Blog: Have you also been cheated by fundraisers?

On one evening I had to visit an out-of-hours pharmacy in Košice to collect some medicines. When I wanted to enter, a 60-year-old woman approached me and asked me to give her a few euros. She said she was in a difficult situation and didn’t even have money to buy her medicines. My heart sank. Her face suddenly reminded me of my mother and I immediately took out my purse. I couldn’t even fall asleep that night.

A few days later I was talking to my friend. One of the things I mentioned was my concern what hopelessness it must be if an elderly woman is forced to beg to pay for her medicines. My friend, who was born in Košice, just smiled and said that the lady was “an old ace”; she had been begging there for years already and she wasn’t even in a bad financial situation. In the very second I became filled with anger and disappointment. And I am sure that there are many people who have experienced the same feelings.

There are many possibilities to do good deeds in Slovakia. However, many people have been cheated or disappointed. When we were creating DobraKrajina.sk in Pontis, we spent a long time discussing its mission. We chose the hard way. It’s been already five years that we have been selecting fifty non-profit projects which deserve the help of good people. We make sure that the projects are really helpful, handle the donations fairly and systematically change our country for the better.

However, more is needed. Even non-profit organisations struggle with a lack of time or people. Therefore, DobraKrajina.sk provides them with technology and also with communication support. Recently in English as well, so that they can connect with people that want to help more easily.

We are very glad that we are asked “how can I help” more and more often. Recently, we were asked the very same question by a man who will be celebrating his fiftieth birthday soon. In his life he has received all sorts of presents – now he wants to ask his friends to give him a financial contribution instead. He will then donate the money for the education of children in Poprad-Veľká. He wouldn’t know about the kids if he hadn’t seen them on DobraKrajina.sk. The project had a symbolic title: I want to but I cannot do it on my own. In a Great Country, everyone can change something. For the better.

Anna Podlesna, from Pontis Foundation

Note: Dobra Krajina (Great Country) is a project of the Pontis Foundation collecting and distributing donations in a fair manner.

Blog: Have you also been cheated by fundraisers?

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