OK – this is not a techie blog post. But please do keep reading.
Most of us celebrate some sort of festival at this time of year where gifts are exchanged. And sometimes we give rubbish gifts just because we have to give something. It ends up being binned, re-gifted, etc. Why not this year, you give something that will make a real difference in someone’s life?
There are organisations out there that offer a service. I hate to call them charities because these are the sort of organisations that help people to help themselves. Whether it be disadvantaged people in your own locality, those innocently caught up in war torn regions, people in poor countries suffering drought for 3 years running or the families of those plagued by HIV AIDS in undeveloped countries.
The service they offer is that they will sell you a gift that they will provide to those in need. Whether it’s a meal and a bed on a cold night, a HIV medical service, a fruit and vegetable garden, a stove, a pot, a chicken. It’s all intended to help people to help themselves instead of the handout of a bag of grain.
For as little as a few Euros or Dollars you can purchase a gift. In return you are given a gift card to give to the person who would have alternatively been given that throw away “stocking filler”. They’ll have been given something real.
Two organisations I’ve used in the past are Concern Gifts and Oxfam Unwrapped. Both are organisations that believe in teaching a man how to fish rather than giving him the fish. They operate in the “third world” helping those who need it most. In Ireland you can help the poor in your area by checking out the Saint Vincent de Paul Society.
If you want to consider something different again then consider adopting a rescued animal of a threatened species. I have a thing for Cheetahs and the Cheetah Conservation Society in Namibia does a lot to help, rescue and rehab animals down there. They also work with native farmers to teach them about the animals and to use alternative effective but expensive methods to protect their flocks of goats. There are similar efforts for all of the threatened species around the world: Orang-utan, Gorilla, you name it, there’s an organisation you can help.
The threats to the rain forests around the world are significant. They are the lungs of the planet but are being torn asunder to grow ethanol crops thanks to the misguided efforts of the Greens. Even if you don’t believe in global warming there is no doubt that there is a diverse world of ecological wonders in those forests. Even small pockets have unique and amazing species of plant, animal and bird. Do a quick search and you’ll find something to make a difference.
Or maybe you have time and skills to give? There millions of options: help build a house for someone hit by disaster near home or in a poor country, help rebuild/recycle a PC to be sent to a school in Africa, help distribute meals to those who can’t help themselves.
The point is – don’t waste money on something that has no value. Do something else instead. Be that good Samaritan and help someone you don’t know and might never meet.