Local fundraising example:
Education of slum children

Summary

Mitwa Mahila Kalyan evam Seva Samiti (MMKSS) is a leading non-governmental organisation working with grassroot people and emphasising on children's issues. MMKSS started working with drop-out children of the Bilaspur slums area and expanded its activities to Bilaspur district. Its intervention is on child rights, sustainable livelihood, environment and gender equality. In order to raise funds for this work MMKSS organised a cultural event, inviting among others local builders and businessmen, and the education department. The children performed dance and role play activities during the event. The education department was impressed.

Tips and lessons learned

1. The important thing learned in the process is approaching donors well before the event.
2. Convincing the community people and other stakeholders to be present at the event was a challenge. Organisational brochures, annual reports and photographs of the project and its related activities were shared with the community and other stakeholders to convince them.

Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation

This is a good way to involve the local community in your work and make them aware of the importance of your organisation. The activity can be easily repeated, using the same script. Try to reduce your costs as much as possible by finding sponsors for things like the venue and the catering.

Details

Objectives

1. Fund collection for education of poor students.
2. Building a network with community members.
3. To sensitise the society towards a social cause.

Targeted donors

Influential members of the society such as local community leaders, government department education officer, municipal department ward councilor.

Results

Description of preparatory work

• Pre planning.
• Rehearsal of drama and dance.
• Inviting community people, education officer, local leader, ward councilor.
• Venue arrangements.
• Tent, sound , seating arrangements.
• Volunteers, parents support.
• Media coverage.

Description of implementation

• Rangoli making. Guardians and children participated. Rangoli, is a folk art form of India in which patterns are created on the floor in living rooms or courtyards using materials such as coloured rice, dry flour, coloured sand or flower petals.
• Initiation of the event by the stakeholders through speech and sharing their amount of donation for the children.
• Role play, song and dance performance by children.
• The event was attended by community dignitaries like the Minister of Health, Housing Board member, well-known construction builders and local businessmen. An appeal was made to the attending dignitaries for supporting the cause of Mitwa and the guests obliged in form of individual pledges and donations.