IPB University Lecturer: Culture of Gotong Royong and Open Donation, Indonesians are the Champions
The culture of donation and gotong royong in Indonesia has strong roots in local wisdom and religious values. Gotong royong, as a hereditary tradition, reflects the spirit of togetherness and social solidarity.
According to Mahmudi Siwi SP, MSi, a lecturer at IPB University’s Department of Communication and Community Development, in Indonesia, donations are often spontaneous, personal and community-based.
According to data from the World Giving Index 2021 by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), Indonesia ranks as the 1st most generous country in the world, with 83 percent of its population donating money, 60 percent volunteering, and 84 percent helping strangers.
He explained that there are several psychological factors that encourage Indonesians to donate. These factors include religious values, collective empathy, a culture of collectivism and social factors, where a person wants to be recognized or appreciated by the surrounding environment.
“A survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in 2020 showed that 75 percent of Indonesians feel it is important to help others, especially in emergency situations. According to research from the University of Indonesia, 80 percent of respondents stated that religion was their main motivation for donating,” he explained.
However, he explained some of the main challenges in donation distribution. First, there is a lack of transparency. Many donation organizations and individuals do not provide clear reports on the use of funds. Second, corruption or misuse of funds.
“Third, distribution logistics. Indonesia is an archipelago where not all areas have easy access. For example, aid for earthquake victims in West Nusa Tenggara in 2018 was hampered due to damaged road access. Fourth, the lack of supervision makes donations vulnerable to misuse,” he explained.
Therefore, Mahmudi suggested that people should be wiser in choosing a trusted donation platform or initiative. Some steps that can be taken are:
- Check the track record. Make sure the donation platform or institution has a good reputation. For example, Kitabisa.com and Dompet Dhuafa are known to have transparent reporting systems;
- Verify legality, if you are going to donate through a formal institution, make sure the institution is officially registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs or related institutions.
- Read testimonials or comments from others. Find out the experiences of other people who have donated through the platform.
- Use a trusted platform. Choose a platform that is widely recognized and has a good accountability system.
- Avoid direct donations without verification. If asked to donate directly (e.g. via personal transfer), make sure the recipient’s identity is clear and trustworthy. (Lp) (IAAS/LAN)
