White saviourism is still prevalent in fundraising practices. Here are four simple ways to avoid it.

Using white pity to frame fundraising appeals for humanitarian causes is still common in the INGO world — and critics say it’s dehumanizing.

Why It Matters

White saviour fundraising isn’t just paternalistic and racist. It can condition donors to believe that humanitarian issues in the Global South are unsolvable. Fundraising campaigns that promote solidarity can be just as effective as traditional ads, if not more so.

var TRINITY_TTS_WP_CONFIG = {"cleanText":"White saviourism is still prevalent in fundraising practices. Here are four simple ways to avoid it.. Content warning: This story includes descriptions of racist fundraising advertisements. \u00a0 A Black child stares dully into the camera. Perhaps they\u2019re picking through a mountain of garbage, carrying jugs of water on their heads, or sitting in a dirt-floored hut. There is often sad music, reminiscent of an animal adoption campaign. Sometimes, they cry.\u00a0 Amid these heart wrenching scenes, a narrator urges donors to give something \u2014 anything \u2014 to spare these poor children from their hardships. Cue a 1-800 number, a charitable organization\u2019s logo, and a fade to the next commercial.\u00a0 This narrative template is known as the \u2

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