Something to bear in mind
This had never occurred to me until I was reading boards this morning, and I think it's worth passing along.
If you have been considering making a donation to the Red Cross or MSF to aid in earthquake relief in Haiti, please do, but do not be overly-specific about what you want your money to be used for. Someone this morning said:
I would encourage everyone when donating to these international organizations to do so in this general way, to the organization as a whole. I work in international development and there is a big problem with people designating aid. While this is honourable if a specific cause touches you, it can be extremely inefficient.
With the tsunami, the Canadian Red Cross is STILL trying to spend the money. And with marked donations, they can’t use it for something else. So even though malaria and AIDS campaigns need more funding, they have to figure out how to use these funds for development (rather than disaster relief, their specialty) projects.
So, for example, if $10 million donated to the Red Cross is specifically earmarked for Haiti's earthquake, and only $8 million is actually needed, the Red Cross has two million dollars that it can't spend. At least not easily.
Asking that your money be used to help "areas with highest need" is great. It tells them where you want it to go, but it is broad enough that it will get used to help others, no matter where the highest need happens to be.
If you have been considering making a donation to the Red Cross or MSF to aid in earthquake relief in Haiti, please do, but do not be overly-specific about what you want your money to be used for. Someone this morning said:
I would encourage everyone when donating to these international organizations to do so in this general way, to the organization as a whole. I work in international development and there is a big problem with people designating aid. While this is honourable if a specific cause touches you, it can be extremely inefficient.
With the tsunami, the Canadian Red Cross is STILL trying to spend the money. And with marked donations, they can’t use it for something else. So even though malaria and AIDS campaigns need more funding, they have to figure out how to use these funds for development (rather than disaster relief, their specialty) projects.
So, for example, if $10 million donated to the Red Cross is specifically earmarked for Haiti's earthquake, and only $8 million is actually needed, the Red Cross has two million dollars that it can't spend. At least not easily.
Asking that your money be used to help "areas with highest need" is great. It tells them where you want it to go, but it is broad enough that it will get used to help others, no matter where the highest need happens to be.