International Day of Charity
What does charity mean to you? Really? It could mean helping at the community centre down the street. It could mean donating old clothes to the local Goodwill. The essence of charity is giving, often without the expectation of receiving anything in return.
But not all charitable actions have to be altruistic. You may give to add to your resume, or to collect your high school volunteer hours, or to gain experience in a field of work dear to your heart. Morality and personal gain are allowed to work in tandem. Whatever your reason may be, it is more important now than ever that we sensitize our communities to local and global challenges, and how giving can make a real difference.
September 5th marks the International Day of Charity. The United Nations adopted this date in 2012 to commemorate the death of Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Mary Teresa, an Albanian-Indian missionary who dedicated her life to the poor and underprivileged peoples of Kolkota (Calcutta). Her enthusiasm and determination would certainly have been welcome these past two years.
India is one of many countries around the world that was hit hard by COVID-19. Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) were equally damaged by the pandemic. A 2020 special report by the European Fundraising Association estimates a 35 percent drop in overall donations, although some non-profits reported an increase in donations (some good news!) The African Union’s COVID-19 Response Fund has found modest success in fundraising, but is still in great need of its patrons’ support, primarily banks and corporations, to reach their goals.
With much of the world focused on alleviating the immense burden of the pandemic, the Yayra-Si Youth Foundation (YSYF) is stepping up where it can. YSYF relies primarily on grants and donations to work with the community of Doryumu and the broader Shai-Osudoku district of Eastern Ghana.
On this International Day of Charity, help YSYF give to the women and youth of Doryumu!
Donate now to support of Vocational Training, Food Security or Reproductive Health Education: https://ysyf.org/donate-1/
Visit our projects tab to gain a better understanding of where your donation will go and what impact it can make: https://ysyf.org/projects/
Sources:
1. Africa needs more funds to fight COVID-19 — https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/september-2021/africa-needs-more-funds-fight-covid-19 “Well, things are difficult these days. Companies are struggling; countries are struggling. To that extent, yes, the redemption of the pledges is coming at a slower pace than expected.”
2. The Impact of COVID-19 on Children’s Learning and Development in Ghana– https://www.poverty-action.org/study/impact-covid-19-children%E2%80%99s-learning-and-development-ghana “These [school] closures have exacerbated current educational challenges, as other threats to children’s development arose, including crisis-related income shortages, food insecurity caused by the suspension of school meals, and unequal access to distance learning activities.”
3. International Day of Charity, 5 September — https://www.un.org/en/observances/charity-day: “The International Day of Charity was established with the objective of sensitizing and mobilizing people, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities.”
4. The Impact of COVID-19 on Nonprofits in Europe — https://efa-net.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Nonprofit_Pulse_Summary_Report_2020.pdf: “Nonprofits have been hit hard by the pandemic. The majority of respondents have had to cancel fundraising activities and around half have struggled to reach beneficiaries or deliver services in lockdown.”
