Double your Money
on Duncan in the Gambia (The Gambia), 19/Nov/2011 10:39, 34 days ago
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One of the great things about being in the Gambia is I get to see exactly where aid money is spent and what differences it makes. It also means that its easy for me to help materials straight through to the people who need it. Last month a school in Italy donated some equipment to a school in Basse. There was no need to worry about how it was going to get there, how much would actually get through ad how it would be used. It just went it my bag in Italy, I took it to Basse and dropped it off at the school around the corner from my house. Simple.Its not always like that - usually part of your donation goes to pay for logistics and running costs of the organisation that you are giving to - the transport, the IT, accommodation, the electricity bill… you get the picture. VSO have already paid all of these costs to maintain a network of volunteers sharing skills all over the world. The more I think about it the more I think that network is a great resource that could be used for lots of stuff beyond the VSO programme. Any donation that a VSO can help go straight to the beneficiary like the bag of school equipment skips all the overheads giving you more bang for buck (Dalasi?) when compared to dropping a pound in a bucket outside Tescos.Sam, one of the other VSOs in Basse, has decided to use the opportunity of direct access to grass-roots organisations in Basse by helping a disabled people’s group called Rural Support Organisation for the Disabled set up a model garden. The group wants to start a vegetable garden that will produce food to feed themselves and help local disabled people learn useful skills and gain a sustainable income so they don’t have to resort to begging. Sam is trying to raise £3000 to build a fences and buy seeds and equipment so the group can start running the garden. So if you fancy doubling your money by donating directly to the projectthis is the place to do it. There is moreinformation about the project on the Basic Foundations website.
