The impact 1% of your income can have on the world
Stories | November 30, 2020
Many of us wish we could have more of an impact on the world. With the world’s wealth so unevenly distributed, it’s easy to feel powerless to change when you’re not earning huge amounts of money.
But being able to donate just one per cent of your salary can make a huge difference to the causes you care about. At CBM Australia, our mission is to improve the lives of people with disabilities living in poverty. In fact, 80 per cent of people with disabilities are living in poverty, and we want to change that. We provide vital resources to support those experiencing preventable blindness, and run education and resourcing programs to help people with disabilities in the poorest places in the world to live a better, fairer life.
According to the ABS, the average salary in Australia is $84,968 per year. One per cent of that is $849.68.
That small percentage can go a really long way when you support charities like CBM Australia. Here’s a little about the work we do, and how far that one per cent could go.
$33 can restore sight
Ninety per cent of people who are vision impaired live in developing countries. That means the same amount of people struggle to receive the treatment they need to prevent blindness. For just $33, you can donate a CBM miracle, which restores the sight of someone with cataracts with a 12-minute operation.
One per cent of the average salary in Australia could restore the sight of 25 people. Donate a miracle here
$75 can help make schools accessible to children with disabilities
When disaster strikes, school stops – and recovery efforts often leave out children with disabilities, leaving them unable to access education and participate in the school community. $75 can help facilitate disabled access to schools through our Meaningful Gifts store.
One per cent of the average salary in Australia could buy 11 accessibility gifts for children who need it most. Get your gift at our Meaningful Gift shop.
$120 can train one healthcare worker in Nigeria on the prevention of fistula
A fistula is a condition affecting pregnant women, where the baby’s head puts too much pressure on the maternal tissues and cuts off the blood supply. For women who live in poverty, access to safe and adequate maternal healthcare is extremely limited, and malnutrition can increase a woman’s chances of developing a fistula.
As part of CBM Australia’s MumsMatter program, $120 can help to train one healthcare worker in the prevention of fistula, giving women in developing countries better access to the healthcare they and their babies deserve.
One per cent of the average salary in Australia can help train seven healthcare workers. Donate to the MumsMatter program here.
$850 can support multiple families to start their own businesses
Under CBM Australia’s small business loan program, an $850 donation can give a family in a developing country the funding they need to start their own business. When the loan is repaid from profits the business has made, the funds are then loaned to another family. It’s a donation that keeps on giving, and helps to build a sustainable, independent future for families experiencing poverty.
One per cent of the average salary in Australia is all it takes to kickstart a family business. Donate a small business kickstarter loan via our Meaningful Gift shop
Donations over $2 to CBM Australia are tax deductible. That means deducting one per cent of the average salary in Australia not only helps us continue to improve the lives of those living with disabilities in the poorest countries on earth, but reduces your taxable income at the same time.
In an initiative that began in the USA, GivingTuesday will take place on 1st December 2020, and encourages Australians to show their generosity, both on the day, and everyday. By making a donation, large or small, to CBM Australia this GivingTuesday, you’re helping us fight for an end to inequality that leaves hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities living in poverty all around the world.
Emma Edwards is a finance blogger at The Broke Generation. She creates content to empower millennial women to take control of their finances, and loves finding nifty ways to make a difference through purposeful spending and finding space in your budget for a little extra giving.
https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/the-impact-1-of-your-income-can-have-on-the-world
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