Don't Give To Collections
October 01, 2005
the ones that leave the cheap plastic bags at your door.
I have just watched "Hotel Rwanda". It is essential viewing for anyone who claims to have a heart. I'm only glad I didn't watch it in the cinema because of the unbridled passionate sobbing throughout. The dvd was paused a good many times, the intensity of that film is unlike anything I've ever seen.
You might well be reading this and wondering "what has this got to do with business? And what's she doing saying not to give to collections?"
I'm referring to the ones that send the cheap plastic bags through your door claiming to be collecting for Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. I only got one today - a photocopy that mentioned the horrors of Africa (drought, war, AIDS) and profiled some countries that they claim to 'help'.
These sicken me.
If you read them very carefully you'll notice that they are worded in such a way as to imply that your goods that you are giving are going to help poor people in deserving countries. The sickening thing is that, in many cases, they are not.
Many of these collections are run by private enterprises and the clothes, household goods, etc that you donate are SOLD by the companies involved to retailers who SELL ON the goods. So some fat cats are living on the profits of your altruism.
Please read the flyers very carefully before giving to these charities. And if you're unsure, and thinking, "maybe some of the good will go to the people"...sit down and watch Hotel Rwanda and see how much good "we" did for the people there when they needed us.
So it's ended, millions of murders later. And now, in Prospering Ireland, the land of Entrepreneurs and Go Getters, we have companies (registered companies) whose sole aim is to capitalise on people's generosity to give.
I have heard that during Live Aid, Ireland gave the most per capita of any country. Certain 'astute' business people have made a business out of this.
Read the leaflets through your door very carefully.
And don't mistake what I'm saying as an excuse not to give to the ones who do genuine work - Trocaire, Goal, Concern...alll the 'brand names' - in this case it's best to stick to them.