Making our donations (and at a larger scale, foreign aid) go further

AS WE set resolutions to achieve personal goals and give back, the start of the year is a time to envision the positive changes we can bring to the world in the months ahead. Shining a light on the power of doing good, it is a time to consider how we can extend our impact to do the most that we possibly can.

Globally, all countries have promised to fix all the world’s big issues by 2030, through the so-called Sustainable Development Goals. The world’s governments came together in 2015 to promise to end hunger, poverty and disease; to fix corruption, climate change and war; to ensure jobs, growth and education along with a bewildering array of major and minor promises, such as developing more urban gardens. Unfortunately, even the United Nations has admitted that we are failing badly. Promising everything means nothing is a priority.

We need to insist that our politicians get real in 2024 and focus first on the most efficient policies. And in our own annual donations, we should similarly look to achieve the most good we can for every dollar spent.