Why Charity? 5 Reasons why giving is important

Getrude Auma

When talking about our charity activities, so many people confuse this for the donation of lots of money by those that have towards those that do not. Even though that can be termed as charity, that definition alone does not do it justice. Charity is giving one's resources such as time, effort or money without the expectation of anything in return. This means that charity is something that each of us can practice, regardless of our income levels, social standing or power within the community. Why does charity, in any form, matter? Here are our top 5 reasons why we are passionate about charity;

1. Harness personal values

When we get new members requesting to join our organization, our first question is usually 'why do you want to be part of our charity' and often times people respond that they feel a moral duty to help those they can be able to. This is a personal value that can be deeply ingrained, one that pushes one to ask the child that is crying alone on the street where their parent is so that they can lead them back. Charity offers a way to act on our sense of obligation towards those around us, helping us to harness our personal values and live in a manner that speaks to our human beliefs.

2. Teach our children about selflessness and generosity

Charity in any form is selfless as you choose to give your resources without expecting a financial return. In so doing, it creates a world that is more compassionate and caring about the needs of the next person. When charitable acts are carried out in the community, our next generation witnesses the value of selflessness and generosity and can hopefully inculcate the behavior in their own lives. Charity can be used as an avenue to create a legacy of generosity.

3. Everything has an impact

It is easy to dismiss small charitable organizations or individual donors by considering the size of the donations they make. What we have to remember is that one does not have to be a millionaire to be able to make a difference within the community.

Ksh 100 can buy a girl two packets of sanitary towels, restoring her dignity and ensuring she doesn't miss classes during her menses.

Ksh 10,000 can help to support the initiation of a vegetable garden in a children's home, providing them with a source of food.

Ksh 50,000 can help to purchase a water tank for a school, allowing them easy access and storage of water.

What can you do, with what little you have, to create an impact?

4. Be happy

It is interesting when we have feedback sessions on our events and most members affirm how taking part in the activity made them so happy. Giving makes people happy, and happy people give a happy feedback loop that makes us happy. The awareness that the little you are doing is of help to others is very empowering and brings about feelings of fulfillment and happiness. Even though the people you help cannot give back financially, the happiness they exude actually gets back to you, making you happy.

5. Strengthen the power of the community

It is said that alone we cannot go far but together we can climb mountains. Charities such as @DECA bring together individuals that commit to helping others in the community. The small donations from our members are combined to create the DECA community. Effecting change requires bringing people together with a similar vision. Charity is an inspiration to strengthen the power of the community and create a oneness in supporting each other.

Do you know of charities around your area that you can donate through?