Quick answer: To donate to Africa safely, give to an organization that tells you exactly what your money buys, shows proof afterwards (receipts, photos, reports), works with local people on the ground, and is clear about its fees and tax status. If you can't get those answers, give somewhere else.
Check 1: Do they say exactly what your money buys?
"Help children in Africa" is a slogan. "$25 buys seed for one farmer's plot in Zambézia" is a promise you can check. Good organizations translate amounts into specific things.
Check 2: Will you see proof afterwards?
Ask what you will receive after giving: a receipt from the supplier, a photo, a progress report, an annual account. Organizations that collect proof as part of their work can share it easily. Vague answers are a warning sign.
Check 3: Who is on the ground?
Look for named local partners: a cooperative, a community association, a local clinic or school. Local people know who needs help and can verify that it arrived. An organization with no visible local presence is harder to trust.
Check 4: Are the fees clear?
Every organization has costs. What matters is that they tell you. For example, Maputo Bridge Capital states that 92% of each sponsorship goes to the farmer's local seed and fertilizer shop and 8% covers field verification and receipts.
Check 5: Is the tax status honest?
In the US, only gifts to qualifying registered charities are tax-deductible. Some organizations, including MBC, state plainly that gifts are not tax-deductible. An organization that is vague about this may be vague about other things too.
Red flags
- Pressure to give "right now" with dramatic images and no specifics
- Requests to send money to a personal account or by gift card
- No address, no named people, no way to contact anyone
- Promises of returns or profits on a "donation"
- Stories about one child used to raise money for unspecified purposes
Should you give money or goods?
In most cases, money is better. It can buy goods locally, supports local sellers, and avoids shipping costs that can exceed the value of what is shipped. (More on this in Should You Donate Clothes to Africa?)
How to follow your gift
- Keep the confirmation email and any reference number.
- Note when the organization said you would hear back.
- If the update doesn't arrive, ask for it. A good organization answers.
- Decide whether to give again based on what you saw, not what you were told.
Giving to a farmer in Mozambique
With MBC you choose a named farmer, your gift is paid to their local seed shop, and you receive the shop receipt, a field photo and a harvest update. Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal are accepted. Choose a farmer to sponsor, see the transparency page, or give to our Giving Tuesday goal.
Sponsorships are gifts, not investments, and are not tax-deductible.
