Summary
Dhamira Moja aims to raise Kshs 1.946.000 to purchase 36.000 packets of pads to supply 1.000 girls in 21 schools with sanitary towels for a period of 1 year.
This will be done through individual solicitation, setting up Pads 4 Girls collection points, corporate sponsorships and advocating for the allocation of funds for sanitary towels for needy girls. Dhamira Moja is also raising funds through M-Changa, an online fundraising platform – see https://secure.changa.co.ke, then type Pads for Girls Initiative. Finally there has been a raffle. Tickets were sold on every market day for instant prizes (household items, stationary, bedding, etc.). In the end there was a Grand Draw, with a new motorcycle to be won. This particular fundraising technique gave Dhamira Moja a chance to create awareness among small scale business persons, such as vendors, who could for a small sum keep one girl in class for one month. 2.200 packets of pads were raised by this technique up to date.
At the end of this project Dhamira Moja looks forward to ensuring every girl has easy access to sanitary towels and gets proper education on reproductive health, which in turn results in school retention and transition. The project will also create awareness on child rights and local fundraising as a concept, as well as community participation in addressing community challenges.
Tips and lessons learned
1. Local fundraising is a new concept for rural communities and there is a need to further sensitise them on the need and importance of local fundraising
2. For projects to be sustainable it is important to find local solutions which means beneficiary and stakeholder involvement. This promotes ownership, which in turn promotes active participation.
3. Relying on one donor is risky since your project may come to a halt if the donor withdraws support. But if you have several donors both from the corporate, government and civil society than you reduce the risk and your projects become sustainable.
Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation
The problem - girls skipping classes because of the lack of sanitary pads - is being described as a community challenge. The publicity efforts are consequently aimed at the entire community (see 'Targeted donors'). Radio Sahara offers airtime, individual donors and corporates receive requests for support and an appeal is placed on an online fundraising platform. Apart from cash donations, Dhamira Moja also approached supermarkets, where shoppers are asked to buy an extra pack of sanitary towels and donate that to local schoolgirls through the collection box in the shop. Another strong point is that Dhamira Moja is raising funds for a short-term practical solution, while at the same time working on awareness creation to reach a sustainable long-term solution, involving among others parents and duty-bearers. Finally Dhamira Moja is convinced that local solutions require local fundraising activities and promotes that view during their campaign.
Details
Short description of the organisation the funds were raised for
Dhamira Moja is a Community Based Organisation based in Busia county that supports access and retention of girls in school by soliciting funds locally to provide school fees and regular adequate scholastic materials. Dhamira Moja was established with the objective to stimulate participation in development and to contribute to a just society where all are given an opportunity to develop. Dhamira Moja's core business is offering scholarships to bright but economically challenged students, providing credit facilities, creating awareness about socio-economic issues like gender and youth empowerment, sensitisation about HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, drug abuse and alcoholism.
Short description of the project or programme the funds were raised for
Recently Dhamira Moja realised that 75% of school going girls (aged 12-18 years) in Busia county miss classes at least 4 days a month due to lack of sanitary towels, resulting in an increase of poor performance, dropping out of school and low self-esteem. Dhamira Moja therefore launched a project dubbed “Pads for Girls Initiative” (Keep her in Class) whose main objective is to raise Kshs 1.946.000 to purchase 36.000 packets of pads to supply 1.000 girls in 21 schools with sanitary towels for a period of 1 year.
Objectives
1. To mobilise pads worth Kshs 1.946.000 to supply 1.000 girls in 21 schools with pads for a period of 1 year.
2. To create awareness on local fundraising.
3. To create awareness on children's rights and the role of parents and duty-bearers.
Targeted donors
Objective 1: Individuals, beneficiaries, school teachers and heads of corporates, media houses, religious leaders.
Objective 2: Community members, business men/women and corporates, local religious leaders, media houses.
Objective 3: Ministry of Education, parents of beneficiaries, school headteachers and teachers, local leaders.
Results
| Cost/benefit |
National currency (KES |
Euro |
| Total amount raised |
419,200 |
3,550 |
| (-) Total amount invested |
69,500 |
589 |
| Net amount raised |
349,700 |
2,961 |
Result comments
- Awareness creation on local fundraising<br />
- Networking and partnership development<br />
- Coaching and mentoring on local fundraising<br />
- Uptake of parental responsibility for children<br />
- Community ownership of local initiatives
Description of preparatory work
Dhamira Moja jointly developed a fundraising action plan with the parents of beneficiaries and community members to address the need for sanitary towels. The local fundraising action plan and event plan were presented to the organisation’s leadership for approval.
A fundraising team was set up to implement the project.
Resources were set aside for the implementation.
Mapping of potential donors and matching was done.
Description of implementation
A fundraising strategy was identified as follows:
- raffle tickets
- collection points for individual donations
- online fundraising
- corporate fundraising
The organisation then distributed invitation letters / flyers to different potential donors requesting their support. A follow-up was planned and carried out. Collection points were identified and partnerships developed.
Follow up: Donor appreciation and acknowledgement
Good donor appreciation and management strengthens relationships and also serves as a way to network with other potential donors within your donor’s network through referrals.
Plans to repeat the action
Yes, Dhamira Moja will implement further local fundraising activities throughout the year. Local fundraising will also be embedded in the programme activities.
