Top 3 ways to accept donations in Africa

Apr 11, 2022

Once you decide on your online campaign or business project, you can start evaluating different platforms for online giving. Here, we break down three of the most popular online donation tools in Africa and the best way to accept donations online to save you time.
1. PayPal
PayPal is a secure payment processing system that allows users to accept donations online. In order for donors to send a donation to your account, donors need to know either your phone number, email address, or contact name.
Unfortunately, PayPal does not offer a section where you can post your story and photos to encourage donations. It also requires donors to use their personal PayPal account. This can be advantageous for existing PayPal users because they don’t need their credit card information to make a donation. On the flip side, it could deter donors who are forced to make a PayPal account in order to contribute.
2. E-Collecta
E-Collecta is Africa's leading online crowdfunding platform that lets you raise money for anything that matters to you. From personal causes and events to projects and more. We've helped people from all over the world raise millions online.
E-Collecta has multiple funding gateways incorporated to cater for the different donor sections.Donors have the flexibility of donating on their mobile device or computer. They can also share your fundraiser on social media with the click of a button. If you already have the other donation options and want to make that information available to donors, simply add your payment handles in your fundraiser description. That way, donors can choose whatever option is most convenient for them and encourage even further giving.
3. Mobile Money
Mobile Money is now readily available to almost everyone that owns a phone.Recieving donations through your preferred mobile money number is as easy as sharing your cause and preferred mobile money numebr. However, like the other payment platforms, you can’t add a fundraiser story or photos, which are good to have for online fundraising.
What to look for when evaluating online donation tools
We live in a world of options, where you can pick and choose depending on your needs. While this is generally regarded as a good thing, what happens when you’re flooded with choices? How can you possibly make the best decision when trying to collect donations online?
To help you weigh your options, we created a list of key features when selecting a donation platform. This way, you’ll be able to pick the best platform for your needs.
Cost
Depending on your needs, you may not be able to shell out money for a paid giving platform. Luckily, E-Collecta doesn’t charge any fee to sign up.
Ease of use
Time is money. Two hours spent navigating an online giving platform is two hours that could have been spent collecting donations. Before committing to a specific donation platform, determine how easy it is to use, if it has a good mobile app, and if the sharing tools are simple to use.
A section to showcase your story
A successful fundraiser is dependent on an honest and compelling story. Does it move people to give to your cause? If donors understand the impact of their contributions, they will be more likely to give to your cause and share your fundraiser with their networks. Look for online donation tools that can give your story the attention it deserves.
Ways to share
Leverage the power of your networks to spread the word and encourage donations. In recent years, social media has become a popular and easy way to share your fundraiser with others. Does your donation platform make it easy to share on social media?