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Christmas Shopping


AnonyMouse_19762

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Hi all

 

have just bought Christmas pressies for my staff from oxfam unwrapped! (Hope they like them xD:o )

 

For anyone who doesn't already know - this is a great site - I have used it on numerous occasions - family birthdays (for those who would appreciate their present going overseas!), my sister's retirement - she has some trees - somewhere!

 

I have received several 'goats' from my no.1 son!!!

 

Sunnyday

 

P.S. have edited twice to try and get the link to work - if all else fails GOOGLE!!!

 

OK - 3rd edit - ignore my link and use Caits - next post!!!

 

Right 4th edit - to remove my useless link!!!

Edited by sunnyday
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Thanks Cait - you are a STAR!

 

thanks for that timely reminder sunnyday, I use this and similar organisations every year.

 

I know from personal experience that these kinds of gifts really do make a difference.

Thanks mundia.........glad to know I'm not alone! :o

 

I know that not everyone would appreciate a gift like this but.........in the words of Bob Geldof and Midge Ure.........'In our world of plenty'........

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I loved Oxfam Unwrapped but after I visited Tanzania in August I am now so cynical of charities and donations- the donations never go where it is supposed to...

plus I donated every month for years to Oxfam, worked in a shop locally and still it was never enough and they constantly sent me pleas for more money...

I do think the idea of the oxfam gifts are lovely and a brilliant way to make people think about others who aren't as fortunate as our lucky selves for simply being where we are at this time of year... sorry for being so negative though :o

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to the greedy people who think of only themselves and what they want... when I visited an orphanage out there items such as new clothes, books, toys etc were stored and locked away from the children and we the adults were fed a splendid feast whereas the children were fed (hours and hours later) the simplest plainest horrid 'porridge' which you would not even feed your cat

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to the greedy people who think of only themselves and what they want... when I visited an orphanage out there items such as new clothes, books, toys etc were stored and locked away from the children and we the adults were fed a splendid feast whereas the children were fed (hours and hours later) the simplest plainest horrid 'porridge' which you would not even feed your cat

Was this an orphanage that was supported by Oxfam?

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no so of course I can't say all Oxfam projects or other charities are the same, I sincerely hope the projects I visited were rareities but having seen it, it really opened my eyes- I felt incredibly naive and sad assuming it all goes where it is supposed to but sadly it doesn't always

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Are you talking about Oxfam here, ExtraordinaryChicken? I'm sure that if this were the case, the media would leap on them and it would be all over the news. I have heard that there are unscrupulous 'charities' out there, we all have, but I really don't think we can class an international, well respected organisation like Oxfam with the same brush as them.

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no it wasn't with Oxfam and I don't wish to taint them all the same as it is incredible that Oxfam and such charities have such support and raise so much awareness, it was through with a big volunteering company who subcontracted to another charity within Tanzania. I don't think I phrased what I wanted to say very well and I am sorry if I upset you Sunnyday as that wasn't my intention, I just wanted people to realise that sometimes things aren't always as they seem and even with the best intentions the help may simply stop at us despite how much we wish to help others

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I am not at all concerned about you upsetting me....

 

What I really, really don't want is for this thread to in anyway harm Oxfam..........

 

I have asked for it to be taken down - I don't know what's happening about that.......

 

I just couldn't bear for something that I started with the best of intentions to result in one of my favourite charities being seen in a less than favourable light.......

 

I have absolute faith that their fundraising goes exactly where it is meant to

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The concerns over where money goes which is raised by Charities for the third world is an ongoing debate and nothing new so please don't worry sunnyday. We have to be careful about making value judgements on how the donations are dealt with in countries which have completely different ways of working and living to our own. We know there can be widespread corruption. We have corruption in our own country so it isn't really surprising to find it elsewhere. I think we have to trust that if just something goes where it should and makes a difference to someone then we have contributed to helping out. The alternative would be to do and give nothing. I think there is enough documented evidence that a substantial amount of aid gets through and makes lives better, but it isn't a cure-all. I am also in awe of people who go out as charity workers in difficult, and sometimes dangerous conditions, to try and make a difference, and these people are paid for by various charities.

I know what you mean about always being asked for more ExtraordinaryChicken. I think that once you do something for someone others realise that you are someone who cares so they ask again. It's the 'see a busy person syndrome'.

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Our posts seem to have crossed sunnyday.

 

I don't think this thread brings OXFAM into disrepute, as I have explained in my previous post, on the contrary there seems to be a lot of support. This Forum is open to people expressing their honest opinions about issues and we would not wish to stiffle debate, which is why we don't feel that this thread needs to be removed.

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Sunnyday, dont feel you shouldnt have started this.

 

Each of us has our agenda and experiences that make us the people we are. You have brought to everyone's attention here the possibilites of choosing to donate in this way and whether or not we choose to do so, is then up to us. Extraordinary chicken has expressed an opposite view in some respects but is not derogatory about Oxfam itself.

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Well they've benefited from me because after I'd found the link for Sunnyday I didn't close the tab! So as I was shutting everything down last night I came across it and went for a browse! I've bought all my Christmas cards and some solar powered fairy lights for the garden! So they are £50 better off this morning! The solar lights look brilliant and I can't wait for the to come - I know just the spot for them in a tree at the bottom of the garden where electricity just can't reach!!

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Interesting discussion!

 

I think ExtraordinaryChicken has raised a good point about charities and we should all be aware of the fact that some are not as effective as others. However, in the case of Oxfam it is easy to do a search and find out exactly how much of your money ends up helping people, as opposed to paying for over inflated wages or being frittered away inefficiently.

 

Oxfam is an interesting case actually, as its 'efficiency rating' is not as high as many other charities. Roughly 73% of donations are spent on aid, the rest is spent on overheads and further fundraising. However, as a charity they are committed to helping overcome long term problems, rather than just being there to provide emergency relief during disasters etc. This means that their overheads tend to be higher, so on first glance it may seem like they are extremely inefficient with your money but this is not the case. They are working constantly and consistently in a great many countries around the world every day of the year, and huge numbers of people have benefited from their work and will continue to do so with continued support.

 

You can check out Oxfam America here (there doesn't seem to be anything quite so transparent to look at for this country, although there is a breakdown of their accounts here) The first link shows that Oxfam get an 'exceptional' star rating which means that it 'Exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its Cause'. So rest assured that by clicking on the link sunnyday has provided, and buying some of the gifts on offer, you are truly going to be making a difference somewhere in the world. xD

 

Incidentally, I am glad that the moderators online yesterday evening made the decision not to take down this thread. I think that if it had been removed, this may well have set up some doubt in peoples minds about why it had been taken down. They may have wondered whether there was some sort of 'cover up' and thought twice about buying from Oxfam or donating in the future. This way we have been able to have a sensible discussion about the issue and hopefully managed to reassure people that Oxfam is indeed a worthy cause. :o

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