It has been quite a while since I last update my blog. With the starting of the new year, new projects and deadlines, time is tight for this full-time working mom. And sometimes, I do feel a little bit "old" to blog but then again, we are never too old to do anything.
After the NKF debacle, I have become very wary when I am approached by youngsters asking for donations. Prior to that, I never thought twice about giving $5 or $10 donations when asked. I've always had the impression that every single cent of my donations would go to the intended beneficiaries. I always thought that these youngsters were volunteers - they were not paid a single cent and maybe received free meals.
Why I thought that? Because when I was in secondary schools, that was what I did. I volunteered to go down the streets of Orchard Road asking for donations. I was not paid. And at times, did not even receive a packet of rice for lunch. I didn't mind because I was contributing my time, instead of money (since I had none then) for a good cause. At that time, I was assured that the beneficiaries received every single cent donated. There was no hidden costs or hidden agendas.
However, after the infamous disclosure that only 10 cents actually went to the NKF patients and further brouhaha over other charitable organisations mismanagement, I stopped giving donations to anyone who asked on the streets. They can call me scrooge. They can call me cruel or even cold hearted but I have decided that it is best that if I want to donate, I would go directly to the organisation's office and give them my donation. No more relying on any intermediary party because I can never be sure how many percent of my donation actually goes to the organisation - if I donate through any boy/girl/man/woman on the street, even though they have a certificate to show that they are authorised to collect donations on behalf of certain organisation.
On a rather similar note, there is also a group of companies that assist Madrasahs and maybe non-profit organisation in getting donations by calling our homes. If you donate $10, you get some rempah, karipap, nasi beryani or other things that they may offer. Unfortunate as it seems, I am very skeptical about this too. How much actually goes to the Madrasahs we do not know. If I don't get the facts, I just get uncomfortable about donating. And saying NO to these people asking donations is not something I like. I hate to say NO. But I am sure a certain percentage goes to renting the premises to make calls, telephone charges, paying salaries to telemarketers, transport charges for delivery and the cost of the goods itself - so just a simple calculation, we can see not much actually goes to the Madrasahs. As donors, all these are hidden from us. Again, I feel safer donating directly to the Madrasahs, not through any other parties.
I am not advocating the idea that we should stop donating - rather, we should ensure that every cent or a very high percentage of our contributions actually goes to the intended cause, not to finance a private company or an individual. It is sad to read in Straits Times or even Berita Harian about companies or individuals who actually profited from our donations. They made big bucks and the actual beneficiaries got little - maybe, almost none.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
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8 comments:
It's also difficult for me to say NO to people who asked for donation.
Abt the Ayam Ungkep, it's not like Ayam Masak Merah coz I use ketumbar & jintan. Want me to email the recipe to you?
BQ. What an apt piece of entry indeed.
I always feel apprehensive about donation seekers when they come up to you in the various forms mentioned here. And it affirmed by reluctance to give when I by twist of luck 'caught them' red-handed enjoying the take.. sharing out the $.
My rationale is: I could give to any organisation, person of my choice, and I do it, and do not have to resort to these shadowy seekers as takers of my donations/sadaqah.
Great entry
morning BQ,
Susah kan just b'coz orang atasan salah guna kuasa yang memerlukan plak tersiksa kan. . .as for me i just continue with the MONTHLY DONATION for NKF
Ape2 pun all the best la
heh! i have the same resentment after the NKF saga. but then when i tried turning away those donation seekers, esp sch gg kids, i pity them and the efforts and courage they put in to raise funds. i can easily cair one...so as u know i just give lah. but then ibarat kata pepatah melayu *ahakz* "kerana nila setitik rosak susu sebelanga" ekekekekek
abt the FAT CAT, u r right lah siz. yday we reached home to find a pool of urine at the front of our doorstep. blood go upstairs. it came back agn. :( u think i shld sunat the FAT CAT? we cleaned the area with toilet cleaning detergent meant for stubborn stains and placed air freshners and mothballs outside our doorstep. hopefully it works.
I say if you can still be sincere/ikhlas about giving, then continue giving. If not, don't give at all. It does not really matter to me where the money goes to, especially if they were Muslim organisations... you know, the telephone one... sell paru berempah lah, or satay lah or whatever else.
We may not realise this but even if they (the organisations) were to get richer someday, it still goes back to the Muslim community via zakat. It's obligatory. Zakat, I mean. So in the end, it doesn't matter. If they don't pay zakat, that's between them and God. Not our problem. Our intention in giving was to help so it will be accounted for as that.
I'm not talking about you or anyone here. But I would like to say this and hope nobody gets offended. Sometimes when we see people of other races and religion succeed, we wonder how they do it. And yet, when people on our camp succeed, we point out their flaws or give them a bad name.
What is also important in our action is our intention. Once kita niat nak buat benda baik aja, pahala dah dapat sikit.
I do agree with you though that if it's a donation, then it should work as a donation. But if I can still give it to the organisations sincerely, then I consider it halaal for them to use for whatever they see fit. It's not like after I give them, I don't give money at mosques or to poor people. I still give so it doesn't matter 'coz the mosques and needy still get the same amount I can afford to give... which is whatever I have. And if that Muslim organisation gets rich from this, then AlHamdulillah, I have done my part in helping a fellow Muslim and I hope they too will realise that their income is a blessing from Allah and will try to help other fellow Muslims who are in need as well. Pardon my long-windedness. Have a good day. And thanks for the good read.
Mrs Beki - Recipes, pls! Do email me.
Count Byron - Thanks for dropping by. :)
Madame - You are very forgiving! :)
Aliyah - Yes, I do hope the Fat Cat Problem gets resolved soon. hehehe
Al-Sayf - Thank you for giving an alternative point of view. Yes, I agree with you about the Muslim organisation bit and the bit about ikhlas. I actually never thought of it that way - but yah, I see you point. :)
any tips to handle the kids school work..u ambil tuition tak?
be it pre or post NKF saga, i still give out whatever i can. shoddy or not shoddy the organizations they represent has never really been a problem. we believe, allah knows best. ;-)
wallahu`alam bissawab.
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