The year 2009 is gone, and we may have survived the Great Financial Crisis. How did charities survive? Charities invest donations on the stock market, and in 2009 millions of dollars in donations disappeared into the black hole of the world's financial meltdown. So if you gave a donation to one of the larger charities, chances are that up to fifty cents of every dollar were simply lost.

Small charities do not have the funds for major investments, but their performance can be even worse. The National Cancer Research Foundation is a two-year old charity. It received $197,160 in donations in its first year and $387,864 in 2009 (seven times the amount SAWA raised). Adelaide's Advertiser reported that "most of the money raised … went on commissions, management fees, traveling expenses and drivers." Only $5,835 – less than one cent of every dollar – was actually given to cancer research in 2008 and 2009.

The National Cancer Research Foundation may be an extreme case, but it is symptomatic for the entire charity business. More and more charities are set up as vehicles to provide comfortable incomes for its administrators and subcontractors. If you want to make a difference by giving you better make sure that you know the financial practices of the organization you support.

As a supporter of SAWA you can rest assured that you are making a difference. We at SAWA are proud that SAWA operates entirely through volunteers. Our constitution states that "officers and members of the Association offer their services on a voluntary basis and shall not receive remuneration for services to the Association." The cost of the SAWAN and other promotion is covered by membership fees; as a result, 100% of all donations is sent to Afghanistan without any deduction.

As an organization of volunteers we may not appear professional at all times, but we guarantee that your donations always reach their destination in full. Could this not be a good reason to recommend SAWA to others?

from the SAWAN no. 25, February 2010