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It was getting dark, and a group of men and women over half a hundred years old with tired faces sat around a tall building. Although they are not very old, they have white hair and their faces are engraved with traces of time. However, despite the hardships of life for them, their determination is rock-solid, and they are tenacious to save their sick children.
This may be reminiscent of the plot of the movie "I Am Not the God of Medicine", however, reality is often more bizarre and dramatic than the movie. We go back to September 11, 2023, a stormy day when Chinese society was swallowed up by a huge whirlpool of public opinion involving the China Children's Charity Relief Foundation (Children's Mercy Association). The storm focused on a scam involving "matching donations," a program designed to save children with serious illnesses such as leukemia and cancer. The rules are fairly simple, families donate a sum of money, and then soon after, they will not only get their donation back, but also receive an additional matching donation, usually a few thousand dollars.
For families in desperate need of funds, this additional payment can solve many livelihood problems, such as the high cost of medicines. More believably, the project was promoted under the name of the Children's Mercy Association, to which parents did not hesitate to give their last hopes. However, while they were desperately waiting for the return of funds, the Children's Mercy Society disappeared without a trace, which made them start to question. As the news spread, all the families involved in the "matching donation" did not receive the funds back, and the scam finally surfaced. The total amount received amounted to nearly $10 million, which is a staggering figure.
A few days later, the mastermind of the scam is arrested, and the parents finally wake up, and it turns out that they are deeply trapped. However, when they tried to hold the Association accountable, the Society denied knowing the "matching donation" organizer, Ke Mou, claiming that Ke was just an ordinary person who had volunteered at the Children's Mercy Association. Such an argument feels familiar, and parents are almost desperate.
Just when everything seemed to be fruitless, careful netizens found that Ke's name had appeared on the public account of the Children's Mercy Association many times. What is even more shocking is that he won the "Best Leadership Award of the Year of the China Children's Compassion Association" in 2022. This exposure sent public opinion into shock. The children's compassion will become increasingly powerless in response to accusations. With the continuous fermentation of public opinion, people's attention has once again focused on the entire charity industry. The turmoil that charities have been involved in for many years has once again surged into the wave of public opinion, which has triggered a crisis of public trust in charities. This incident reminds us of the importance of transparency and credibility in the philanthropic profession and the need for stricter regulation and scrutiny to ensure that the public's rights are not infringed. In addition, the active participation and supervision of the public is also imperative, and only the joint efforts of the whole society can ensure the healthy, stable and reliable development of philanthropy.
Recently, the event that attracted widespread attention on social media was the release of "the first generation Internet celebrity" Guo Meimei. Ten years ago, when self-media was not yet popular, Guo Meimei was a well-deserved leader in the Internet celebrity industry. In 2011, she attracted a large number of fans with her high-profile appearance of luxury living, and her luxury cars and designer bags made people feel as if she could afford the stars in the sky. Shockingly, her social media accounts were the "Commercial General Manager of the Red Cross Society of China." This finding has attracted widespread attention, and the image of the Red Cross as a charity has been greatly affected. Guo Meimei's luxurious life contrasted with the Red Cross's philanthropic image, and netizens began to question the relationship between the two. In the years that followed, Guo Meimei's case continued to ferment, and the Red Cross became controversial because of its involvement. Until Guo Meimei was arrested on suspicion of opening a casino, after investigation, it was found that she had no actual connection with the Red Cross, and her identity authentication was just a vanity act. As the truth came out, the incident gradually subsided.
However, the incident triggered a crisis of confidence in the charity. Since then, negative press has poured out of the charity. For example, shortly after the Guo Meimei incident broke out, the Children's Mercy Association released its work report for the previous year, and one of the disbursement projects amounted to 4.84 billion yuan, far exceeding the 80 million yuan donation received that year. This number sparked doubts and controversy among netizens, although in the end there was no evidence of improper behavior. Recently, the Beijing Red Cross Society has also raised public doubts about funding for its activities. Initially, the condolence relief allocation was only 4,000 yuan, but the cost of accommodation and meals was as high as nearly 30,000 yuan. This funding arrangement has raised grievances and doubts, whether it is a rescue activity or travel at public expense. In the face of public pressure, the Beijing Red Cross Society quickly changed the relevant fee labeling, saying that "accommodation and meal expenses" were "activity expenses", and said that 97 people participated, so the cost was higher. However, the exact number and evidence have not been made public, adding to further doubts.
These events have led to a gradual loss of trust and even hostility towards charities. While most of the negative press goes unconfirmed, it has eroded trust in charities. These things are worrisome and give food for thought: Why has so many scandals sprung up in this seemingly noble cause?
First, we must acknowledge that the trend of commercialization of charities does pose a set of tough questions. The commercialization strategy is to ensure the long-term development of the institution, but the profit-seeking nature of capital can lead to a series of complex problems. One of the most glaring problems is that some people pursue personal or organizational self-interest in the name of charity. A clear example is the 2011 Henan Soong Ching Ling Foundation, where it was discovered that the $3 billion charity spent only about $100 million on public welfare projects in two years, raising questions about the transparency of its use of funds. Even more alarming are reports that most of the money appears to have gone to companies controlled by senior staff to invest in real estate. Although the Song Foundation quickly denied the allegations, it has yet to release its findings.
Another example is the Wuhan Red Cross incident in early 2020, when materials donated by charities were not all distributed to the front line of the epidemic, raising questions. The Red Cross resource scheduling issue was also criticized, and it was only after the intervention of a professional logistics team that resource allocation gradually returned to normal. However, the problem does not end there, many charities are dysfunctional, inefficient, and difficult to respond effectively when disaster strikes. These internal shortcomings, coupled with new challenges arising from the development of information technology, make it difficult for governments and relevant departments to regulate charitable organizations. Illegal acts such as "fraudulent donations" and "fraudulent donations" are common.
On the other hand, the lack of private oversight and public participation in philanthropy is also at the root of the problem. When these things erupt, the public often feels overwhelmed and doesn't know who to turn to or how to expose the problem. This allows bad actors to run amok in philanthropy. Some victims may be afraid to publicly expose the problem, fearing a negative impact on their family or their own reputation.
In addition to inadequate commercialization and regulation, the charity's credibility issues have also led to a crisis of trust. Public expectations of charities are high, and in the event of a scandal or misconduct, it often triggers great anger and distrust. Once an institution's image and reputation are damaged, it takes a long time to restore trust. This requires charities to establish stricter internal controls and transparency to ensure that funds are clearly used and not misused.
However, these questions should not deter people from being skeptical of charity. Philanthropy still has many respectable people and organizations who quietly dedicate themselves to helping those in need. As Fan Zhongyan, Chen Zhuo, Yao Ming and others have demonstrated, the power of kindness is powerful. The essence of philanthropy is to provide selfless care and assistance to others, and this principle should not be eroded by commercialization or personal self-interest. Therefore, maintaining a warm heart and never feeling numb to the misfortunes of others is the spirit of charity that we should have.
In conclusion, the crisis of trust in charities requires a concerted effort by governments, charities and the public. The government needs to establish stricter regulatory mechanisms to ensure that charities are transparent and accountable. Charities need to strengthen internal controls and open accounts to ensure that donations are used for legitimate charitable activities. The public needs to be more actively engaged and scrutinized in philanthropy, shedding light on issues and driving reform. Only through the cooperation of the whole society can philanthropy be made healthier, more stable and trustworthy.
The incident brought a fresh look at the transparency and credibility of charities and triggered a crisis of confidence in the charity industry. It is also a reminder that the development of the philanthropic industry requires stricter supervision and review mechanisms to ensure that the rights and interests of the public are not infringed. Public participation and supervision are also essential, and only through the joint efforts of the whole society can philanthropy develop more healthily, stably and credibly.
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