Let’s donate from the heart H-METRO
THE Zimbabwe Prison and Correction Service’s call for Good Samaritans to make genuine donations to inmates, not motivated by social media likes, was long overdue.
Concerns had long been raised over socialites and influencers making donations to boost their social media following.
We live in a digital era where social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. It’s a great tool for connecting with people, sharing our thoughts and experiences, and even helping those in need.
However, with the rise of social media, a new trend has emerged the trend of donating for likes.
Many people have started using social media to make money by asking their followers to like and share their posts. While the idea of using social media for a good cause is great, the approach of “donate for likes” is misguided, as it undermines the true spirit of giving. Donating should come from the goodness of our hearts, not because we want others to like us or acknowledge our actions. It’s a selfless act, not a means for self-promotion. Giving should be motivated by a desire to help those in need, not by the number of likes or shares on one’s social media platforms.
Donating for likes promotes the idea of superficial charity. It encourages people to donate for the wrong reasons to gain social status, popularity or recognition. The focus shifts from helping those who need it to personal gain. It creates a world where the value of a charitable act is based on how popular it is on social media, rather than the impact it has on the lives of those in need.
It also provides a false sense of accomplishment and gives people the impression that they’re doing something great for humanity, when in fact, they’ve only contributed to their personal online image. Donating for likes gives individuals a sense of gratification that fails to meet the true definition of charity. True charity comes from the heart and is done without any ulterior motives.
The best way to help those in need is by doing it genuinely and selflessly. There are countless ways to give without expecting anything in return, and that’s what true charity is all about. Genuine acts of generosity push individuals to make a real difference in someone’s life, without seeking social media validation.
There is a danger that donating for likes can cause more harm than good. It can create a dangerous precedent where people start to measure the worth of their charitable deeds by the number of likes and shares they receive. This can even cause charity fatigue, where people become desensitised to the cause, feeling like they’ve done their bit by simply clicking a “like” button on social media.
We need to educate ourselves and others about what true charity is, and not fall prey to the trend of donating for likes. Donations should always come from the heart and done with the intention to help those in need. Social media should be used for good, but not at the cost of undermining the true spirit of charitable giving. Let’s make a difference where it matters, by giving genuinely from the bottom of our hearts with no expectations.