15.08.2018

Analysts at Yandex.money have rated Russian cities of more than a million inhabitants for the amounts their citizens give to charity.

The research shows that from January to June 2018 Muscovites donated an average of 1130 roubles (£13) each to good causes.This is 20% more than in the same months of 2017.

Ufa comes next in the league, with average donations of £11.50. Rostov on the Don was in third place with £10. Fourth and fifth places were taken by St Petersburg and Kazan. The smallest amounts were donated by citizens of cities in Siberia and the Far East of Russia.

While the number of donations across the country rose by 40%, the total amount donated declined by 10% over the period studied. Some major foundations are at risk of closing down due to lack of funds. In one case this is because the charity’s main donor is no longer able to support it. Another charity in difficulties is Perspektiva in St Petersburg, which has since 1996 provided support to severely disabled children and adults. Its Chairman, Mariya Ostrovskaya, posted a message on Facebook to say it would have to close some of its programmes due to the lack of funds. She said the charity’s beneficiaries are very concerned about their future, and there have been dismissals of staff experienced in working with some of the most severely disabled people in society.

Lidiya Moniava, deputy director of a children’s hospice, posted on Facebook that in an interview she was asked about the situation for charities, and said that over the past few years, people who used to give large amounts have gradually reduced their donations, stopped donating altogether or have gone abroad. One donor, who used to donate 10 million roubles (£117,000) every month, has said he can no longer help as times are bad.

https://www.asi.org.ru/news/2018/08/15/pozhertvovaniya-rejting/