Some Who Get It Right

For awhile now I've been hammering away at what we as charitable people have done wrong and how we have destroyed so many cultures with our benevolence. It would appear that there are no bright spots, that there is no hope. But nothing could be further from the truth. There are wonderful things happening in the charitable world. There are older established charities that are getting it right and there are brand new charities that are creating great models worth emulating.

Just yesterday I spoke to a bright, energetic young leader of a new charity who is dedicated to seeing her organization learn, follow and develop best practices for the sake of the street children they serve. Rebecca Brandt of ABAN is part of a new generation of leaders that strives for transparency, is vigilant against perpetuating benevolent oppression, and is committed to partnerships not patronage. I urge you to check out their work.

Another awesome charity that is very new and already making a difference in Ethiopia with plans to expand much further is Water to Thrive. Started after a short term mission team saw the desperate need for clean water and began raising money to drill wells, this charity is not only an example of something good coming out of short term missions, it is a wonderful model of transparency. Water to Thrive posts every IRS 990 form from the beginning of the ministry right on their website. You can see exactly how much money they collect and how it is used.

One of the most heralded new charities when it comes to transparency and best practices is Charity Water. This organization engages the for profit world by seeking corporate partners that pay for all their operational expenses. This allows every dollar donated by individuals to go directly to the cause of bringing clean water to the world. As for transparency, you can actually watch the well you've donated for being drilled and used. Using the latest technology they show you exactly where your well is being drilled and email you updates on progress.

As for older established models two of the very best when it comes to best practices, transparency and accountability are Compassion International and World Vision. Each of these organizations provide opportunities for child sponsorship. Compassion rescues children and provides them with education, health care and more with a focus on developing future leaders within developing countries. World Vision uses child sponsorship as a vehicle for community development lifting up whole communities and preparing them to care for themselves. Both of these organizations have robust partnerships with indigenous ministries in every country. They have very well developed reporting mechanisms that include facilitating regular contact between donors and their sponsored children. I have done some work with both of these organizations and can attest to their integrity at every level.

There are wonderful models out there that are worth following, supporting and duplicating. These are the ones who are setting the course for the rest of us. We as donors must be willing to ask the hard questions and put our dollars where they are accomplishing the most good.