Well, if you want to donate to charity, find out how you can make sure your money is really being put to the right use.
Finding a Good Cause
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of NGOs all over India that work towards various causes. But how do you know they are for real? How do you know whether they use every contribution towards welfare projects or do those who run the organisation eat some of it?
In many big companies, appeals are made to the employees to contribute to a cause like another employee's surgery, rehabilitation of an employee's home etc. Such causes are equally good because your company will provide you with the total amount collected and where and when the payment is made.
Give Where Your Heart Is...
You probably are moved with compassion for kids and want to do something for them. Rather than giving money to beggar children on the road who are likely to be bullied by older ones or use the money for vice, donate to an organisation that uses the money for rehabilitation of children.
Organisations like World Vision India allow you to choose a child you want to sponsor. Yes, you will know the child's name, her age, how she looks and where she is from. You will also receive updates on the child's progress and you can even contact the organisation and arrange for a visit with the child.
Very often people come to your doorstep asking for money in the name of various famous NGOs. However, they might be fakes. It is important to check their identity cards. Also, call on the contact number given on the card and verify if the organisation is for real before you give them any money.
Where's Your Money Going?
Give India is another reputed website that works as a donation platform for lots of certified Indian charities. Here you can choose from a list of causes like destitute children, women, youth, health, education, disabled individuals, human rights, elderly people, unemployment and more.
Also you can choose the specific cause you want to contribute to. For instance, if you want to donate to a charity that works for the welfare of women, you can choose whether you want to contribute for one month's provisions for a woman or care for an HIV infected girl.
The best part is you can make contributions ranging from Rs. 500 to Rs. 15000, depending on your ability.
Giving from Far Away
If you are an NRI, you can contribute to various charities via your bank. For instance, ICICI has Donate2India whereby you can donate to credible charities around India. And you don't have to worry because usually the money transfers are free of cost. You also get the maximum exchange rate possible so you get your money's worth and you get tax benefits on it too.
After making the donations save those receipts. You will be exempt from tax on that amount of money under Section 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act.
Little Things That Matter
If you are a housewife with no additional income and still want to donate money to charity, here is what you can do.
- Sell those old newspapers and glass bottles and save up the little money you get every fortnight. After a couple of months you can use the money to fund a child's notebooks and textbooks. Yes, it hardly costs Rs. 400.
- Save that taxi fare and take the bus instead. Accumulate that money over time and when it is substantial enough you can sponsor an elderly person's medicines for a month.
- Skip that cup of chai and biscuits every evening and over three months or so you could save about Rs. 900, which is enough to sponsor plastic calipers for one disabled person.
Here are a couple of websites where you can make donations to a cause you choose.
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