The Government’s aid policy is controversial but those local charities and charitable institutions who seek to help those in need overseas may wish to take advantage of DFID’s Global Poverty Action Fund:
The Global Poverty Action Fund (GPAF) was launched on 27 October 2010. It is a demand-led fund supporting projects focused on poverty reduction and pursuit of the MDGs through tangible changes to poor people’s lives including through: service delivery, empowerment and accountability and work on conflict, security and justice. Projects will be selected on the basis of demonstrable impact on poverty, clarity of outputs and outcomes, and value for money.
Read more: DFID – Global Poverty Action Fund.
As I have indicated before Entrepreneurship and opportunity are the primary keys to prosperity. I hope projects will recognise that business is development and direct themselves to that end but of course there are many immediate needs for the relief of abject poverty.
“immediate needs for the relief of abject poverty” can and should be met by genuine charity, i.e. voluntary donations.
Any ‘charity’ which accepts wealth confiscated from taxpayers will not receive any further donations from me.
And let’s not forget that many charities use their funds not to relieve poverty, but to lobby governments in Westminster and Brussels.
The government should get out of the ‘charity’ business, and private individuals should think very carefully about who they donate to.