to think that if you donate money to stop people drowning, you shouldn't have an issue if aome of that money is used to stop people drowning in poorer countries

[chomalungma]

Yes - the RNLI

They have been spending 3% of their income on supporting projects in poor countries to help prevent people drowning - even though it has had to lay some staff off.

They give a project to buy burkinis so women in Zanzibar can learn water safety skils.

They help support a creche because children are often left unsupervised as their parents have to work and many children drown each day. The creche project has helped reduce drowning deaths by 82%.

I can see that some people would be annoyed that a tiny percentage of their donations is going towards supporting poorer people in foreign countries and reducing their chances of drowning at a time when the RNLI lay off staff.

But it's a good thing to teach people water safety even if they are not in this country, isn't it?

Hmmm, does this mean the workers for RNLI get trips all over the world being beneficient with my money , without informing me.

How much is a business plane ticket to India or wherever - that is a big chunk of the pound coins being put into tins or packets in the UK.

This is the prob with the big chariities - sooper jobs for a chosen few white middle class do gooders.

Hmmm, does this mean the workers for RNLI get trips all over the world being beneficient with my money , without informing me

It's on the website..do you expect a full breakdown every time you donate. I assume RNLI members get the annual report which details the projects.

ow much is a business plane ticket to India or wherever - that is a big chunk of the pound coins being put into tins or packets in the UK

Why do you assume they go by business class? Other tickets are available.

And if you look at the cost vs lives saved....that's surely a good investment?

This is the prob with the big chariities - sooper jobs for a chosen few white middle class do gooders

I am a white middle class do gooder. Being a do gooder is something I am proud of.

Fatshedra it's 2% of their overall expenditure. And they are quite clear on their website and in their annual accounts, it is not hidden.

And no matter what your opinion of charities, where would any of us be without these 'do gooders'?

It's not difficult to discover that they don't give help directly but work with local organisations

And do you somehow think that those partnerships are free from the relationship I described?

I seem bitter, perhaps because I’ve seen this happen up close. It can be very ugly indeed. I cannot speak for RNLI but there’s a massive assumption here that British help is both effective and wanted. Far from the case.

Had to open the thread just to understand the title!

They're working with countries that account for 25% of drownings. They could stand back for fear that they're not wanted and let the drownings continue, or they could pay small sums for swimming lessons that reduce the risk of drowning by 93%. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

It’s just covert racism.

The daily mail and times don’t like brown people getting help 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s just covert racism.

Not even covert. Out and proud racism.

Well, apparently donations have soared into the RNLI in the last few days - so that's a great massive fuck off to the Daily Mail and The Times and all they believe in.

You can make your own donation if you want. And remember, every time you make a donation, you are helping to save someone's life somewhere.

rnli.org/support-us/give-money/donate

The middle class do gooders I was referring to were the chosen few at the top of the organisation on high salaries, not your average volunteer.

Yes, I donate to overseas too occasionally

Wtf does “donate to overseas” mean?

Charities are run by boards of trustees, often chosen from the membership (voted for by them in fact ) Fatshreda. Its the law. They dont have to be middle class though, anyone can stand. And they are almost always unpaid.

Tbh I think if you have a problem with this you're probably just a bit racist.

Hmmm, does this mean the workers for RNLI get trips all over the world being beneficient with my money , without informing me

No. Their funds are supporting locally run projects over there.

And seriously, you expect charities to let every random donor know every time they book an international flight for a staff member?!

I don't have a problem wirh this per se but I think they need to change their name to reflect their new direction.

Whether it's on their website or not their traditional fund raising message is to keep the lifeboats running on the UK coast. They have little lifeboats to collect the money in etc. I didn't know that they sent money abroad however many % that may be..

I think it's the fact they are now an anti drowning charity when previously it was to pay for lifeboats in the UK. There is a difference between the two.

Blankscreen - If you think the RNLI has taken a new direction, you're fundamentally mistaken. The RNLI have always had the purpose of saving lives at sea - including by education and training, in the UK and further afield. It's better to teach someone to swim than rescue them because they can't.

Tbh I think if you have a problem with this you're probably just a bit racist.

^^ This.

Didn't the rnli say that the funding for the overseas projects came from donors who gave money for that specific purpose?
Either way they do a fine job and 3% is negligible.
Have worked in a foreign NGO which partnered with the NHS and we gained a lot from these partnership. A lot of learning gets shared both ways.
It smacks of cutting your nose off to spite your face to stop donating to their cause.
Perhaps those who stop should create a charity for space travel so they can find somewhere to live where they don't have anything to do with non British people? Why has your country become obsessed with isolating yourselves? It's a national neurosis at this point!

They're working with countries that account for 25% of drownings. They could stand back for fear that they're not wanted and let the drownings continue, or they could pay small sums for swimming lessons that reduce the risk of drowning by 93%. Sounds like a no-brainer to me

So you’ve cast GB in a heroic role whilst imagining that RNLI is the a real factor in saving drowning children. Those statistics are pulled from where exactly? How are the children drowning (ie during cyclones where no amount of swimming lessons will help, or flooding caused by poor infrastructure)?

Such congratulatory tones. It’s not really going to help the situation much, though, is it? That pat on the back must feel good tho

Jesus Christ.. our club were donating old swimming costumes and doing bake sales to support the work in Bangladesh. It's not jollies for big wigs. The RNLI are very involved in grass roots lifesaving in the community here. They're running CPR courses for surfers as local surfers often are first on scene when someone gets into trouble in the water. It's not just Lifeboats!

Totally agree mango. I find this so odd. Countries like eg Bangladesh manage to train their own doctors and other medics, why would the country struggle with lifeguard training? It just seems so bizarre

I can't see any reason for anyone to get annoyed about this. They say they use money for overseas projects and good on them for not being insular. People are people wherever they come from, I donate to RNLI and I'm more than happy for them to set up projects abroad if it saves lives. That's their whole ethos - saving lives, reducing death by drowning.
What kind of weirdo begrudges helping people in other countries? I believe in aid without borders.

I love the idea that there are some people out there who are surprised to learn that the RNLI is a charity set up to stop people from drowning. Wtf did they think the lifeboats were actually for?

I think it's the fact they are now an anti drowning charity when previously it was to pay for lifeboats in the UK. There is a difference between the two.

What lunacy is this?

If people weren't at risk of drowning there wouldn't be much need for lifeboats, would there?

What do you think the lifeboats are for if not for saving people from drowning...?