My Idea for a Charity

[cruiser1338]

I get the feeling this'll get political so I'll put it here.

I just had this insight into the problem of the poor starving Africans. I suggest starting the First Charitable Bank. Basically, people instead of just giving their money away, will get a chance to get their money back with some interest. Basically the bank will take deposits from people, and then use that money to feed and get Africans set up to make money. Then, over a certain time period, the bank will collect a portion of the crops or whatever from them, sell it, and pay the investor back. The African will be off the hook from the bank, and you'd have helped get an African on his feet.

You could also apply this on a local scale. Homeless people. Get them shaved and showered and a PO Box, help them get a job and a cheap apartment, and over a time period collect a small portion of their wages. Payback the investor and everything is good.

The thing that makes this different from other charities, is that your money is never just given away, but you'll get it back with some more to help other people.

What do you think?

 

[fierydemise]

It sounds like something from Feudal Europe to me

 

[magomago]

It does sound like fedualism disguised...

now what happens if they have a crop failture or their business sucks? Your idea makes it sounds like the bank still "collects" and who knows how that could end up...

 

[MicroChrome]

Ummm, The best thing you could do in Africa right now is supply them wilth a billion condoms and lot's of SEX ED...

 

[LumbergTech]

i agree with most of what you said, except for the part where you said take their wages..why not just let the investment get interest and then use a portion of that interest to help people in 3rd world countries..instead of trying to turn them into some kind of modern day slaves

 

[cruiser1338]

Well, its over a time period, not all the wages, just a small percentage.

Crop failures are a concern, but depending on the time frame, it might be compensated for.

The whole idea is to get people to be charitable. When you donate, that money is gone. That's it. If you invest, you'll get something back, making it more appealing.

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: cruiser1338
Well, its over a time period, not all the wages, just a small percentage.

Crop failures are a concern, but depending on the time frame, it might be compensated for.

The whole idea is to get people to be charitable. When you donate, that money is gone. That's it. If you invest, you'll get something back, making it more appealing.

I agree its a good idea in that you are meeting the goal of "giving a help up, not a hand out".
It is very much like the micro-loans that some organizations are doing and also somewhat like what SBA loans do. Basically you are loaning people who otherwise wouldn't qualify for it some money to get started and using what is essentially a lien against their hoped for income or crops.
It is probably not doable on a large scale due to overhead, imo, but it is worth trying.
btw in my state of Vermont our Vocational Rehabilitation office has some grant monies that they give away if, for example, you have a job offer but your car is broken and you need money to get it fixed to take the job. It works pretty good, but the people don't have to pay it back. If they did it would be similiar to what you are proposing.

 

[imported_Condor]

Originally posted by: cruiser1338
I get the feeling this'll get political so I'll put it here.

I just had this insight into the problem of the poor starving Africans. I suggest starting the First Charitable Bank. Basically, people instead of just giving their money away, will get a chance to get their money back with some interest. Basically the bank will take deposits from people, and then use that money to feed and get Africans set up to make money. Then, over a certain time period, the bank will collect a portion of the crops or whatever from them, sell it, and pay the investor back. The African will be off the hook from the bank, and you'd have helped get an African on his feet.

You could also apply this on a local scale. Homeless people. Get them shaved and showered and a PO Box, help them get a job and a cheap apartment, and over a time period collect a small portion of their wages. Payback the investor and everything is good.

The thing that makes this different from other charities, is that your money is never just given away, but you'll get it back with some more to help other people.

What do you think?

The thing that makes it the same as other charities is the 30 year history of trying to do that with constantly worsening conditions. Africa is worse off now than it was fifty years ago. Give it up!

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Africa is a lost cause. Don't waste your time and money.

The only way to help would be to take over and install a benevolent dictatorship that emphasized humanitarian population reduction (something like a 1 child policy), rule of objective law, and a free market economy in addition to trying to change the populace's culture to be secular and to use reason (as opposed to religious mysticism and irrational traditions). Of course, that's totally politically incorrect. Good luck with all that.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Africa were as much of a worthless wasteland (or more so) 100 years from now than what it is today.

 

[slyedog]

when i give money to a charity, i expect nothing back. but i do hope they do something good with the money i give them.

 

[cruiser1338]

This is to encourage people to donate who normally wouldn't. Maybe you are a good soul, but there are plenty like me who aren'y