Summary
While they took a Change the Game Academy local fundraising course, Tanzania League for the Blind, Kwimba branch, discovered that they had been relying on the same sources of income year after year and that there were many other possibilities which they had never accessed. TLB decided to organise meetings with these 'Friends of children with disabilities'. Their campaign aimed to fundraise in support of educational materials for visually impaired children and to convince the government that the adaptation of school infrastructure to accommodate children with disabilities was long overdue. You will find the story of how they succeeded in this example.
Tips and lessons learned
1. Involvement of government officials contributed to success of our plan.
2. Follow-up is very important for stakeholders.
3. Few of the stakeholders who pledged did not not fulfill their promises.
Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation
A 'Friend of children with disabilities', who does not want to be one? TLB Kwimba chose this motto for their first fundraising campaign after their Change the Game Academy training in local fundraising. In the initial phase of the campaign, they identified who they wanted to persuade to become such a friend. And then they chose a personalised approach, which generated significant in-kind contributions and a government contribution for the adaptation of infrastructure in schools attended by (visually) impaired students. The additional bonus was a significant increase in awareness of their work.
Details
Short description of the organisation the funds were raised for
Tanzania League of the Blind (TLB) Kwimba is the branch of the national organisation which is a civil society organisation formed in 1964 and registered in 1972. The organisation is formed by persons with visual impairment for the purpose of advocating for the rights of persons with visual impairment in the country.
Tanzania League of the Blind Kwimba branch is committed to improve the quality of life of people with visual impairment in Tanzania through resource mobilisation, lobbying and advocacy, awareness raising, information sharing, facilitating access to education and vocational training and economic empowerment. In pursuing this mission, TLB Kwimba has almost 80 members.
The major challenges being faced by people with disability are: Insufficiency and even lack of educational materials, facilities and unfriendly infrastructures.
So, TLB Kwimba came up with the idea of mobilising resources by mobilising various stakeholders for the purpose of accumulating educational materials and advocating for improvement of school infrastructures.
The resources mobilised were handed over to children and elders with disabilities, to promote an enabling environment for schools with children and elders with disabilities.
Short description of the project or programme the funds were raised for
In February 2022, TLB Kwimba conducted fundraising through its campaign titled” Collective action of mobilization of resources for educational facilities and materials for people with disability”.
Summary of fundraising action
The approaches were through organising face-to-face meetings and physical consultations with various stakeholders, including the Association of Teachers of Kwimba District, Government officials, entrepreneurs, business people, individuals, Civil Society Organisations and parents with people with disabilities.
The event enabled the contribution of school materials and improvement of school infrastructure, such as doors and slopes. We also received humanitarian aid, such as food and clothes, for children and people with disabilities.
The value was estimated to be not less than TZS 2,500,000 for books, wheelchairs and humanitarian aid, and school ramps and doors estimated not less than Tshs 10,000,000 as Government contributions.
Objectives
1. To raise funds for the purchase of educational materials for visually impaired children.
2.To advocate for improvement of school infrastructures.
Targeted donors
1. Association of Teachers of Kwimba District
2. Entrepreneurs
3. Civil Society Organisations
4. Government officials
5. Business people
6. Parents with children or elders with disabilities.
7. Individuals
Results
| Cost/benefit |
National currency (TZS |
Euro |
| Total amount raised |
12,800,000 |
4,895 |
| (-) Total amount invested |
0 |
0 |
| Net amount raised |
12,800,000 |
4,895 |
Accounting details
We were able to raise in cash TZS 2,500,000
and in-kind donations amounting to TZS 300,000. The government moreover contributed Tshs 10,000,000 for improvement of infrastructure.
Result comments
Motivation of stakeholders to donate to people and children with disabilities increased.
Description of preparatory work
1. Conducting a mini consultative meeting with government officials and Association of Teachers.
2. Soliciting implementation funds from FCS.
3. Undertaking a fundraising meeting.
4. Physical meeting with stakeholders.
5. Advocating for improvement of infrastructures.
6. Monitoring and evaluation.
Description of implementation
1. Mobilisation of stakeholders.
2. Conducting a fundraising face-to-face meeting.
3. Follow-up.
Follow up: Donor appreciation and acknowledgement
Donors were made aware of the challenges being faced by people with disabilities which made them acknowledge the proposed fundraising and resource mobilisations.
Plans to repeat the action
This is a sustainable plan as we have developed a resource mobilisation strategic plan.
