Recent news regarding areas on the African continent being continually hit by floods,drought,starvation,plagued with disease.

These hard hit places recieve billions to overcome a severe situation, along with food assistance, yet looking at the population of these countries, over the years, they have not stopped continuing to multiply in their thousands, each and every year is worse off than before and getting worse, despite all the help they ask for.

My question: Is the money they recieve, actually being used for relief like we are being led to belive? Somehow, something does not add-up.

Were you thinking SPANKY that there might be a few people along the line skimming a bit off for themselves. The bible tells us that out of the heart comes much of the wickedness of this world. I too would love to know where the money goes. I suspect that it dribbles out here and there amongst the rich countries on the road to the poor countries; and when it gets to the poor countries skimming really begins. Gangs, rebels, warlords, corrupt government officials... all have their fingers in the cake. It may, in some ways, have something to do with worship. If we look at the third world countries, the worship in many is towards evil spirit powers and in that God does not Bless. I have never seen a real investigation into where the money goes.

I have become dispondent about child sponsorship in these third world places. Corrupt governments, well, they can't even look after their own people. Accountability to whom. I once sponsored a young person in Africa but eventually handed them to someone else, having become discouraged re: a lot of my dollars were going on administration. Where there is no guarantee the dollars/goods are reaching the people, I will not contribute in this way. Is better to do something like for Lions International where by they collect in old prescription glasses by the absolute tons, 're-script' them to be as close to vision needs of poor overseas people as they possibly can and do it for free. For free.

Gibo
I am afriad it more than a bit and 99% of organisations operate in this manner.
They call it administration fees and then they let the time allocated to the particular programe to run out with a huge surplus that they invest in real estate and other areas claiming they are doing the responsible thing keeping the particular organisation strong for a rainy day.
A rainy day alright- for whom.

In our area of work it is the same. Every feedlot that the government assists in setting up via the foreign aid programe is yet another diversion of jobs and value adding from the Australian economy and community.
It is assistance that might have been alteratively channeled towards the setting up of infrastructr hee to futher assist the country to value add creating a future for our next generation especially in regional areas.
Cakers
Thats a really good programe and one we would support. We are in QLD.
Any idea the best point of contact to join? Thanks for the information it must have taken ages to research it,
Not many real deal NFP organisations around I am sad to say.

Spanky,
years ago I gave up giving to international charities because they were not doing anything about the basic problem. i.e. over population.

The more we feed them the more they breed and the problems worsen.

Sooner or later the population problem must be addressed. I understand even now one dies each 20 seconds from famine related issues.

"The more we feed them the more they breed and the problems worsen." (Quote: Banjo)

What 'we' need to do is feed 'them' even less then we can get it down to every 10 seconds.

Then....;what 'we' do is not feed 'them' at all.

Problem solved!!