I've been thinking lately of the conundrum of charities that actually benefit communities (like wells) versus the kind that can draw in donaters (like Save the Children).

As MacCormack puts it, “An awful lot of people who sign on to a personal
human being will not sign on to a well.”

I can see Save the Children having several merits, especially if you have children yourself. As a child I can remember being puzzled by my parents writing checks to faraway institutions who did god knows what with the money. And besides, didn't our family need the money? I couldn't help but wonder if I was getting short-changed on holiday presents just so my parents could write bigger and bigger checks to these so-called charities. But then they started doing something different - they sponsored a child and for two years we received pictures and notes about a specific child - and suddenly it clicked. Our money was going to help this child obtain food and clothes, and that seemed a worthwhile use of our family's money. I don't know why they stopped, perhaps they realized how very little of their donation actually went to the child, but I can remember feeling disappointed about it. Long story short - child sponsorship is a deserving charity, even if half your donation goes to administrative costs, because it MODELS to your children what giving is all about.

But then you hear so many negative stories about such charities, like they will keep collecting money on a child's behalf even after they are dead, that the aid the children receive (when they receive anything) is in the form of used clothes and shoes that rarely fit, that letters from the children are often forged, etc.

Why does giving have to be so darn complicated?

This is an interesting discussion on how kiva really works and the parallels it has with save the children.

The other dilemma I have is this. Am I doing good by offering a microcredit loan (knowing the person on the receiving end will likely be forced to pay back $138 for every $100 they borrow)? But if I didn't offer the loan, perhaps the person would be forced to pay $150 for each $100 instead? So my money is thereby reducing their interest rate, which is a good thing. But what if that person would instead decide not to take the loan and continue earning a daily wage as a field laborer instead of taking the chance of starting a chicken operation? And thereby save themselves the heartache of having to sell their youngest child when a fox sneaks in at night and kills the chickens leaving them with no other means to pay back their loan??

Argh! Why does it have to be so darn complicated?

New at this

So this is my first blog. If my posts seem floundering, it's probably because I don't really know who my audience is. Oh yeah, that's because I don't have an audience. Yet. I guess time will tell.

Kiva

So, I just made my first microloan to kiva today. I made 5 loans in 5 different countries so as not to exude any favoritism. I have a bit of nervous anticipation about getting my money back. I almost can't wait for the first installments to arrive.

Prior to committing my money I tried to research Kiva as best I could in a hurried 5 minutes (I had already wasted too much time reading borrower profile pages). I really like how 100% of your money gets passed forward by Kiva and that I will not be getting any interest back on my money as this is unlawful in Islam. But I was shocked to find out some of the lending institutions kiva is partnered with charge as much as 38% apr (including interest and fees)! That seems like blatant usury considering the originator of the loan (myself) is getting 0% of the cut. The Kiva website explains it away as saying microloans have high overhead and administrative costs relative to the size of the loans, yadda yadda yadda, whatever. Anyway, so I did another google search to find out if lending in this way violates any islamic laws, but failed to find a satisfactory answer. So, I just went ahead with the transaction. I hope I am doing a service to these people rather than a dis-service.

If it works out, I am seriously considering a kiva gift card for my niece's 4th bday present. I was recently reminded by an article on oprah's web site about the importance of making our charity contributions visible to our children. The article's author came from a family who sponsored a child through Plan USA and that background launched him into a philanthropic career against global poverty. (Note to self: add Half the Sky to reading list). I would certainly feel honored if my own daughter chose such a path, but I am fine with her simply recognizing its importance. I thought all families upheld selfless giving as a virtue to their children, but that sadly seems to be lacking in the rural right-wing belt. (okay that is a generalization and I don't even know if it is true).

I may not have gotten very much done today, and I may have wasted too much time online (yet, again), but I can put my mind at ease because at least I have helped 5 people out.