Amref Health Africa in Canada - Toronto, Ontario

Neil Z.

Honestly frustrated with this organization. First the sale pitch from the representative, it's absolutely ridiculous, you're a charity, you should tell me what you as an organization is doing instead of guilt tripping me into doing anything. After managing to extract some information and going to the website, I decided to donate. That was a huge mistake. The process of getting the tax receipt was brutal. It was supposed to be sent out late Feb, I actually received it March 7th. The tax receipt also had the wrong information and the incorrect amount. After calling their number, I got someone who seemed confused, and was told I would be called back. This isn't how my previous experience have been. I'm not sure who answers the phone before but when I wanted to adjust the amount I donated, they changed it right there on the phone. No waiting for call backs, no confusion in communication.

Samantha B.

TL;DR: After 20 minutes at my front door collecting my personal information, my one-time donation was deemed as "wasting the charity's time".

A rep from this charity knocked on my front door this evening to collect a donation on behalf of this charity. I told him that our household already had several charities that we supported and that I would discuss with my husband whether we wanted to donate online through the website at a later date. He pushed me to donate now so that "he would get the recognition for his time". Annoying, but fair enough I guess.

I agreed to donate; of which the process is ridiculously time-consuming and inefficient. He first recorded my full name, mailing address, phone number, and email address. Then he explained that he would call the charity on speakerphone to process the donation. He told me they would be pushy to get me to sign-up for recurring payments, but that I could choose not to. I did tell him I wouldn't be signing up for that.

Then he made the call to the charity ... where they dictated my personal information back to me (including spelling) to confirm it's correct ... even though I could see it on the rep's mobile tablet literally right in front of me. Some of the information they verified twice. At this point I started to get increasingly frustrated because this process had been going on for 15-20 minutes. (I could have donated myself through the website in about 2 minutes; at this point I'm inconveniencing myself literally for the sake of doing this rep at my door a favour.) The guy on the phone then proceeds to verify that I'm signing up for their recurring payments, to which I replied that I wanted to make a one-time donation.

The rep in front of me then got mad and told me that I was "wasting the charity's time" because they apparently don't accept one-time payments. This is a subscription-based "charity" and they wouldn't even take my one-time donation. I fired back that he TOLD me I could choose not to sign-up for recurring payments and that I could make a one-time donation, to which he replied "that's not what I said."

At no point was the word "subscription" ever used during this process and it wasn't even clear to me that I couldn't make a donation until after 20 minutes of wasting my time. Absolutely ridiculous.

I guess the mothers in Africa aren't in need of medical care THAT bad.

Jane A.

I recently had concerns about an incorrect tax receipt from Amref. I was contacted directly by the new Director of Philanthropy, Jacqui Terry-Carroll who sorted out the problem . We had a very pleasant conversation and it is clear that she will be very ‘hands-on’ with donor clients. Jane Arthur

C

They randomly started double charging my account without my consent ($20 twice a month so $40/month) and I noticed it after 3 months and called to cancel today. the lady on the phone said they refunded me the double charge and said my donations are now canceled.

We will see if they really cancel my account or if I will have to change credit cards. I’m very upset as I really wanted to donate to a good cause but reading these reviews and knowing how they took my money without my consent disheartens me.

Tom B.

If you're reading this as they're at your door, end the conversation right now. Run. This charity is brutal!

The sales pitch is dishonest--a "one-time" payment that you later find out is recurring, among other things. Worse, they didn't even cancel it when I asked them to. I sent a long, polite email to the CEO, the address responsible for donations, and others explaining the fact that I understand they need to have income and about third-party fundraisers, but that the sales pitch that people were getting was dishonest. I provided details and examples and asked them to stop my recurring payment.

I never heard back, but whatever. Lo and behold, I was charged again over a month later.

Time for a stop payment with my bank, I guess. Do yourself a favour and end the conversation right now.

julian M.

Be careful! I asked Amref to stop my monthly donations. They did it for four months and then, without my consent, started charging my Visa again. That's fraud! I called Visa and had to cancel my card. I now have to wait a week for a new card and then contact every auto-payee I have to give them my new Visa number. You do something in good faith for what seems to be a good cause and they abuse your generosity.

Cassie C.

Unhappy. Was generous to make a one time donation, I was told to call before the 1st of January to cancel the on going payment that would be coming in next month. I call on December 26th (today) and they are closed until January 4th. If I get a charge the beginning of this month I expect to get my money back. Not impressed when I can’t even cancel the next payment coming in.. Also, a company should not be sending people in the middle of a pandemic door to door for donations, there are other ways this can happen. I expect to be speaking with someone about this when they are back open again.

Katie D.

The employee misled me when I asked questions about the organization, so I contacted them for a refund. This was probably almost a year ago. Today just got an email thanking me for my donation TODAY. What? I did not authorize that. How do they have the authority to just charge my credit card whenever. I told them last year I will not support them.