The Impact of Your Donations

According to the Oxford dictionary, donations can be defined as a gift that you give to charity. They are your material contributions to improving the lives of underprivileged people in the society.

As a community we have recognised the importance of creating a vibrant donor culture in our society as the gap between the haves and have-nots continues to widen. We must play our part as individuals to provide succour to the needy in our societies and the most impactful way of making this happen is through our donations.

In the Nigerian context, during the #EndSARS protest, FEMCO a Nigerian non-profit, received over 87 million naira in donations which was judiciously disbursed in meeting the legal, medical and welfare needs of the protestors.

Let us then examine in detail the impact of our donations on ourselves and the individuals who stand to benefit.

1. Donating promotes feelings of happiness: When you do good, you feel good. The feeling that comes with the knowledge that the resources you have let go off, have gone on to make impact, fills one with a greater sense of purpose and happiness
2. Donating can be part of your legacy: In cases where your donations are not anonymous, you can be recognised for you contributions to the cause you have chosen to give to. This is done to recognise and celebrate donors and to also motivate other members of the society to be a part of the cause as well.
3. Donations foster bonds of belonging in the society: The recipients of donations upon receipt of your contributions feel seen and heard and most importantly, feel included. They recognise that they are not left out and are therefore still a part of the society.
4. Donating helps set an example for the younger generation: By consciously imbibing a vibrant donor culture, we set a good example for the younger members of the society, teaching them the need to look out for fellow humans who do not have the same privileges that they do.
5. Donating helps create an ideal society: As more needs are met through donations, there is a lower incidence of societal vices such as stealing, mugging etc. The less needy there are, the safer and healthier the society becomes.
6. Donating touches lives: Herein lies the single most important reason for donating. Your giving will go towards improving the life of a fellow individual. You will be the reason another person is fed, clothed, sheltered ,educated and so on.

We hope the reasons shared in this post have helped you see that your life is beyond you and that a little generosity from you can go a long way in the life of another human being.
We encourage you to look for a cause you are passionate about and make a donation and you will be glad you did.
Source: Oxford Dictionary
          National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children