Giving back

Micro-fund-raising websites should waive fees to ensure that aid reaches those in need

Online micro-fund-raising is big business around the world. Sites that help individuals raise relatively small amounts of money for charity usually take a modest percentage to actually run the sites. Usually this amount is small in real terms. But in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Manchester and a fire at a tower block in London, JustGiving, an online charity, received 5 per cent of the total donations – that is, a staggering £390,000 (Dh1.8 million). When dealing with smaller donations, such fees seem acceptable, but such a large amount appears outrageous. Unsurprisingly, the media took note.

A similar example would be Uber capitalising on taxi strikes to maximise its profits by raising its fees. However, Uber is not a charitable organisation. As for JustGiving, the size of the donation does not affect the running costs of the website. To live up to the “giving” part of its name, a gesture of goodwill to waive the fees would better serve the website’s purpose and reputation.