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There may be ethical issues with Haitian relief - give anyway!
By Lauren | February 4, 2010
Is there anyone on the planet who doesn’t know that the already impoverished nation of Haiti has been reduced to a mountain of rubble by an earthquake? The stories and pictures coming out of Haiti are absolutely heartbreaking. Hundreds of thousands have died, families have been separated, almost anything resembling a building has collapsed, and what little infrastructure there was has been so severely damaged that the wonderful aid workers who are trying desperately to help the wounded, homeless and hungry often can’t even get supplies to where they’re most needed.
So of course, scam artists have already set up phony online charities to swindle away relief donations from well-intended, unsuspecting donors. Worse, the risk that criminals will steal children for indentured servitude or worse is so great that the Haitian government has felt compelled to suspend international adoptions. It’s an understandable decision, but it means that hungry, homeless children are being forced to wait for love and attention that may never come.
Admittedly, this kind of criminality absolutely pounds on a couple of my hot buttons. The idea that helpless children are having to suffer because some people are so monstrously greedy that they can’t wait to prey on the desperate absolutely infuriates me. And I’m haunted by the fear that the media, obsessed with scandal, will convince the public that it’s too risky to donate to Haitian relief efforts because the money will just end up in the wrong hands.
So I’m asking anyone who reads this blog to put their worries aside and find a way to help. Many of the more responsible media outlets have published lists of reputable charities that can be trusted to put donations to positive use. Find one, and donate. And don’t think for one minute that, just because the crisis is past the first few days, everything is under control. Haiti has been levelled. Everything is needed, and will be needed for a long time to come.
I write a lot about business ethics and apologies. But ethics are, ultimately, about doing the right thing even when there are risks involved. And if the people of the world’s wealthiest nations don’t help Haiti now, how can we ever apologize later? Please help.
Topics: Apologies, Personal Ethics, Social Ethics, ethics |
February 5th, 2010 at 11:52 pm
Lauren,
Absolutely spot on.
There will be scam artists who try to take advantage of the terrible situation in Haiti just as they do anywhere else. But there are many reputable charities and outlets (World Vision) etc. through which people can give and be secure in the knowledge that their money will reach their intended recipients. That some scam artists will take advantage of the situation does not, as you say, provide any reason at all not to pour out our finances as well as our hearts and prayers.
February 8th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Hi Andrew,
Thanks, as always, for your thoughtful comments. It will be a long time before Haiti ceases to need our help. The more we can give, the better.
Lauren