Donations.

Donations.

Donations are aid which are meant to help financially, the people or organisations involved in social work. Donations are for a social cause or purpose. They are voluntary and non obligatory. Nobody can impose others to donate money for anything. Donations usually are in the form of money, but it can also be in the form of food, goods or services. Donations should have a purpose; they should fulfil some objectives.

The Objective Behind Donations.

The main objective of donations is to make funds for a particular purpose and the purpose usually is a social cause. Donations are sought mostly by organisations doing charity work like providing basic education to poor children, providing free treatment to the sick and poor people, providing free food for the needy; organisations providing emergency services like rescue and relief, organisations undertaking women's welfare programmes, organisations managing old age homes, organisations involved in environment protection or animal protection activities and so on. Donations are also used for religious purposes. Non-government organisations (NGOs) who have a well planned and organised operating structure are more likely to get donations from established sources than individual donation seekers.

The Need for Donations.

Donations are needed for social cause. The human society is big. There are millions of people who need help from others. Many need help for survival. The government cannot help the entire suffering population. Fortunately, there are people who are willing to work for those who really need a helping hand. Oftentimes, getting money for a noble activity is a challenge. How do an individual or an organisation willing to help get money? From where will they get money? If they mange to get it, will it be free? It has to be free, because nobody will ever take a loan to help others. So, what's the way out other than seeking donations from the kindhearted and compassionate people? Practically, there is no way other than donations to do this. This is why, donations are needed. They are important.

The Legality of Donations.

Donations are legal if not misused. This phrase has to be emphasised for clarity because the legality of anything remains only if it is used properly and rightfully. Social work is legal and so the money collected for it too is legal. There is no doubt that welfare activities undertaken with the true spirit of compassion and selfless service is always guarded well legally. When money is collected for a noble cause and is used for it, the acceptance for the service provider in civil society increases. When civil society accepts an entity as genuine and worthy, it becomes acceptable legally. This is how good things work.

Good things always have legal backing; bad things won't. Donations become illegal only if they are not used for the purpose they are meant to; if money is used in a wrong way or if donations are sought for a good purpose and used for a wrong one, then legal issues may arise. Misappropriation of funds is a crime. Misappropriations, if intentional, is a serious crime.

Misappropriation could also happen unintentionally due to mistakes or errors like negligence and mishandling of cash. Such things happen due to unprofessional and timid ways of working. Handling money carelessly, keeping no records of the money received, unplanned spending of funds, not maintaining records of the beneficiaries etc are unprofessional habits. This is generally seen in unorganised donation seekers who don't realise the importance of professionalism in service.

Organised and Unorganised Donations.

Donations can be organised and unorganised. The main difference between organised and unorganised donations is that of accountability and clarity of purpose which is more in the organised one. Organised donations have an established operating base. This means that the giver and the receiver of donations are known entities. Organised donation seekers have a well defined purpose and they solicit money from sources which are proven and known for their charity. Organised donation seekers maintain their books of accounts. They are professional. They operate like a business organisation with a social cause. They have high integrity. They are well known for their work.

Unorganised donations are more likely to be misused. The problem with unorganised donations is that there is no clarity about the people who are collecting money and the purpose they claim to meet. The operating expenses which includes money paid to the members of the organisation to make them work isn't well articulated. This is a grave matter because, this could create chances for misappropriation of funds and corruption.

Different Kinds of Donations.

Donations are of different kinds. Money is the most important and useful form of donation because it always serves every purpose. Other than money, the following things also are donated by people for various purposes. Here is a brief list of all of them.

(a) Food: Food gives instant satisfaction when served and it is considered to be a noble donation. Food as a donation is mostly carried out at religious places where there are special arrangements for it. Donating food is expensive and it is also time consuming.

(b) Medicine: Medicines are donated to people who need them. Medicines usually are donated by NGO's or healthcare voluntary groups under medical supervision.

(c) Clothes: Many people donate clothes. Clothes are donated to poor people, children in particular, and usually, such donations are made before winter and rainy seasons.

(d) Equipment: Equipment of various kinds are donated to people and organisations to support their activities. Medical equipment like x-ray machines are donated to hospitals by individuals or entities involved in charity.

(e) Land or Property: Land or properties too can be donated, but such donations are rare.

(f) Furniture: Furniture and other household items too are donated by people. These things are given to the needy people either directly, or they are donated to organisations supporting them. For example, the old age homes and children's care centre often receive such things as donation.

(g) Vehicle: This is yet another expensive donation and it is provided by the rich and wealthy individuals or organisations doing expensive charity. Vehicles are donated mostly to hospitals, rescue organisations etc.

Facts About Donations.

(1) The history of donations is as old as human history. The feelings of love, caring and sharing has been there since time immemorial and donations were a part of human kindness and gestures.

(2) Donations can be called gifts when they are given to family members, close relatives or friends. Gifts, when given to people whom we don't know or given to acquaintances are called donations.

(3) Donations become meaningful only when the giver gives it happily and the receiver takes it with satisfaction and the beneficiary gets it on time.

(4) Donations exist because of the rich: people who are rich monetarily, rich in heart, rich with compassion, support donations.

(5) Donations are meant for the poor, the needy and for a cause.

Donations are a part of human nature and culture. Everybody donates something to somebody many times in life. Nobody has ever become poor by donating for a noble cause. That's the beauty of donations; it sustains the giver and the beneficiary alike.

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The next post: Human resources and money.

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