About half of Hungary’s population regularly donate and volunteer, and it is only 12% who don’t support those in need in any way, concluded a nationwide representative survey conducted on behalf of Telenor by Impetus Research[1]. Based on survey results, donation is more common than volunteering. Most people (81%) support those in need with donations in kind (e.g. clothes, school supplies). 70% donate money, most of them (73%) less than HUF 5,000 per occasion and 3% more than HUF 20,000 per occasion.
People tend to donate on a random basis. Sixty percent of respondents always or regularly offer 1+1% of their personal income tax for a charitable cause. Forty-one percent prefer volunteering to donation because volunteers can immediately see the outcome of their efforts. About 43% would volunteer more if they had more time. Four out of ten people don’t donate because they fear that the amount wouldn’t reach its destination, and about the same number of people don’t donate because of their own poor financial standing.
Pet shelters are preferred to children
When asked about their top three preferences in terms of the purpose of volunteering or donation, most respondents mentioned pet shelters (35%), people with disabilities (24%), hospitals, healthcare institutions (23%) and people living in extreme poverty (22%). Less than 18% of the sample would support children living in state care.
According to Beatris Joó, Director of Gyermekhíd Foundation, the reason might be that “the stereotypes and information available about child protection often make the child protection system non-transparent. Our experience shows that the more a person knows about the operation of children’s homes, the more committed they become. We aim to get as many regular donors as possible to provide a solution for children’s difficulties.”
Even a phone call can help
Hungary has about 25,000 children and young people in state care. A bit of attention and support in their everyday lives, be it mentoring, financial contribution or an awareness program, can be a life-changing experience for them. Telenor highlights the importance of this issue in its Christmas campaign using the moving story of The Little Match Girl. György Dragomán, József Attila award-winning author, created a new ending for the story to show how the tragic fate of the hero can change for the better if there is someone stepping in at the turning point of the story and says: “I’m here for you.”
György Dragomán’s special relationship with the story dates back to more than forty years ago. “No matter how hard I argued, my kindergarten teacher insisted that I have to tell the story of The Little Match Girl at the winter holidays event of our kindergarten. I was so desperate that my Mom called my teacher to persuade her to change her mind. Eventually, I could tell a story about a dragon instead, but I’ve been waiting for the chance to rewrite the ending of The Little Match girl since then. I found it very funny when I was asked to do so. I closed a forty-year-old loop by finally rewriting the story. At long last, justice was done”, said György Dragomán.
Telenor has published the original story in a paper story book. Its alternative ending is told to those dialling Telenor’s toll-free number 06-80-621-000 by Móni Balsai, Jászai Mari award-winning actress. The story supports a good cause: Telenor donates the total revenue from the books and HUF 500 after each call made to Gyermekhíd Foundation providing complex mentoring support to children living in children’s homes.
“We all need loving and stable relationships, but for children removed from their families this need is even stronger. The trained volunteers of Gyermekhíd Foundation offer a safe and accepting relationship to children living in children’s homes helping them live their emotions, learn how to recognize, label and manage them with courage and confidence. Our mentoring program is combined with social skills development and therapeutic support”, said Beatris Joó.
More information about the availability of the books and the campaign: https://monddittvagyok.telenor.hu/
Video about the initiative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYKV-07zMWk
[1] The survey was conducted between 26 October and 3 November 2021, on a sample of 1,000 people representative of Hungary’s population aged 18 to 69 in terms of gender, age, region and type of settlement.