The concept of charity refers precisely to that function: to do good in those situations in which it is necessary and in favor, generally, of social, ethnic, cultural, religious or geographical groups disadvantaged by some type of context, logic, dynamics, or confrontation or war.

Charities: The Origins

Providing help to those most in need without expecting anything in return is something that dates back to the first societies, even before concepts such as private property, material goods or different types of social organization existed.

The beneficial is linked to the natural attitude of the human being. That is, long before it was considered a practice, it responds to the desire to contribute to the development and well-being of those around us and, therefore, of ourselves.

In fact, we can find examples of charities from the time of the Tang Dynasty, dating from 618-907 in China. Also, in the United States during the nineteenth century, many of whom were supported by governments.

Types and models of charities

As is the case with NGOs, which share an essential purpose without being equal, charities differ from each other by their objectives, the type of aid, the scope of that aid, the nature of those who make them up, their funding, etc.

Or to put it another way: it is not possible to speak of only one type of organization for these purposes. On the contrary, these entities can assume any of the following models:

Entities that provide help to the neediest social groups in a given context; for example, in humanitarian crisis situations such as those currently experienced in various parts of the planet due to wars.

Entities that act mainly thanks to contributions from third parties, private agents or collections.

Entities focused on providing aid to the education of children who suffer the effects of situations of vulnerability or humanitarian crisis, such as refugee children fleeing armed conflicts and for whom education is their only tool for the future.

Entities whose purpose is to promote cultural activities in which less favored groups or social groups participate or whose contribution implies an improvement in people’s quality of life.

Entities oriented to the defense of collectives or social groups, which may be constituted by members of those same groups or by volunteers or third-party agents.

Unions, associations of friends, immigrant care and aid centers, animal defense groups, labor cooperatives, or savings and credit groups are other forms of charitable organizations.

Charities and refugee crisis

The role of charities is even more visible in extreme situations such as humanitarian emergencies that we are currently witnessing, given the high flows of refugees in different parts of the world.

Although many of these entities are unknown to the bulk of the population, their collaboration is essential when it comes to providing means for the care and assistance of refugees arriving in the camps set up by UNHCR or elsewhere.

Empowers Africa

Then, there are charities like Empowers Africa. Empowers Africa is an American public charity registered under IRC section 501(c)(3) that is focused primarily on supporting programs designed to empower people, protect wildlife and conserve land across the African continent. With a group of highly talented and empowered individuals behind them, the charity has begun playing an important role in making sure that Africa’s overall state across multiple fronts continues to improve.