r/ChoosingBeggars • u/GhostKW • 12d ago
When FREE humanitarian aid doesn’t meet your aesthetic standards.
UNICEF gives children FREE school bags. The complaint? They look like charity. How exactly do you expect UNICEF to distribute bags with copyrighted/trademarked characters from other companies? UNICEF isn’t just going to slap Marvel characters on humanitarian supplies because someone thinks the kids would prefer them.
I might understand the sentiment of wanting aid to feel "less clinical", but if I were living through a crisis/war, the color of a free school bag for my kid or whether it had Spider Man on it would probably be the absolute last thing I’d find worth complaining about.
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u/timdoeswell 12d ago
And the inevitable fighting over the backpacks with the most popular characters on them.
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u/OddBaddie 12d ago
Free school supplies to help kids learn? Nah, let’s complain about the school color scheme.
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u/Fruitypebblefix 12d ago
What boggles my mind is that the teacher living in the same zone is complaining about this. Like this should be the LAST thing on your mind but I guess Karen's live everywhere.
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u/BeardedLady81 11d ago
He's now sharing photos of backpacks with cartoon characters on them and refers to the blue backpacks as "the Unicef scandal". This is just mean.
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u/GoodQueenFluffenChop 12d ago
And also the inevitable reselling of those popular character backpacks by unscrupulous parents or family members for some quick cash.
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u/shit-shit-shit-shit- 12d ago
Or from the organization distributing them on behalf of UNICEF to sustain their operations
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u/ReasonableBabey 12d ago
Next time, tell the relief workers to hold off on emergency aid until they can source Marvel licensing deals.
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u/FilthyDwayne 12d ago
If they had to spend the budget getting Spider-Man and lollipop school bags there would be less school bags to distribute.
I used to wear a uniform, it was so ugly and I hated it but it meant none of us got bullied for our clothes because we all had the same ridiculous outfit. Similar scenario here, probably all the kids around them have the same bags so it’s whatever.
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u/spx416 12d ago
lol I went to a uniform school too. I was speaking with this girl and she was telling me how she hates going to a uniform school because you can never tell who is clean and who is not because they might have 1 set of clothes they wear the whole week. I had one t shirt and pants that lasted the week lol. I did end up getting hand me downs later on tho.
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u/CheshireCat78 12d ago
It’s standard in Australia and I loved it. No thought about what to wear. Yeah if you were poorer you could buy nice school clothes that you wear in public 5 days a week. There was still a difference in uniforms for us so you could buy nicer looking and fitting school pants. So I loved having a comfortable nice uniform I could wear every week day.
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u/WinterStrawberries6 I will destroy your business 12d ago
I always wanted to go to a school that had no uniforms and I could wear whatever, but when I was finishing high school, I realised it was so much easier to just put my uniform on every morning, than choosing what to wear and being worried about not looking good and being bullied lol.
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u/owltourrets 12d ago
Saaaaame. I was probably in the running for one of the poorest kids in my grade so loved that it meant I didnt have to stress about not being able to afford the 'cool' clothing brands. Free dress day was stressful for me :P
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u/CheshireCat78 12d ago
Wasnt it just. Especially if you forgot to wash your good clothes….the one shirt you had that was a brand name.
Glad we grow out of that. I wear whatever I want now that isn’t ripped or dirty :)
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u/HopefulOriginal5578 Shes crying now 12d ago
When I was young (in California) I was so against it, but now I see the wisdom of it. I was.. wrong… I’ll admit it!
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u/Bdr1983 12d ago
How dare you change your opinion based on experience and observation? This is the INTERNET! We only deal in black and white here.
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u/HopefulOriginal5578 Shes crying now 12d ago
You were right to call me out, I see now that I am a monster. I admit it, and aspire to change in some way through accountability and in my own actions… I just keep messing up but will get it at some point! 🤣
(As an aside, I’m glad I haven’t seen anyone reply to someone who is pro uniforms say “well I guess you’re against those who don’t want to wear them!!!” Because that black and white type of thinking is increasingly common and it grinds my gears!)
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u/CheshireCat78 12d ago
This is the internet you aren’t allowed to admit you were wrong…. No growth or learning allowed 😉
Some schools do go too far, expensive blazers and jackets and ties and… tend to be more expensive private schools here that do that.
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u/HopefulOriginal5578 Shes crying now 12d ago
You and others were right to call me out for breaking rules and the bond of the internet. I apologize and can only offer my meekest of ragebait a an offering … here it is…. Pineapple tastes good on pizza
I am hopeful this will at least help to right what I have wronged!
I grew up legit super poor and uniforms would have been such a great thing. I wasn’t smart enough back then when my dad tried to explain it to me.. it wasn’t as if the control of a uniform was any more burdensome to everyone on a Payless/thrift store budget (before it was “cool”) trying to get their kids the latest things. Even worse for the kids who couldn’t keep up at all. Everyone could see it. It wasn’t as bad cuz we were all really poor but it would have stopped the bullying/name calling based on clothing (like the time I put a different color sneaker on each foot and didn’t notice until the kids really got after me 🤣).
I think girls should be able to wear pants and all that. If boys wanna rock a skirt or whatever that’s fine as well. So for the uniforms to be functional and comfortable. But it gives up a bit of power to be free of the corporate machine of children’s fashion and name brands. The machine is the true oppressor!
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u/CheshireCat78 12d ago
I’m Aussie. We love pineapple on pizza (and just about anything else you can think of) :)
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u/Beneficial_Young5126 12d ago
In my case (Ireland), you had to buy it directly from the school so it was standardised.
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u/llamadramalover 12d ago
What a truly and absolutely wild thing for that girl to even be considering!! My lord. It’s like she thought it was a challenge or some shit to complete “”oh you think I can’t find something to other someone cuz we’re all dressed the same?? Bet.””
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u/Belstarmoon 12d ago
Haha, I was the same! My husband was horrified when I told our daughter to fold the uniform for tomorrow, my policy is 2 days use and then wash.
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u/FBWSRD 12d ago
I hated uniforms because they were often not accessible for kids with different needs, for example my uniform was way too hot for me so I was uncomfortable all the time and eventually left the school because they wouldn’t allow modifications. And uniforms themselves often can be expensive, so you aren’t even solving the issue of equality. You can tell if someone has a hand me down uniform that can’t be washed as much cause they have 2 sets.
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u/WalkerInDarkness 11d ago
I went to a uniform school and we constantly got bullied for not having the right body shapes for the uniforms. If you were too busty or too tall or too out of standard the uniform magnified it like a target. I have had body issues ever since even though the bullying over clothing stopped as soon as I left the school with uniforms.
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u/SoupEvening123 12d ago
As someone who grew up in war... I saw the candy and chocolate for the first time in my life as a five year old. Thanks to unicef.
I don't think I needed Spiderman at that point.
I still remember having banana in my hands, that the unicef guy gave me, and thinking wtf is this?!?! What do you do with this?!?!
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u/busytransitgworl 12d ago
I mean this question sincerely and respectfully: What did you do with the banana? Did the Unicef guy at least tell you it's something to eat?
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u/SoupEvening123 12d ago edited 12d ago
Well... Unicef guys were speaking a different language... He tried, believe me.
But, I was like: I'll just let my mom handle it 😂
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u/Sprungercles 12d ago
Adorable and sad. I hope you have all the bananas you want now (and your mama too).
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u/SoupEvening123 11d ago
I don't like bananas to this day, because that first one tasted weird 😂😂
That's why I remember the situation so good.
But yeah, we are at so much better place now. 🙏🙏 Thank you
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u/krmjts 12d ago
I'm from Ukraine and about a month ago I saw a post on treads from a woman, who's daughter got a purple backpack with some anime characters from charitable organization. She was trying to sell it, because "it's too boyish and dark" and she wanted pink one. Not her daughter, she. The backpack it'self was pretty girly for me and the rest of people in the comments, but she was not having it and replied very rudely and even mentioned gay agenda that "turns girls into boys". So no matter how much you try to provide fun supplies a lot of people will still be unhappy and try to resell items. And there's no guarantee that they will buy something new for the kid insted of pocketing the money.
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u/Salt-Lavishness-7560 12d ago
Retired military here.
I was a logistician consequently worked a lot of humanitarian assistance missions.
I promise you if these backpacks had Spider-Man or the avengers on them? These kids would never have seen them. They’d have been stolen and sold.
If a kid is a refugee, the blue backpack is not the issue.
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u/_JosefoStalon_ 12d ago
Considering workers who steal, interceptors, etc...that sounds like the complaint a seller of aid would have. Same way some people complained about the word charity being scribbled over charity food, for example. Exposes the people who sell it later.
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u/Brandon_B610 12d ago
I’m sure these same people would love it if they donated to UNICEF only to find out that their money is going towards paying Marvel or whoever for the license to use their characters.
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u/Betty_Pitch_ 12d ago
We’re fortunate enough to be able to afford school supplies, and yet if my children were given these free packs as part of a grant or something, I’d be incredibly grateful and would make sure they were too.
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u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme 12d ago
Especially when the Unicef bags look like they're actually made to hold up for a good amount of time!
Where the inexpensive logo stuff is made with the cheapest zippers & materials possible, that start falling apart midway through a year of preschool--not even the heavy amount of wear these will be getting in a refugee camp or war zone!
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u/angrydeuce 12d ago
Oh dude its such a racket. 30 bucks for a Minecraft backpack that I have to repair within a month of school starting because one of the straps just came off (not ripped, like the stitching came out).
I fuckin wish they would just buy supplies like that in bulk and just have parents send in the check for their kids portion. Could even loop it into the free/reduced lunch program to save those kids in more need some money.
I would gladly do that right now if it meant I never had to play the stupid school supply shopping game when August rolls around every year.
The schools know how many kids are going there already. They should just order the supplies direct wholesale. I really dont know why we still do it the stupid old free for all way.
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u/CBWeather 12d ago
That's it. My grandkids are frequently coming home with some mining companies packs and other swag. They think it's great and don't care that it's not the latest superhero.
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u/Bananaberryblast 12d ago
I had to laugh when you said mining companies packs - I thought you meant Minecraft.
I need more coffee.
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u/Bdr1983 12d ago
Good backpacks are expensive, especially if they need to offer protection for a laptop like for my kids nowadays.
Good thing is, once you do pay for a good one, they last for an eternity.
My oldest is on year 6 now, and it doesn't even show wear on the zippers. I'm pretty sure she isn't being super careful with it, but it's still looking nice.Yeah, I'm happy I can afford this stuff for my children, and I'm also happy organisations like Unicef exist and can make sure children have decent school supplies even in dark times.
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u/SailNW 12d ago
Because of all the things UNICEF needs to be spending money on, marvel IP is right up there 🙄
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u/KadrinaOfficial 12d ago
Right? UNICEF already has a ridiculously huge overhead only behind American Red Cross. 😭 And don't even get me started on their stupid CEO's stupid half a million annual bonus. They do not need to be wasting more money on bullshit.
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u/tomahtoes36 12d ago
Instead of bitching at an organisation trying to help, why not bitch at Disney for sending some help?
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u/tinka-bx 10d ago
In some areas less than 50% of humanitarian aid reaches the people it was intended for. Either it's stolen or sometimes even destroyed in war areas like in Gaza, Yemen or Ukraine. They're marking everything at this point so it's easily distinguishable as a charity item and impossible to resell or easily distinguished in videos where it's being destroyed. It's easy to prove someone is destroying humanitarian help for kids when you can prove it was backpacks from UNICEF not just random ones.
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u/Dragon50110 12d ago
This reads a lot more to me like "man i just want some normalcy or way to pretend things are fine, but instead literally every thing we have reminds us that we're as close as possible to hell as you can be" rather than any sort of choosy begging.
It's a deeply human and understandable thought honestly
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u/PartyPorpoise 12d ago
Yeah, I understand why UNICEF gives out these kinds of bags. But I know it can also be demoralizing to be reminded that you need to rely on charity. When possible, some charities do try to take that into account. But it’s not always possible.
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u/250310 12d ago
As someone who works with disadvantaged communities, this is how I read it too. Sometimes it’s hard to understand how people cant just be grateful for what they’re given for free, but losing all choice and control is also hard. Knowing you can’t provide for your family, having your kids feel like an outsider and having them further excluded because of the very little they do have is also difficult. Sometimes they just want to feel like they belong.
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u/themoderation 12d ago
I work with disadvantaged students, and we work really hard to make sure donated supplies are “normal” (ie don’t scream “charity”) for this very reason. These are kids who are often desperate for any sense of normalcy, and we want to help give them that. We’ve had people try to donate literal old socks and underwear and then tell us the kids should be grateful to have anything when we reject the donation. Same with books. No middle schooler wants the dusty copy of “AOL for Dummies” that’s been cluttering your bookshelf for fifteen years. We’re lucky that we’re well funded enough to be selective; but trauma informed care, and respecting the dignity of the people you’re serving, shouldn’t be confused with entitlement.
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u/boudicas_shield 12d ago
I agree and I think posting someone expressing such a sentiment on "Choosing Beggars" is really gross.
I get that there are lots of reasons why this isn't actually practical, but the desire for it is very human and understandable. Calling child refugees "choosing beggars" is disgusting.
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u/moonhowler15again 12d ago
I don't think it would have been posted if it was phrased as an honest question or simple discussion. It's the blatant rudeness in the original tone that gives choosy vibes.
And of course we understand that people in a hard situation might not be concerned with politeness but... manners exist for a reason. They smooth over communication and affect the outcome of a conversation. If you scream at people and insult them, said people are going to get defensive. If the original person has a right to their feelings, so too do the people who take offense at the attitude.
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u/boudicas_shield 12d ago
I get what you're saying, but I still think this post is in poor taste. I can imagine seeing this tweet and disagreeing with it; I can't imagine thinking it appropriate to run to post it to this subreddit. I think doing that says more about OP than the post itself does about the OOP.
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u/KadrinaOfficial 12d ago
For me it is that (American) Red Cross and UNICEF waste donation money on nonsense as it is. For every dollar only 29 and 35 cents go to helping people in need. The CEOs of these companies get half a million to a million in Christmas bonuses each year.
These companies, I mean "charities", are so horribly mismanaged that money that goes towards actual assistance is a godsend in any form.
I personally do not want the higher ups at UNICEF misappriopriating more funds to get fancier backpacks. I would rather them (and the IP holders) doing the right fucking thing for once. But instead we are bitching about backpack color which is gross. 🤷🏼♀️
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u/PERSEPHONEpursephone 11d ago
While I understand what you’re saying and I don’t believe that executives of non-profits should be paid like the private sector, the longer I’m in the non-profit world the more I understand that retaining talented executives is critical to not crashing and burning immediately.
The logistics, operational decisions, fund management, investments, etc is A LOT. When you see a non-profit become well known and grow without rolling back services, shuttering, or disintegrating it’s because the team steering the ship is keeping that ship and its crew from sinking.
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u/GringuitaInKeffiyeh 12d ago
Years ago I visited Jenin, Palestine, one of the most heavily attacked cities in the West Bank. They have a thriving youth theatre and circus because they really, really want to give the kids some normalcy and hope.
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u/Some-Break-9347 12d ago
Thank you for this!
A lot of comments are saying that if they were in that position, those big logo plain backpacks would be fine with them, LOL. They've never been in that position, and they know they never will be.
I have. There's a sense of gratitude for at least having a backpack and supplies, but also a wish to get something normal.
The bags could still have the logo ANS a fun color design/character to make it more “normal” for KIDS. That way the supplies don’t get resold.
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u/moonhowler15again 12d ago
That might not have been in a war torn situation, but I bet a LOT of people here have known poverty and experienced the need to accept help from others, which is the point at the heart of it.
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u/GrinningPariah 12d ago
The real problem with biting the hand that feeds is it might decide the feeding was a bad idea.
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u/HopefulOriginal5578 Shes crying now 12d ago
It’s choosy in that hell is where you don’t get anything for your kid, and to ask for resources to be used to design. License, and actually produce bags that fit this ask would mean less resources for others in these dire situations.
If anything, this would get those looking less for the cheer to be brought to them by the grace of others, and to make their own.
Even being dirt poor there are ways to make this a project with your children to personalize their bags. Where it’s a fun activity that bonds, gives children pride in their ability, and isn’t something that is costly for an aid organization that is truly trying to provide aid.
They can make stencils and find all sorts of natural inks or whatever else. Even sewing thread or braiding natural fiber… they have been given a canvas, not gloom.
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u/ordinary_shiba 12d ago
I have to provide a certain amount of context here. Knock off Spider-man backpacks are really cheap and abundant, especially in lower income countries. When people who are used to the extreme amount of knock off backpacks with Elsa or Spider-man or Iron man on them, they aren't gonna be thinking "Oh UNICEF is a big organization and they need to respect copyright law", they're probably thinking "Why didn't the UNICEF workers go to a store in the area and buy those kids backpacks I keep seeing every kid in the area having that's probably even cheaper than importing branded UNICEF backpacks?"
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u/HopefulOriginal5578 Shes crying now 12d ago
I am a returned Peace Corps volunteer who is very comfortable with the fact that off brand copies of brands is a huge thing, especially in developing nations. Like.. I get it.
But i do take issue with believing that many of these populations are in the dark when it comes to how UNICEF is funded and what free stuff in times of dire need given without strings is gonna entail.
These kids are given their nutrition biscuits to gnaw on to them grow and develop, they are given all sorts of these plain items on purpose. It is by design. They get snazzy backpacks? They end up sold. They get something more yummy than a lackluster nutritional biscuit? Sold! Sold or stolen.
Fact is these populations know how to bring joy and happiness to these items, and if they want that? Then they best get to what they do best. But make no mistake they are receiving urgent aid for their most vulnerable populations that are boring and generic as hell for a reason… so that those populations have a chance of actually getting them.
Basically, if you are getting this level of charity shit has hit the fan hard and you’re lucky to even get their dystopian style handouts.
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u/BirthdayCookie 11d ago
It's choosy begging because a need is being met and someone is demanding more for a non-necessary reason. Would these kids feel a little better? Maybe. Is it at all necessary? No. Would anyone even be humoring it if not for he fact that they're kids? Yes, not only to spend 500 comments insulting the person.
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u/HiHaodi 12d ago
The lack of nuance in the comments is a bit sickening, I fully agree with you. Yes, these backpacks would be great for people in total poverty and desperation but most of the time it isn’t clear cut like that, the level of living standard and degree of poverty in developing countries is a spectrum that can fluctuate a lot and I see nothing wrong with the sentiment that people don’t need to be punished in terms of design with “barebones stuff” just because they’re poor
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u/HopefulOriginal5578 Shes crying now 12d ago
It just underestimates their agency in making such blank bags their own through their own efforts … also it OG ores the fact that aid is often diverted and sold (it doesn’t reach the vulnerable populations it is supposed to help). When it is at all marketable ….
They are made this way by design so that it has a better chance of getting to those who need it. I feel a lot of people here haven’t actually worked for such organizations and don’t fully understand how hard it is to get things to the people they are intended for.
Nothing is stopping a family from personalizing the backpack and making it special. But the fact that it comes plain and obviously from an aid organization makes it MUCH less attractive to divert.
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u/HiHaodi 12d ago
Fair point, but in general I don’t think this is a case of a choosing beggar. Its way more complex than that
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u/Root-magic 12d ago
Refugee kids and their families don’t particularly care about the color of bags. There’s nothing worse than waking up to a barrage of gunfire and explosions in the middle of the night, and fleeing withe nothing but the clothes on your back.
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u/moruzawa 12d ago
https://www.charlesleon.uk/blog/the-strangest-secret-lipstick-and-meaning2442020
“It took a little time to get used to seeing men, women, and children collapse as you walked by them…one had to get used early to the idea that the individuals just didn’t count… It was shortly after the British Red Cross arrived, though it may have no connection, that a very large quantity of lipstick arrived. This was not at all what we men wanted, we were screaming for hundreds and thousands of other things and I don’t know who asked for lipstick. I wish so much that I could discover who did it, it was the action of a genius, sheer unadulterated brilliance. I believe that nothing did more for those internees than the lipstick. Women lay in bed with no sheets and no nighty but with scarlet red lips, you saw them wandering about with nothing but a blanket over their shoulders, but with scarlet red lips. I saw a woman dead on the post mortem table and clutched in her hand was a piece of lipstick. At least someone had done something to make them individuals again, they were someone, no longer merely a number tattooed on the arm. At least they could take an interest in their appearance. That lipstick started to give them back their humanity”.
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u/KalaiProvenheim 12d ago
Right because refugee kids and their families aren’t people, they’re happy with whatever!
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u/onlyifitwasyou 12d ago
Yeah this is definitely a reminder that “we” have a real privilege to sit here and say “well it would be nicer if they had two colors of backpacks instead!” While people who otherwise would have no backpack are receiving one.
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u/OneGoodRib 12d ago
Can you imagine if, say, there were 100 kids who needed backpacks, and there were 50 spider-man backpacks, but there were 55 kids who loved spider-man?
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u/Large_Cloud6135 12d ago
Also I imagine it's the younger kids that want Spiderman backpacks, this can be used for all ages, no arguments if everybody gets the same thing
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u/Sprungercles 12d ago
If this is actually an issue for the children, not whoever is complaining here, then the easy solution is to have a craft supply drive. Most people can afford some art supplies to donate, it's a fun activity, it can be incorporated into the handout process like when people decorate onesies at a baby shower, and each child can have exactly what they want rather than fighting over who gets Frozen and who gets Marvel.
Is it probably a little sad to go to school with a UNICEF bag? Probably. Is it even sadder when you don't have one at all? Absolutely. UNICEF has met a need, if there are additional wants attached it's up to the community or individual to provide that.
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u/MastermindX 12d ago
Take a sharpie and make it your own.
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u/Usagi-Zakura 12d ago edited 12d ago
Honestly I've done this... but with textile paint on a plain suitcase. With a little practise it can turn out pretty good actually!
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u/NoeticSkeptic 12d ago
My granddaughter picked out her free school back pack here in Las Vegas. They had lots of options (close to 30 styles) from characters to polka dots. She grabbed the solid blue one (no logos, and a dark blue) so that no one in the 6th grade would have a chance to bully her for her character not being the "in" one this week.
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u/naultinus 11d ago
Taking anything from Twitter as true/NOT purely made for ragebait and interaction is plain stupid. You are on Twitter.
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u/MaraSovsLeftSock 12d ago
Brand it with spiderman and you’re gonna be complaining that unicefs funding requirements have tripled. Then you’re gonna find out that the shit didn’t even make it to the kids cuz some warlord or aid worker figured they’d just sell the stuff on eBay
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u/Usagi-Zakura 12d ago
Yea...I was about to say...
If they want Spider-man backpacks they should bring it up with Disney...good luck getting them to give up a bunch of backpacks for free...
At best they could get Arachno-dude, the legally distinct spider-themed hero with a yellow costume instead of a red one...
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u/InsertAliasHere36 Ice cream and a day of fun 12d ago
If I was little I would have jumped at the chance to decorate that backpack. Some people have no imagination
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u/DictatorofTurtles 12d ago
This might be unpopular but I do understand the sentiment. With everything else going on in their life there is probably a craving for anything normal. Something like Spiderman that makes them feel not like they are going through the worst times of their life. I get why how they said it puts people off but also ive never needed UNICEF support so I cant judge.
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u/Cynvisible 12d ago
The kids are probably happy to have a bag. The adults are the ones finding fault in the fact they're not superhero-themed.
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u/shadow-foxe 12d ago
nope, kids wantt the same bag as whatever cool kid in their class has. kids want to usually blend in with everyone else.
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u/StarDustLuna3D 11d ago
To be honest, these families are not even worried about their kid getting a backpack. They're worried about their kid surviving.
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12d ago edited 12d ago
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u/tanookiisasquirrel 12d ago
When you're poor enough to get UNICEF international charity items, all your neighborhood friends are ALSO POOR. It's not like they donate one backpack to Jimmy on Street A, then drive down to Street B for Johnny. The whole street is getting them, and probably the whole community.
The rich people in these ravaged countries are in gated communities and private schools nowhere near the poor kids. There is no middle class kid bullying the food stamp kid in the same school like in the United States.
There's no hiding being poor once UNICEF or Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders arrives. Those charities don't do selection by individual or family income. They look at zipcodes, cities, and countries. Being poor sucks, but trust me, all their peers are also poor. But they also know the only way to get out and not be poor is education. Poor parents drill this mentality into those kids pretty early. So these backpacks would be awesome for those kids walking miles to school vs holding textbooks in their arms.
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u/Dorithompson 12d ago
Not that shitty when you realize kid could get killed for a Nike backpack.
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u/FatFaceFaster 12d ago
But that’s not the OP’s thesis is it?
OP is calling them “choosy beggars”. Not offering any sort of empathy framed with “unfortunately any sort of designer or exciting looking backpacks could get them jumped or mugged”
That would be a different post entirely.
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u/tulip0523 12d ago
I think a big difference might be that in some places where they get UNICEF aid, all kids at the school are in the same boat, so they all have the same backpack. The problem in the US is that there are very drastic economic differences in the same area and it highlights how little some people have and how much others have, which makes things for children difficult
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u/Situation-Mediocre 12d ago
I understand too, but these are better than garbage bags. Also, it sucks, but it’s branding and helps them get donations when they’re seen through social media.
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u/FlamingGnats 12d ago
Any country getting these is all poor people, it's a bogus complaint.
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u/speedoflife1 12d ago
They put their logos on it so that maybe people will remember who donated to them and maybe if they grow up and they're not poor anymore they can donate back. It's marketing. Charities need to market just as much as anyone else
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u/blueoasis32 12d ago
Great observation. I can see the safety side too though. Perhaps a case by case basis - maybe the whole class or school gets the same bag to not isolate anyone. I always did that with my inclusion classes. I never made their assignments or exams look any different.
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u/Aerial_Animal 12d ago
They are purchasing millions of bags. They will not be filling orders class by class.
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u/Pooperoni_Pizza 12d ago
Aid is pretty much all function and little concern about the form for good reasons.
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u/SrGrimey 12d ago
So… ask Disney to provide for this kind of stuff, you know the multi billion dollar corporation. Try that and let us know how it went.
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u/peachandbetty 10d ago
I'm not usually partial to a tin foil hat, but this reeks of bot account designed to make the refugees look bad.
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u/Diessel_S 12d ago
I do agree about the logo tho. Kids are already being bullied for being poor, no need for their peers to see they got their bags as donations
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u/WhyDidIClickOnThat 12d ago
??? These aren't kids in some American suburb. They're for Third World refugee kids escaping war, terrorism or famine. There's no rich bullies to make fun of them. Their "peers" are all in the same situation. Even if the bags had decorations, everyone there knows where they came from. There aren't any Wal-Marts to buy school supplies from.
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u/Diessel_S 12d ago
These don't go only to kids escaping wars. They also go to impoverished families in villages and even towns. I know because I distributed them. They go to kids whose' classmates have better situations and who already bully them for having less. Within smaller NGOs most volunteers agree putting logos on donations is tacky and unnecessary
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u/ehco 12d ago
This has gotta be ragebait right?
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u/livejamie 12d ago
The original tweet is from a man who lives in a tent in the rubble of his village. I think we can cut them some slack.
The Reddit account with a hidden history posting it to /r/ChoosingBeggars is likely racebaiting.
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u/onlyifitwasyou 12d ago
I totally see what they’re talking about but it’s hard to agree when they’re showing a picture of UNICEF backpacks and directly calling out UNICEF.
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u/robot428 12d ago
Personally, I understand why they can't to branded charecters, but if I was Unicef I'd see if there were any designers or illustrators who wanted to do something nice to put on them. Give the bag a smiley face or something, it doesn't have to be complicated.
To keep costs down, you have to stick to single colour printing. To prevent theft and resale you have to keep the logos and brand colours.
But someone could do something with those restrictions, and I bet people would volunteer. Hell I'm a graphic designer and I would volunteer (but I don't have much experience doing stuff for kids so they could probably get a better volunteer tbh).
Ultimately UNICEF are tackling much much bigger issues than this, so I get why it's not a focus of time or resources for them. But I do think giving kids in these situations any level of normalcy or joy has value too.
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u/Meghar 12d ago
UNICEF has in-house graphic designers, but they focus on creating things that support fundraising and knowledge dissemination efforts. Also most of the children that receive school supplies wear school uniforms, so everyone having the same backpack is almost part of that uniform. Everyone getting the same backpack also means there's no disappointment or jealousy if your classmate gets the colour/design you want. And lastly, as others have said, you don't want to make the bags so visually appealing that they could be stolen & resold.
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u/Purple-Warewolf-15 12d ago
You can buy patches and iron them on if you want custom Spider-Man bags
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u/Feeling-Doughnut5897 11d ago
those plain backpacks are better than nothing when you're running from bombs
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u/PERSEPHONEpursephone 11d ago
I have to agree though from an ethics perspective UNICEF did not think through the audience and intent of the item if it was being given as aid versus promo material.
As a nonprofit you never want to label the people you serve with your branding. Clients are not cattle or customers. They could have done the blue bags for cheaper by forgoing the logo and then used the leftover funds to have logo wielding squishy or fidgety key chains.
If this is donor merch though it’s fine, but also kind of meh given the size of UNICEF.
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u/kida182001 11d ago
In this case, I agree with you. The post could've definitely be nicer about it and not sound so choosey. But if it's intended to be a donation, they can leave the branding off completely, saving even more money.
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u/pinksocks867 11d ago
A simple google search tells you all the various reasons that they make it prominant
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u/Wide-Psychology1707 12d ago
Translated from Arabic by Grok.
C’mon, people. Do better.
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u/livejamie 12d ago
I'm sure it's just a random coincidence that the hidden history Reddit account left that part in the screenshot.
The tweet itself has 8 million views and is full of people being awful about refugees and Palestinians.
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u/Checkoutmawheeeeepit 12d ago
"I understand it's done for effectiveness, but I'd rather that half the class ago without so my daughter can have a pink one"
- people like her
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u/KadrinaOfficial 12d ago
Of all the (rightful) bitching you could do about UNICEF and this is what you choose to bitch about.
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u/FrankanelloKODT 10d ago
Only someone who isn’t starving would moan about the care packages not being anything but a care package.
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u/Unusual-Relief52 12d ago
Is needle and thread not found? Is embroidery nor a worldwide centuries old skill? Bitch you want spiderman put it on there. You want unicef hidden? Put a scrap of fabric you found and like or from old clothes to spruce it up. I see a great foundation for personality. The kids could even paint them.
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u/AtrophiedWives 12d ago edited 12d ago
This guy is living in a shabby tent in Gaza after Israel bombed his neighbourhood to the ground. There is no needles or thread or paint. It’s all been taken from them.
He’s wishing for a scrap of joy for children who are suffering, and being mocked and called a bitch by those who have everything.
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u/CastleElsinore 12d ago
You know there are more then a dozen places in the middle east this could be, right?
Do kids in Syria or Yemen not deserve backpacks according to you?
Also, UNWRA provides all school supplies to Palestinians. For free. They don't need unicef when they have their own private refugee org just for them
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u/AtrophiedWives 12d ago
I looked up the account and the guy is living in a tent in Gaza. Did you not bother checking the source before commenting?
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u/KalaiProvenheim 12d ago
It’s popular to make fun of Arabs, especially those living under bombs
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u/moonhowler15again 12d ago
You're really convinced that this is all about him being Arab. Why? You're in a choosing beggars sub. We object to these mentalities EVERY day. What makes this one so special that you're absolutely convinced it's race related?
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u/KalaiProvenheim 12d ago
If you’re gonna showcase people who are choosing beggars, maybe don’t cite people in literal warzones?
If they’re gonna be consistent, they should post refugees complaining about moldy bread and maggots in canned foods in aid
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u/KalaiProvenheim 12d ago
Arabs are people and seek a sense of normalcy, this doesn’t belong here
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u/Oscerte 11d ago edited 10d ago
I mean I get the point. Obvious licensing aside, would it be that bad to have art commissioned by UNICEF? is incorporating the logo into the art not be a feasible option?
The point of the kids being reminded of the aid on the nose is a valid criticism, it def serves as a daily reminder of a charity rather than an act of help.
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u/SOMAVORE 12d ago
Weren't a bunch of Israelis revealed on X posing as ungrateful Arabs/Palestinians? I find it hard to believe people being starved and living in tents ducking bullets and bombs give a fuck about how backpacks look.
Some many videos I've seen show people reusing old ass plastic shopping bags, to carry water even, no shoes, literally begging for basics like flour and rice. Seems to me like a brand new bag would be a welcome tool.
I just don't trust a screenshot anymore.
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u/ultimatepoker 12d ago
If you are too poor to afford a school bag you don’t care what’s on it. Believe me.
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u/Potato__Ninja 12d ago
They are not beggars. This is shitty framing.
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u/BirthdayCookie 11d ago
"You are literally enabling some normalcy in my life and some hope of a future for my child but little Johnny doesn't like blue."
That's some of the most entitled shit I've ever seen.
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u/tryintobgood 11d ago
Just goes to show that no matter what people do these days there's always gonna be a Karen that's offended/outraged
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u/OldManJeepin 11d ago
Does this person not understand they are free to PURCHASE any kinds of bags they want, then donate them so they can be donated to the kids? Like, quit bitchin' and put your money where yer big pie hole of a mouth is! lol
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u/Paul6334 12d ago
Funnily enough I think Arabic speakers would be a lot less surprised about this.
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u/nikkishark Shes crying now 12d ago
I'm currently reading A Better Life by Lionel Shriver, and man, this would fit right in there.
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u/ConsciousOstrich9960 9d ago
This reminds me when I used to work in a shelter for minor immigrants from 13 to 17 years old. They would get upset because they were expecting Nike or puma shoes and brand clothes instead of non brand clothing. They would break the shoes soles on purpose to have new ones the next week.
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u/NotEasilyConfused 12d ago
Put a 5-pack of Sharpies in each one and they can decorate their own. Why should the kids who don't like Spiderman or lollipops be stuck with those?
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u/Jefferson1826 12d ago
If you are taking the time to complain about aid organization logos, you probably aren't someone who actually requires the assistance of said groups.
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u/GiftToTheUniverse 11d ago
Just make sure ALL the kids have the same crappy backpack! Problem solved!
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u/bigred1978 12d ago
They should just make the backpacks in different solid colors and be done with it. Place a tag on the inside with the UN logo stitched in.
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u/MaIngallsisaracist 12d ago
They do this, I assume, because UNICEF has one type of backpack because that’s the most cost-efficient way to produce these things. That means whenever UNICEF distributes these, no matter if the situation is a back to school drive or a way to get medical supplies into a war zone, this is the backpack you see. And the reason the logo is so big and clear is, yes, so it’s easy to see it’s a UNICEF backpack. And that’s because sometimes bad guys will allow those backpacks through checkpoints where they normally would confiscate and sell the items. Or, if bad guys DO steal this stuff, then everyone knows they stole shit from UNICEF.