How technology and charity are changing how we donate

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Tuesday’s devastating earthquake in Mexico has left at least 230 people dead, causing widespread damage to people's homes and livelihoods. Images of rescue workers scrambling through the rubble for dozens of missing schoolchildren have spread around the world online – but on our interconnected planet, how can technology help us aid victims of natural disasters?

Crowdfunding's growth in the West

Internationally, leading charities like the Red Cross, Oxfam and Salvation Army continue to support communities affected by disaster and welcome donations online. However, crowdfunding websites are making it easier for people to send money to the other side of the world.

UK-based JustGiving allows ordinary people to set up crowdfunding pages for charities and donations, and says it has seen 4.5 billion US dollars given to projects in 164 countries since it was established in 2001.

GlobalGiving, based in the US, has raised almost 280 million US dollars for almost 18,000 vetted projects around the world. Its Mexico Earthquake Relief Fund, set up after an earlier quake on September 8 which killed at least 90 people, has raised over 300,000 US dollars in 12 days.

Rescue workers search through the rubble for students after the earthquake in Mexico City, September 20, 2017. /Reuters Photo‍

As well as all major credit and debit cards and PayPal, the website also accepts mobile payments via Apple Pay, showing how such technology can play a pivotal role in transforming charitable donations.

However, concerns over online charity scams can put off potential donors – BBC reported last week that over 100 pages on JustGiving had been closed down over fears that they were being used for money laundering.

If you have concerns about how trustworthy an online charity project is, Charity Navigator – which gives GlobalGiving its highest possible rating – calls itself the world’s largest charity evaluator, and looks at how donations are used and tracks them from donor to project.

Chinese charity goes mobile

The charity sector has moved on from the infamous Guo Meimei scandal a decade ago, which saw the Chinese Red Cross thrown into by one of its workers showing off her lavish lifestyle of fast cars and luxury handbags online.

Already the world leader in mobile technology, Chinese charities are merging WeChat’s social media and payment functions to make donating both easier and more trustworthy.

Tencent Charity's logo. /VCG Photo

In 2008, the devastating Sichuan earthquake sparked China’s biggest mass charity movement, with record breaking donations worth 100 billion yuan recorded that year. 20 million yuan alone was contributed through an online platform set up by Tencent, long before WeChat existed.

Charity Law: Boosting confidence and donations

After a succession of charity scandals, 2016’s Charity Law was launched to boost confidence in philanthropy and expand the charity sector by cutting red tape and taxes, as well as ensuring organizations were more rigorously checked.

In 2014, the Giving China report found that only 11.1 percent of charitable donations in China were made by individuals, compared to 72 percent in the US. Three years later, technology giants like Tencent are shaking up the sector by making it easier to donate.

Tencent Charity operates through WeChat, and since its foundation has seen 140 million users donate nearly three billion yuan (455 million US dollars) to more than 24,000 different causes. Users can donate as much or as little as they like instantly through their mobile phones.

Almost a decade since the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the province's Jiuzhaigou was struck by a quake this August, killing at least 20 people and causing widespread damage to one of China’s most popular tourist destinations.

Temporary shelters erected for local people in the wake of August's Jiuzhaigou earthquake in Sichuan Province. /VCG Photo

Combining social media with instant donations

Thanks to Tencent Charity, 1.66 million people across China used their phones to donate 200 million yuan (over 30 million US dollars). Users could share details of their donations with their friends on WeChat Moments, encouraging others to have confidence in giving money to 5,000 families affected in Jiuzhaigou.

Tencent’s platform is not only for disaster relief. Its September 9 annual charity day this year raised an impressive 309 million yuan for a wide range of domestic projects through donations from companies, celebrities and the public.

One of the best-performing Tencent campaigns was for an autism charity this August, which saw donors receive a unique piece of digital artwork created by an adult with learning difficulties. This artwork was then shared with friends on WeChat Moments, encouraging a chain reaction of donations by 5.8 million people, raising 15 million yuan in just 24 hours.

Advertising on Hangzhou subway for Tencent Charity's September 9 Charity Day. /VCG Photo

However, Tencent Charity currently has no programs related to Mexico’s earthquake, Hurricane Irma or other recent natural disasters overseas. A search on Baidu of how to donate to earthquake or hurricane victims is relatively inconclusive, except for providing a link to Unicef.

In comparison, GlobalGiving has 36 projects related to China, with the biggest program – on rural education – raising over 300,000 US dollars to date.

It should of course be noted that the country’s first law on charities only came into effect last year, and since then donations from individuals have taken off on a rapid scale. It will take time for groups like Tencent Charity to develop to the extent that they can work with international organizations and bring Chinese philanthropy to the rest of the world.

How you can donate to Mexico

GlobalGiving Mexico Relief Fund: GlobalGiving's fund is looking to raise one million US dollars for communities affected by this months two earthquakes in the country.

Unicef Mexico: Donations can be made via Visa, Mastercard and PayPal

Topos Mexico: A nonprofit rescue brigade set up after a devastating 1985 earthquake which killed at least 5,000 people. Accepts payments via PayPal.