveniently add the education of one or more neighbourhood children to our budget. Many traders/ manufacturers can easily donate a few boxes of their products to orphanages consistently every month. Some can come to the aid of patients that hospitals have turned away from life-saving surgical procedures because they could not afford to pay for them. An enquiry would identify the giving opportunities that exist around us.

Some may argue that the need is enormous, but their donations would be small and so immaterial or inconsequential. Consider this, if there are 100 students in your immediate community who are unable to pay for tertiary education and cannot go to the university despite gaining admission, you can throw your arms up in despair and give up. Or you could sponsor the education of just one. Whilst you may have not impacted the community directly, you have changed the life of one person and made the person a contributor to the economy and not just a consumer. Meanwhile, your action would motivate your friends and family to sponsor additional children.

Let’s not be committed in words and social media platforms alone, let’s give financially to good charitable causes.