Giving £500 to third world charity - help me decide where it should go please

[moneygiver]

I'm a very regular mumsnetter but using a different name since I don't want some cynic accusing me of being conspicuously generous to gain general approbation .

We are giving £500 to third world charity to mark the G8 summit meeting.

Where should I send it. Who in your opinion will spend the money best (i.e. lowest admin costs, highest proportion of the donation actually reaching the poor). I know there are some damn smart mumsnetters who will have all sorts of information about the efficacy and merits of various charities.

£500 is a reasonable amount for us so I would like to think it would be used to maximum effect.

Would greatly appreciate your input

Cheers
x

Jampots Benevolent Fund without a doubt

You kind of have to be dying of malnutrition to qualify.

Sorry to disappoint Jampots!

Nice try though

third world charity why not donate to a local cause like Children with Leukaemia in this country, as much as I agree with your thoughtfulness to Africa etc...there are a lot of charities closer to home that are often overlooked. Just a thought but hey.

If I don't eat anything for a month can I have it please?

Money-saving Martin donates to these (although they were voted for by users, so not necessarily the most efficient, just the most popular)

personally I would go for Oxfam - but my reasons might not tally with your criteria. i would give to Oxfam because I have a huge amount of respect for their lobbying and campaigning work. they produce excellent research and analysis and if we're interested in long-term change - eg on measures to help people help themselves I think this is very much a priority.

have you spoken to anyone in your local area about it? our parish magazine has regular letters from Christians (it's a Christian magazine) working abroad in various aid agencies who would love a direct donation I'm sure. That way you would be giving the money directly (so long as you trusted the person working out there) cutting down on overheads and backhanders etc. I don't know how practical it is as an idea but it's what I would do now having seen plenty of money siphoned off to rich villas. I'd also split the money into maybe 5 parts.

What a kind gesture ms anonymous!

I like Oxfam and Unicef. Both are safe options, I think.
Dannie is an expert on Africa- maybe she would know?

I very much doubt that children with leukaemia are overlooked in this country Gaylord...and I personally can't think of any greater need than third world children literally starving to death...(I might feel differently if I was directly affected by childhood leukaemia I'm sure!, and am not saying that such a cause isn't very worthy, it is of course)

I have little patience with the argument that charity begins at home. Charitable giving is a highly personal thing and it's best not to try and sway people to give to some other cause - causes peaks in bp!

We look back on the middle ages as an incredibly barbaric time and can't fathom why religious heretics were killed and witches burnt at the stake. I'm quite certain that future generations will look back at us with total and utter uncomprehending DISGUST that we stood by and let millions starve in a world of plenty.

Here endeth the lecture

Morocco,

That's a good idea I might just do that.

Also maybe I should CAT Dannie...

Hatstand,

Yes - can't dispute that Oxfam has a very high profile for a reason; probably because they are very good at what they do.

if you are concerned about money being siphoned off then reputable organisations subject to charity law, with rigourous policies on back-handers and the like, with transparent published accounts etc are teh way to go.

sadly hatstand I don't think it is possible to avoid it when you give to any second or third world country even through a large organisation

gaylord,

I hope I didn't sound to irritable then? it's just that lots of people say charity begins at home as a reason for not donating to third world charity (I realise that you weren't saying that) and it really gets my goat! Sorry if I was a bit OTT

I guess I could probably access their published accounts and gauge who is most 'efficient'

Um... Can you break that down a bit, kama? What is the problem with the info there?

S'pose not. Though I'm never exactly sure how thay work these things out. I think the UK Oxfam would have different figures/ratings anyway maybe?

Moneygiver, just to help you narrow the selection, think about a time in your life you have felt most vulnerable,you would have the answer to who to give the money to, then it's just a matter to find the charity that specialises on that.

HTH

I had a feeling that this might be complicated. No a 2 star rating doesn't sound great...

my personal favourite is medecins sans frontieres

What about sponsering the same number of children as you have? This is a bit different obviously because it will involve ongoing donations every year but is a great thing to do.

I have a lot of respect for these people