Why you should donate money rather than supplies.
The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and its effect on neighbouring countries has inspired people to collect donations. But these well-meaning efforts can cause headaches for those helping locally. In aid circles, the mantra has long been “cash is best”.
Cash donations may feel impersonal. It is much more fulfilling to pack stuffed animals and imagine the smiles they will put on the faces of traumatised children. Many worry that cash donations may never reach the refugees from Ukraine, but disappear somewhere on the way.
That fear can be alleviated with a little research. Many countries offer online registers of charities and charity evaluators provide further information. Transparency in humanitarian aid is improving. Many established organisations publish detailed information about their work and finances on their websites.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Council, over one million refugees have arrived in neighbouring countries since the invasion began. To help people fleeing war, collections of donations have started in community centres in Liverpool, UK, ice hockey fan clubs in Mannheim, Germany, and many other places. Food, clothing, painkillers, blankets, toothpaste and other items are being collected in vast amounts.
Many donations are destined for Poland. Poland has so far taken in over 505,000 refugees from Ukraine, with almost 100,000 arriving daily. One of the authors of this article, Wojciech Piotrowicz, is in Warsaw, advising the Polish authorities on the response to the influx of refugees and applying his research in humanitarian logistics. Shown media coverage of donations piling up in other countries, his immediate reaction was: “Terrible. In a worst-case scenario, we need to think of how to recycle this, there aren’t even enough people to sort it all.”
There are a few considerations worth thinking about before sending items rather than donating money.
1. What is needed?
With huge solidarity in Poland, the supply of donated items at the border far outstrips demand. There are so many items, they now have to be moved away from the border so as not to block the area. If anything is missing, it can be bought locally without adding the cost of international transport.
