Donate smartly

To all who donate money, food, toys, their time or any other thing that has any value, I want to thank you firstly in the name of those who receive it and who's life became a little more bearebale because of your generosity.

Secondly I want to ask you to think before you donate something. Think about what you are giving away. Money is of course almost always useful. But when you give away something more tangebile, please do it in a smart way.

This weekend we, Giovanni (the other voluntary in AIS = Albergue Infantil Salesiano) and I, cleaned out the toys room. Have you ever seen an episode of "the hoarders". This was more or less what we were given to work with.

So about "donating smartly", I'll give a real life example. You have 33 euros/dollar/golden coins/whatever currency you prefer. One plastic ball (with Disney design!) costs exactly the amount of 1 unit of your currency. Do you think it is a good idea to donate 33 of these plastic balls to a child's home in Tuxtla, Chiapas, Mexico where they have exactly 33 children.

...

At first this seems like a good idea, doesn't it. One ball for every one of the children, everyone gets SOMETHING. Everybody happy. 

... 

So now evaluate this idea critically ... 

1. How many balls do you need for a game of soccer? Yes, that's right, 33... Oh no ... Excuse me, it is one.

2. Further more, did you know that Mexican kids seem to have something in their blood that makes them excellent soccer players, they love it and they are daimn good at it, everyday I have to run until my heart beats out of my chest to keep up with them. So now the one billion dollar question: "Whith what kind of ball does a good soccer player like to play?". Right ... It is not a plastic one.

3. In Tuxtla 20 degrees is extremely cold, all year round we get at least 30-35 degrees when the sun is at its high point and as I heard we can expect a burning 45 degrees in April. NOW, the one trillion dollar question: "What does a plastic ball do when you put it in the blazing sun?". Yep that's right, it deforms.

So now, what is the result of your decision to donate 33 balls to the child's home? A room filled with 33 egg-shaped plastic rubbish that represents to be someone's good intention.

Are the children ungratefull for not wanting to play with this!? Please donate smartly, with your 33 currency units you could have bought one hard, decent soccer ball and one decent basket ball. The result in your wallet is the same, the children on the other hand are infinitely more happy with this gift.

The balls are only one example. We also encountered over 20 bikes that are only worth something for their weight in metal. And since the kind donator did not think about giving as well the tools to repair them nor did they think to give some spair tires as well, and the child's home doesn't have the money to buy this, we are left with some useless objects on two wheels (some of them at least still have two wheels, if you can still call it a wheel). These bikes occupy a lot of space we cannot use, the bikes cannot be used because they are almost all broken, we don't have the tools nor the money to repair them, and getting rid of them will actually cost us money we don't have either... 

I didn't even mention all the other things we encountered. 

But I think I made my point. If you want to help by giving away, super! But do it smartly. Ask the people what they actually need/want. Give something that is sustainable (for example donate two bikes less but give a bunch of spair tires and a decent toolbox/repair kit). Give things that you would consider yourself as useful, give away things that your kid would like to play with. Give away quality, don't consider their house as your dumpster, otherwise I can guarantee you that they are way better of without your gift. 

Don't donate something dumb to ease your consciounce, give because you actually want to help and do it in a smart, sustainable way and if possible take into consideration the opinion of the receiver. 

Donate smartly.

Thank you to all generous people in the world. 

I would like to end this blog post with a quote of a writer I find very inspirational and still very actual. 

Leo Tolstoy - “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

Best greetings to all of you, 

B. Supertramp.