If you’ve been considering donating to charity, but you’re not quite sure if it’s for you, we’re here to convince you otherwise.
Here are six reasons why you should donate to charity:
Because poverty is a problem that can be fixed
Effective interventions are breaking the cycle of poverty for some of the neediest people in the world. Fighting and preventing diseases keeps children healthy, and gives them the opportunity to stay in school. Effective healthcare helps parents to continue to support their families instead of being disabled by illnesses or having to care for sick children.
Less people are living in extreme poverty today than a few decades ago, which means that slowly but surely we’re making a difference. 2.4 billion people are living on less than $2 per day, something which is incomprehensible to most people living in the developing world. That’s around 34% of the population of the world. We have enough money to easily meet the needs of the poorest people in the world many times over.
Because it makes you happier
A kind act actually benefits the giver more than the receiver. As long as you don’t feel obligated or overwhelmed, generosity, kindness, compassion, donating money, and volunteering has the potential to reward the person giving just as much if not more than the recipient. When we’re generous we see others with more compassion, and feel a greater community with others as well.
Donating to charity also helps you to increase your own self worth. When we get the chance to help fellow human beings we feel better about ourselves and our reasons for being on this earth.
Because every little bit helps
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when we look at all the problems in the world, since the problem is so immense and we often seem powerless to stop it. While poverty is widespread and extreme, we often forget how many people are living in the developed world, and how our pocket change can make a huge difference when it’s all pooled together.
You don’t need to have unlimited financial resources in order to make a big difference. Small donations can drastically improve individual lives, allowing a child to go to school, or a mother to feed her children.
Because it sets an example
If you have children you’re probably teaching them to share. You want them to feel grateful for all that they have and grow up to be responsible and compassionate world citizens. Donating to charity shows them that you want to make the world a better place and that you care about others. It’s easy to involve your kids in choosing a charity, and you’ll instil a sense of social responsibility and compassion which will last their whole lives.
Because it’s tax deductible
You probably didn’t need another reason to donate to charity, but the fact that it’s tax deductible in most countries is an extra bonus.
If you’re convinced that donating to charity is for you, donate to a charity like UNICEF, and start making a difference today.
