Ethical problem of "bag 2 school" and other "fill a bag with clothes" schemes

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

Just wondered what other people felt about this?

DD's school has sent a big ble plastic bag home for us to fill with clothes, the school gets so much money per tonne for the clothes collected from the private company that collects it.

I wouls imagine its very similar to the bags we sometimes get through the letterbox which don't appear to be from a well known charity.

I've heard that these clothes are then "sent" to developing countries. From working in Uganda I know that these clothes aren't distributed for free as you'd like to imagine. People have to buy them and they're quite expensive. So this company is making a profit from our donations.

Not only that but it has deep implications for the country. Uganda has recently introduced a large tax on imported clothing like this that comes into the country. Their reason is that because of all the incoming clothes, Uganda's emerging textile industry doesn't stand a chance. It makes financial sense for the country to be able to stand on its own feet more by manufacturing its own clothes, more people have jobs making them, the industry supports other industries such as machine manufacturers, repairers.

So for Uganda it probably isn't a problem any more as most imports aren't coming in. But in many other countries its a huge problem. I'm very tempted to write to dd's school and tell them I think its something they shouldn't be promoting - will they think I'm mad?

Don't see why they should think you were mad, unless you express it in a particularly bonkers fashion. Sounds like you have a reasonable point to me. Perhaps they are unaware of the implications of the scheme?

Might go down better if you could suggest alternative ways of fundraising...

school get money from them, thats why they get involved.

i think most people, myuself included arent as clued up aboutthis as you think. inform the school in as professional a manner as you can aboutthis. a bit like you have told us . then it is up to them what they do with this imformation.

the bags that come through my door do state in tiny print that they re not charities but in fact are commercial organisations. which i s why i never give them stuff, and take it to the local save the children shop myself.