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Giving
If you chose to give, giving is not to Sudan Advocacy Action Forum but to an organization of
your choice which provides relief for the suffering in Sudan.
Here are some things to consider:
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- Your Church: Many denominations provide disaster relief in
Sudan either directly or through affiliated charities.
If yours has an established, effective program, which addresses your
desires for assisting the Sudanese people, we urge you to support it.
If it does not, then seek an alternative.
- Non-Government Organizations (NGO): There are
many fine NGOs which have been engaged in
Sudan for years and are able to meet the needs of the
most vulnerable.
- Access: requently
the areas of Sudan most in need of humanitarian assistance have been devastated by civil war
and genocide. Many are virtually inaccessible except by air. This raises
the cost of the aid.
- What to Give: Collecting and shipping goods
for Sudan from outside the continent of Africa generally is not practical
because the cost of shipping is so high. While there are some
opportunities to provide goods like blankets, the most effective gift normally
is money.
- Manipulation and Delay: Official and/or governmental aid agencies which sometimes must
operate under rules established by the Government of Sudan, may be subject to
being restricted, manipulated and delayed by the formal procedures required to
gain access to the needy.
- Experience: Doing business in Sudan is not like that elsewhere.
Competency within the culture is vital as is trust between
the people and the agency. It is advisable to donate to experienced
agencies that have developed contacts and understanding. Some
church and NGOs have been doing relief work and/or sustainable capacity
building for years. They have established the ability to get
supplies to the needy expediently. Effectively contributing to relief in Darfur is especially
sensitive because of the recent replacement of many agencies.
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As with any philanthropic donation, you should know how much of
your money goes to the organization's administrative costs and how much
provides direct aid. Also, if you contribute to a large NGO that helps
people worldwide, ask how you can designate your gift specifically for aid to
Sudan.
If you would like further suggestions please contact us. See Contact
Us at the top.
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