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Authenticity of International Help Organizations?
UlfJack wonders: "I've been thinking about donating money, especially to organizations like Plan USA, who are doing what they can to help people in Third World countries. However I found it very difficult to check the authenticity of these organizations, so I'm trying to cross-check multiple independent sources. Has anyone figured out an easy way to do this?"
Of course giving money can make a difference.
But there are other ways to help (specially if you are an american citzen).
One great way is to make sure you vote / pressure you legislators / presidents towards broader / better foreing policy. For example, Brazil has held long disputes with the wto for the usa to stop anti competitive measures, such as heavy agricultural subsidies. There is much talk about open economies, but many developed countries put a lot of barries for third world countries to make a fair competition.
living in germany, i always check back websites of popular newsservices or tv-stations to see if they are listed (e.g. at the horrible tsunami disaster)
You could use google pagerank for plan usa, plan usa has a link to give.org... you could google both of these and find out if a larger company is linking to them (amazon or bbc).
There you go. Don't forget, always donate anonymously and in private, why advertise your generosity, that is like buying a service, rather than donating charitably.
#hostfile 0.0.0.0 primidi.com 0.0.0.0 www.primidi.com 0.0.0.0 radio.weblogs.com
You know, as an American I am sick to death of all these charities that help people in third world countries. Sure, I understand that they need the help, but god damnit, there are people in the good 'ol US of A that need help equally as much, sure they might not be as bad off as those in these third world countries, but goddamn, whatever happened to making sure your own people are doing fine before helping out someone living god-knows-where?? I hate all those late night commercials. Help the kids in CountryX, little Abigiabauia lives on these dirty streets...Oh yeah, well Little Abigail that lives in [insert slum area of big US city here] has a mom that is a crack whore and lives in a roach infested barely habitable by anyones standards apartment in a neighborhood in which crime is rampant and they have to have 8 different locks on the doors just to feel marginally safe. Some of you will mark this troll, or flamebait, but kiss my ass. Donate to a charity that helps out your fellow Americans (or insert your own country here). Make a difference in a life that is in your own country. Only after we have eliminated poverty in THIS country, should we be helping OTHER countries. Ya, I am an asshole, I say fuck Tsunami relief funds, let's make a goddamned American relief fund and help our own goddamn people!!!
is how much of the money you give actually gets to the intended cause, my guess for a standard high profile charity (oxfam et al) would be somewhere between 40% - 60% (although this may be well off). As for those people who just walk upto you in the street for some random charity i've never heard of, i'd never give to those.
Really I think charities should be made to publish this information, it surely could be a charity and pay its President most of the contributions, providing the "charity" didn't make money