..I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do..

One thing I hear very often about helping Charity is "I'm just one person what difference can I make?" or "I can't make a big change, so whats the point?" There is the obvious cliched response of every little helps, or it all plays a part, however this so often falls on deaf ears- and rightly so in many ways. I believe our issue stems from large corporate charities. If we give £2 per month we can help that emaciated child we see on television. And, oh wait, there she is after we've given our money, smiley and playing. 

I think it is a young, modern opinion to question giving money to Charity as all we really see is it swallowed up in the sector. Even personable Charities where we "can see" the child we are helping, receive letters etc we question our pennies destination. More importantly, we do not feel the impact of our supposed helping.

That is why the KONY campaign had such a viral impact with the youth. Very little had to be done to be part of a large impact. And as cynical as it may sound, we are of a generation that wants large results, with minimal effort. So whilst I did not particularly agree with this 'message' that the video projected or the "weight" it lifted off peoples conscience, I do see one key element of success: KNOWLEDGE. For what are we without knowledge? And truthfully our knowledge on charity, especially in Africa, is outdated and of sympathetic proportions. We should not tug on peoples heart strings and guilt them into a donation, we should empower them to be a part of the world we live in by giving them the knowledge to make their own informed decisions on how to help.

There is a contradiction in what I say, in that, I am 'pro helping' yet it would seem to you I disparage what others with similar goals are doing. It is not the work I am questioning but the means to which we attempt to get people to help. This will, I foresee, be a large part of my posts on this blog as i truly believe if we find a new way to engage the people then we have a hope for the future.