Charitable donations increase 89% during quarantine period as Russians seek to help out the vulnerable

Russians have become far more charitable during self-isolation. That’s according to data compiled by newspaper Kommersant, which discovered that non-profit organizations recorded a notable increase in donations during quarantine.

Based on data from online transfer services Yandex.Money and QIWI, Russians became much more active in supporting charities that support the “socially vulnerable,” such as poor people, homeless people, and orphans.

In March, the number of online transfers to non-profit organizations grew by 37 percent compared to February. In April, the number increased by an extra 38 percent, meaning that there were 89 percent more donations in April than February.

Furthermore, contributions rose not only by quantity, but size. According to the data, in April, the average transfer increased by seven percent to 1021 rubles ($14.11), the highest for a year and a half.

Elizaveta Yaznevich, the head of the research department of analytics platform ‘To Be Precise’, suggested that the increase in donations is because of the competent response by NGOs to the epidemic. Speaking to Kommersant, Yaznevich explained that the organizations “were able to respond to a sharp change in the agenda.” To Be Precise helped compile the reported data along with Yandex.Money and the ‘Need Help’ fund.

As in almost every country, Russians are increasingly feeling the pinch since the beginning of anti-coronavirus measures. According to an April 2020 survey from Russian pollsters Levada, nearly a third of Russians (32 percent) say that they or their family members were already affected by reduced wages.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!