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Expert opinions

A WONDERFULLY BROAD RANGE of thinking from people who know what they are talking about.

A rough guide to charities in Palestine

Jake Hayman Jake Hayman, International Coordinator, OneVoice
IF YOU WANT TO HELP the oppressed of the Middle East, but don't want your cash to finance suicide bombers, follow this advice... More

Begging for laughs

Eduardo Jauregui Ed Jáuregui: Humour Consultant
CHARITIES ARE PERPETUALLY in need of two things. One is our piggy banks, the other is a sense of humour... More

Get happy

Hetan Shah Hetan Shah: Policy Director at Compass
HAPPINESS IS BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY these days, and it ties in closely to helping others... More

Why charities will improve

Geoff Mulgan Geoff Mulgan: Founder, Demos thinktank
ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO charities had few obligations to account for what they did... More

Beware people who rate charities

David Bonbright David Bonbright: Director of accountability organization, Keystone
CHARITY-PROFILING WEBSITES can mislead donors - because they don't review the actual work charities do... More

"It's time for a change"

George AlagiahGeorge Alagiah: BBC news anchor
WHY WAR JOURNALISM got George Alagiah down and what he decided to do about it... (NB 8-minute WMV file, requires broadband) More

How to make a difference

John Humphrys John Humphrys: journalist and broadcaster
THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW the biggest charitable donor in the country - but small gifts from individuals can still make a big difference... More

The working cure for a terrible injury

Adam Rothwell Sheenagh Day, Founder of Maison Bengal
THIS STORY IS HORRIFYING but it ends positively. It also shows why creating work for people in developing countries is as important as giving any amount of aid... More

The missionary position again?

Ceri Dingle Ceri Dingle, Director, WorldWrite
SEVERAL WESTERN AID agencies seem to think Africans are stupid. It's time we started treating them with a bit more respect... More

When you just have to trust us

Chris Beales Chris Beales: Director of Afghan Action
IF A CHARITY HAS a good track record and experienced staff like ours, sometimes you just have to take the plunge and trust it. More

When charities aren't charities

Nick Seddon Nick Seddon, Author, Who Cares
LOTS OF BIG CHARITIES DEPEND on government cash to survive. And that's not a good thing for charities as a whole... More

The church and the Mafia

Fergus Drake Fergus Drake, formerly a programme director for Tearfund
THE CHURCH AND DON CORLEONE are not natural bedfellows but you might be surprised to learn of their impact when the chips are down... More

Stop paying the poor

John Bird John Bird, founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Big Issue
WE NEED TO STOP offering emergency solutions to homelessness, and instead tackle its long-term causes... More

Seven problems to fix

Lilli Geissendorfer Lilli Geissendorfer: Researcher, The Young Foundation
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, over-eating and the complexities of the poverty trap are among seven major social problems we have identified... More

International aid starts at home

Jean Béliveau Jean Béliveau: A man who is walking around the world
TREKKER EXTRAORDINAIRE Jean has seen many things and spoken to many people on his travels... More

How I'd choose a homeless charity

Gerard Lemos Gerard Lemos, housing and social research expert
THERE IS SOMETHING INEFFABLY shocking about a society as prosperous as ours tolerating people sleeping in shop doorways and begging. But what should we do about it? More

Corruptababble!

Ceri Dingle Ceri Dingle, Director, WorldWrite
POOR COUNTRIES DESERVE BETTER. We should stop attaching conditions to aid, and let countries spend how they choose. Anything else is little short of bribery. More

A little chicken karma

Iona Joy Iona Joy, Senior Analyst, New Philanthropy Capital
HELPING MENTALLY-ILL PEOPLE can seem tough. But it needn't be. Even going out for a curry can help... More

Charitable sheep

Freddy Gray Bruce Kent, Britain's best-known peace campaigner
CHARITIES ARE BY THEIR NATURE conservative. They're not allowed to be political. That should change. More

The art of "lifestyle giving"

David Robinson David Robinson OBE, originator of We Are What We Do, publisher of Change The World For A Fiver
CHARITY OFTEN CHANGES LIVES. For many of us it is also easy - it lets us feel comfortable, complacent even. We’ve done something. But have we done enough? More