I am no fan of charity campaigns or telethons or any other activity, for that matter, intended to collect money and in the process debase and humble beneficiaries. To me, it is demeaning and disrespectful that with such a sturdy and generous welfare system we are not done with such patronizing, condescending and denigrating events. We call ourselves amongst the most ‘generous’ of countries and yet we make the vulnerable subjugate their pains and sorrows so that an organization ‘they’ probably get a service from, gets the pennies. Some would say it is a choice. Maybe, but who wouldn’t capitulate one’s privacy if the organization asking for it is the same one providing a service to a loved one?
What we have witnessed over the last decades was a scenario that cruces on creating a charity model that disregards people’s humanity. The sensationalizing of their pain is one of them. The voyeuristic tendencies of people and the curiosity that such agony uncovers remind me of the vile ‘freak shows’, reminiscent of the mid-16th century which became popular pastimes in taverns and fairgrounds in the UK. These so called ‘shows’ grew exponentially in the UK and the US for the next three hundred years or so. People at the time would pay money and maybe in awe, shed a tear or two, as they go around watching people who looked different to them, exposed and shamed. I want to believe that our attitudes have been rehabilitated. However, there seem to be similarities. It still feels like we are giving money in these charity campaigns to buy ourselves an ‘indemnification’ and in so doing, we hope against all hope that it won’t happen to ‘me’ – oh and we do shed a tear or two as well!
Now, let me be clear here.
I am not saying that funding is not needed by these organizations, that in their majority are genuinely committed to the ‘cause’. However, the situation when it comes to finance has really become cutthroat. Whatever the circumstances it shouldn’t come at the cost of people having to expose their personal qualms and sadness. I wouldn’t want that for myself or for those closest to me, so why should I sanction it for others. This is haughty and supercilious and should stop.
On top of this, we now have a battle between fundraisers brewing - this is how sad it gets. This is not the only skirmish that is going on. I know of so many organizations that share an agenda and end up with an on-going scuffle to try and convince the Government, and a few other funders, that ‘mine’ is better than ‘yours’.
Not only that, I heard through the grape vine that some organizations that get substantial subventions from the government through financial agreements, contributions by benefactors, fees paid by service users and fundraising activities have skyrocket wages. It seems NGOs are no longer the ones we knew back then which were run on the spirit and life-force of the members, entirely focused on volunteering and offering of themselves. Now we have organizations with multi-million-euro budgets with high administrative costs all wanting their new fancy offices, and the trickling down of the money to the grassroots gets less and less. I start wondering how much all of this is motivated by the ‘cause’ anymore or whether it is simply a question of creating ‘our’ own little kingdom that will guarantee a legacy.
This is where I believe the Government needs to stand tall.
Firstly, Government has to be more economical and certain not only on how much money is being given, but also in detecting where that funding is going.
Secondly, salary scales within the organizations that are highly subsidized by the State should be audited and made public. If we really need to keep the soul of an organization for what it is, salaries should be decent and reflect the ethos of the organization.
Thirdly, organizations should be led by an ethos initiated on ethics and morality. Just to mention one example of irony at its foulest, I was invited some time back by an NGO to discuss ‘poverty’ in a 5-star hotel!
Fourthly, NGOs should start looking at alternative models of funding which do not depreciate the person. There are some very interesting funding ideas that entities like Ci Consulta’s Corporate Identities are working on which are interesting, motivating, generate funds, retain the link with the community but do not create a travesty of what should be a noble pursuit.
Finally, to wrap it up, telethons and other events that promote charity, handouts and pity should be banned from our broadcasting schedule. I believe we are way past this model of generating funds. Add to this an urgent need for transparency. We need to have access to a public register where we can have all the information we need and want on an NGO and this should be an easy peasy process. It is vital that, if public funds are given to an NGO, there is a clear rationalization why this money is being given and to achieve which aim. Donations given by the general public and private donors are to be clearly delineated and explained. Even though the Commissioner of Voluntary Organizations should have an updated inspected account for all registered ‘charities’, it is important that such audits include salary scales of all members of the organization and other perks, especially those of professionals and management.
Oh, and if we want to take funding of organizations seriously we cannot turn it into a charade. We just cannot keep having knee-jerk initiatives when some high-ranking self-absorbed politician decides to call-in during a TV program and promises truck loads of money and this without going through procedures and selection criteria of any sorts.
In not so many words we need to see better coordination and transparency in fund raising campaigns possibly getting away from the dreaded charity model. To do this we need to get all parties to sit around a table and talk. It’s not that hard to come up with a plan, or…?
Prof. Andrew Azzopardi
Dean, Faculty for Social Wellbeing,
& Radio Broadcaster