Re: just too much - pleading charities

Judd I asked the very same question of my husband ( who has worked in Africa ) yesterday !
He couldn't give me an answer.
I just don't give to African charities it's just throwing money down the drain .

Re: just too much - pleading charities

Air ambulance, RNLI and children's hospice - that's all I can afford.

Re: just too much - pleading charities

Her is your answer, Judd. (I add, not written by myself.)

Africa has many incredibly diverse climates, but I'm going to assume you are thinking of dryer climates. If I am mistaken and you are thinking of another scenario, let me know.

In the dryer climates I have visited in Northern Cameroon, most villages are near water sources. However many of these dry climates have two seasons: rainy and dry. During the rainy season there is easy access to water near the villages. In the dry season a water sources near villages might dry up and people will have to travel to a farther source. The thing is during the wet season these father water source would be very flooded and would not be a good place for a village. So in my experience, it's only a few weeks a year where water needs to be collected from a farther source.

Another factor is climate change. In the Sahel region of West Africa it is becoming much dryer now than in the last 50 years. Many villages were established before this time and water sources that once provided adequate water for the village may no longer do so. My guess is that these villages have not yet adapted to changes in weather patters. However I don't think this is as widespread of a problem as you are thinking, it probably only affects a small portion of communities in the whole of Africa.

As for the advertisements you are seeing, they are probably showing scenes, like those you described, to play on emotions in order to solicit more funding for their projects. Whether or not they are doing good work, playing on the images of destitute africans has been successful in the past to raise funds from those in western countries.

Re: just too much - pleading charities

I am affected by the donkey one too it's heart breaking Also I often wonder how it can be that a well fed mother has a small starving child?

I give to charity but never to those who run these ads.

Neither do I give to top heavy charities I mean the ones with massive running costs that mainly fund staff wages. My daughter used to work for a children's hospice, she fell out with them because she felt they lost their way, costs spiralled out of control over £2.5 million per year to run 4 beds which were rarely occupied.

Re: just too much - pleading charities

We just now give our local hospice. I like the rest of you get fed up with constant barrage from these charities.

Re: just too much - pleading charities

Also puzzles me why they can't use a donkey or ox - presuming they have one - to pull the water. More efficient and could carry more of it. Or - heaven forbid - an adult male.

As for digging their own wells - it never seems to occur to them does it? They seem to prefer to wait for aid workers to come and do stuff for them.

Re: just too much - pleading charities

I don't buy into all these charity ads - and would not dream of donating to one like this.

the ones that do get me are the ones for the homeless like bernados ones or nhs as they pull with the heart strings. try and do my bit for the things that effect me and try not be manipulated into giving for something that I don't support.

in a indirect way - we are manipulated and that is the power of TV.

Re: just too much - pleading charities

Charitable People?

Re: just too much - pleading charities

Call me hard-hearted, but these TV adverts have absolutely no effect on me, especially when you hear about the senior management of charities who have become filthy rich as a result of their activities.

The only thing I really feel about them is that they are so repetitively boring. They also always announce their advent with the playing of the same sort of 'heart-rending' music, which immediately prompts me to change channels in the hope of seeing something more interesting.

For example, due to the well-known political bias of the BBC, I usually watch Sky News of preference. However, when the ubiquitous begging adverts herald their approach I instantly turn over to the BBC News...

...only to find they are talking, yet again, about football. You can't win.

Like everyone else, I also receive the usual junk mail from various charities, including the ones which contain complimentary Christmas cards and the like. Unlike others, however, I do not throw them away but keep them for use and mentally thank the charity concerned for their generosity.

Re: just too much - pleading charities

They have to be charitable skilled people used to dealing with large amounts of money .
This is probaby a full time job who is going to do this for nothing?