Socialism and Donations

Did donation campaigns exist during socialism?

In Bulgaria there have been traditions of philanthropy since the Renaissance. During the years of socialism in the country, however, the individual's self-perception of doing good became somewhat vitiated, as many of the initiatives became obligatory. Charity, in fact, to a large extent speaks for the maturity of the country and the society within it. Unfortunately, shortly after the advent of socialism, and more specifically in 1951, a state decree was issued which banned all foundations and charities, and the funds, both material and financial, raised by them were transferred to the state.

We assume that the younger generation is interested in this topic ofcharity during socialism and in what form it was expressed. The team of thePavel Andreev Foundation took it upon ourselves to research the issue and in today's piece we will turn the tape back and introduce you to some of the history of charity during one of the hottest periods of our country's history.

Forms of philanthropy during socialism and today

As we have already noted, the history of the first charitable foundations in Bulgaria dates back to 1878, but charities as we know them today officially appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The main purpose of these charitable foundations is as it is today - to draw the attention of the state and offer adequate help to problems for which it does not offer adequate solutions. Then came the first children's shelters; nursing homes; medical and educational institutions and a number of other establishments. However, with the political changes at the end of the 1940s , it became increasingly difficult forcharitable foundations to carry out their activities. Nevertheless, they did so and continued to help and develop their activities in the already tried and tested ways.

This, however, goes against the basic idea of communism - namely that the state should take care of everything and show active social concern for the people. Thus, many laws and regulations are gradually pushing civil action out of this sphere of society and the authorities are imposing their wish - that the state should only care for the needy and distressed people. All charitable foundations and charitable funds are being closed down and their assets seized for the benefit of the state. In this way, a noble tradition is easily broken and useful experience that has been accumulated over the years is erased. Last but not least, considerable public energy has been wasted, which could have had an impact on today's charitable activities!

Even today, in order to be able to help each other as much as possible, it is imperative that new, ever more effective forms of philanthropy are constantly sought. The 21st century, with all the opportunities it offers us, makes this ever easier. Organising acharity fundraisingcampaign on the internet makes things considerably easier to achieve compared to the charity opportunities of the last century.

However, there is unfortunately an uncomfortable perception at the moment that charitable initiatives should replace certain government policies, and to some extent this is causing people to withdraw from philanthropy. That should not happen - of course all institutions should take responsibility for the things that depend on them, but equally we should not suppress people's natural feelings and aspirations to help.

Charity on the Internet and the Pavel Andreev Foundation

There are various opportunities to organize charity campaigns on the Internet. This way the cause can reach many people in a short time. When the information is presented in an appropriate, intriguing and compelling way, when the mission is truly substantial, raising the necessary amount is only a matter of a short time. One of the most important conditions for motivating people to give is accountability. When using the internet to fundraise, there is an opportunity to easily keep your donors updated on what is happening, how you are approaching your goal, how you or the person in need is feeling during that time. We always advise users who have decided to put their trust in the Pavel Andreev Foundation not to miss this important step. Another particularly important point is to express your gratitude. Be sure to express your gratitude to everyone who has contributed to making your cause a success.

We should certainly neverforget that philanthropy is not measured in Phoenician characters alone. It is also a measure of humanity. It has a far richer meaning. The perimeter of its impact is delineated not by financial capability, but by a person's goodness and a company's reputation.

Steps to a successful donation campaign on PavelAndreev.ORG

Studies show that if a person hears information without seeing any accompanying visuals, they only remember about 10% of it after three days. It has also been shown that if it is combined with a photo or video, then about 65% of the information is remembered. Take advantage of this information to make your donation campaign even more successful. Without a doubt, video is an incredibly powerful tool for grabbing your audience's attention, bringing your cause to life and making a compelling plea for donations, fundraising or even getting people involved as regular donors. The Pavel Andreev Foundation allows you to attach various attachments so you could add photos, videos and scans to the text of your cause.

Also note that videos are versatile and you can use them in almost any marketing channel, your campaign page itself, or in direct asks for help. To make your next great video, record footage from the venue, tell stories about the impact you're having on your beneficiaries, or interview supporters. Show people how they can get involved and the impact it will have on their world or the person in need.

Take a look at our guides to organising charity campaigns too:

• Some recommendations from Pavel Andreev on how to run a successful campaign

• Problems you may face when organizing a donation campaign

• The most important things to know about organizing a donation campaign

Why choose Pavel Andreev's crowdfunding site?

As mentioned earlier, there are many options for raising donations these days. However, online options seem to be the best because of the wide range of users an appeal could reach. And why choose to create your donation campaign on pavelandreev? There are many reasons, but in short - we are a foundation with an established name, thousands of people have trusted us and we have regular donors who choose which of our causes to support, we guarantee absolute security of the funds raised and that they will go exactly where they are intended.