I took a brief wander this morning to the sunday car boot, to buy in my reasonably priced fruit, veg and free range eggs. Luckily I was there between showers because the UK has gone from drought conditions to floods all over the option, in just afew weeks............go figure!
I was truly disappointed to see a stall of odds and sods, also selling those cheerfully colourful jumpers, that so many had lovingly knitted, being sold at a £1 each.
They tumbled out of a torn black bin bag, nothing more than unwanted old clothing. Yet I knew the wool and stitches had been a token of goodwill, knitted up by everso many women, in the hope the jumpers would reach children in the back of beyond.
I asked the guys where they'd got the jumpers from and was told that
" some woman had them knitted up, to send to Africa. But she got too many. "
They werent even selling them for fund raising for ANY charity.
I was so disappointed.
I just felt all that goodwill, had been side tracked and that if the guys sold any, theyd get to pocket the proceeds and it wouldnt help any less fortuneate than themselves.
Such a shame. But I guess we donate whatever, in the expectation that its used for the purpose we think its being donated towards.
To raise funds for cancer/cat welfare /African children etc. etc.
The fact is, we have no control over what happens to it, after we have made the donation.
Maybe we have no right to queery what happens to it?
Maybe needing justification of its use, demeans our donation?
I'm going too deep lol
hey ho...........thats life sadly.
Lovely wee vests (which is what we call them here). I was so sad when I read about about the castoffs - so many of us make these things, knowing there is a need, and have no idea that at least a portion of them don't reach their intended destination. I can't imagine how that woman would have gotten 'too many' - surely she could have found another area that is in need. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteyour little vests are darling. and the donations that never get donated....i've seen that over and over so i try to donate directly to the source if at all possible. we can only do our best and hope that others will do the same.
ReplyDeleteThat really bothered me too, i have heard that there are way too many little vests and they have to store them in shipping containers. So sad, so much goodwill and time to say nothing of yarn and it's cost. I knit for charitable purposes but try to donate directly to the sources and do my research well beforehand. It's horrible to think of them being sold for $1 each and just for his pocket.
ReplyDelete