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Guide to Types of Charities

Charities have an objective to help and improve the lives of people, the environment and animals. These are generally non-profit and therefore they rely on donations from governments, individuals and corporations. There are many causes that a charity can be organised around whether it is environmental conservation, education, healthcare etc.

There are many humanitarian charities

That provide aid to people in need. These are mainly revolving around providing basic needs to people such as medical care, food and shelter. The people in this category are generally affected by conflicts, natural disasters and poverty. These charities will also try to improve providing access to clean water. And they will focus on improving opportunities for the people by providing them with avenues for education and job opportunities.

There are also health charities that help to raise awareness about health issues and support research into new treatments. There are many health issues that these charities will focus on such as rare diseases where new research is needed, cancer, heart disease, mental health etc. You can also find a children’s charity where donations are used for research, new equipment for patient care, patient and family centred care, education and training.

Animal charities focus on animal rescue and welfare

Wildlife conservation also falls under this category where they will work to protect endangered species. In urban environments these charities will care for stray or abused animals and work to promote animal rights. You can find many shelters that are non-profit and provide a second chance to many abandoned pets and strays. Today, we are living in a world that is impacted by pollution and human activities. There are environmental charities that work towards preserving the natural world. Some of the objectives of these charities are promoting sustainable development, conserving natural resources, reducing environmental pollution and raising awareness of the impacts of climate change and educating the general public about how they can help. They will also lobby for policy changes to address these issues.

In areas of cultural heritage

You will find cultural charities that work to preserve and promote these historic buildings and sites. They will aim for supporting cultural education and help promote cultural diversity. Then there are charities that focus wholly on education. Education can provide so many opportunities to people notwithstanding their background. These charities try to improve access to education even in remote areas where resources are scarce. They will support schools and teachers to provide more resources to children in disadvantaged communities. They will also provide scholarships to children so that they are able to reach for higher education and more career opportunities.

They will also provide vocational training and promote literacy in the community. There are also organisations that are affiliated with a particular faith. These religious charities will provide emotional and spiritual support to the communities and focus on many causes such as education, healthcare and alleviating poverty. Advocacy charities will raise awareness for environmental, social and political issues and advocate for related policy changes. They will engage in public campaigns and lobby governments to further their cause.

Louisa Hollis
the authorLouisa Hollis