Edhi Foundation Fundraising Experience

“I feel that if you are blessed, or lucky enough, to be doing well, you should help others.” ― Laurell K. Hamilton

The diversified fields in which Abdul Sattar Edhi played his greatest role for; saving the lives of thousands of newborn babies by placing the cradles outside the Edhi centres, fostering the abandoned babies and children, free nurturing disabled and handicapped people, free caring and feeding women and elderly people who were subjected to torture or neglected by their families, free supporting to ailing patients by providing free medication and medicines through his mobile dispensaries, hospitals, and the diabetic centre at Karachi. Other than these services there are many more activities done by Edhi foundation and the goal was just to serve the humanity.

Batch Strategy:

As a batch, we devised a comprehensive plan by arranging a circle leaders meeting in which the following criteria for funds collection was decided:

• Each circle leader is going to encourage their circle members to collect funds either through physical or online campaign. It completely depends on their convenience of collection
• Each member should provide their circle leader’s or personal account for fund collection
• Every circle leader is responsible for collection of funds from their circle members.

Circle Strategy

At amal academy, we were assigned to collect the funds for Edhi foundation. It was a great way to play our part in serving the humanity learn the public behavior. Every member of our circle (Atif, Nimra, Ayesha, Hamza and Tayyab) worked at their best to contribute and collect the funds for Edhi foundation. We decided to approach the people physically but because of the lockdown we can’t make physical collection instead we have to contact electronically through social media. we made logos and postures to convey our message and to urge people for donation. but there was not a good response from people so decided to send personal texts and made calls for donation.

Members’ experience

Now talking about the overall experience, here are the thoughts and activities of our circle members.

Atif:

I have contacted 53 people physically or socially, most the people didn’t reply. Only those people donate to whom I met and ask physically. Socially people told that they would donate but I’m not sure either they did or not. We collected out funds in the accounts of Hamza rauf. Electronically I don’t know how much I could collect funds. For the organization centres, I went to Madina medical store who didn’t donate anything, then I go to total petrol pump who donate 100/- rs after that I contacted a Rehmat electronics(electrical store) which donate 50/-rs.

I was excited about this activity but I have to face lot of disappointment. But I learned a lot from this activity which was my real aim.

Nimra:

I collected money from my friends, family and relatives. The money was collected with the help of social media. I posted a blog about the Edhi Foundation on Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram. Many people contributed and many of others didn’t pay any attention. People contributed according to their will. Also I request my cousins and friends to forward this message to their friends. Those people who didn’t pay any attention to my posts and status. I asked them to contribute and play their part in serving humanity by donating for the noble cause. Then they asked me for solid proof so I sent them a notice that was assigned to us from Amal. I called my relatives and friends to donate even Rs10 is matter.

Hamza:

At first when I uploaded the status about fund collection, nobody responded to it but I kept uploading it on daily basis. I also contacted friends, hostel roommates and cousins. Some of them said that they will donate and did so, many of them said that they are already supporting some people and will continue doing so. Some of the contacted people said that they will donate but didn’t. At last, slowly and steadily, I was able to collect some amount for the donation.

Ayesha:

I contacted 61 people in total, including my friends, family and class fellows. Maximum of these ignored the message, some of them responded and said that they will contribute and very few of them contributed because everyone around me were already helping some specific families and were still willing to donate to those rather than edhi foundation. I called and texted my close friends and convinced them to participate even a small amount to Rs. 10 and play their part in serving the humanity. Finally, I collected some donation for edhi foundation.

Tayyab:

For the purpose of fund raising, I have approached many people through text messages and calls. At the start, I was not getting any proper response but slowly and steadily people started donating for the noble cause. It is not about how much people have donated but the fact is that they participated in helping the needy.

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” ― John Holmes

As we started the fundraising activity our circle members were tensed because we were not getting any positive response from people and we had to face ignorance but we didn’t left our efforts and kept contacting and convincing either physically or online. A bit late but successfully we were able to collect 7577Rs/- in total. Although we were a disheartened because people were not contributing as we were expecting but the good thing was to know that everyone around us is already being a supporter for the people who need them and that is what really matters. Being educated is what everyone can do but being a human in true sense is a rare characteristic.

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” ― Mother Theresa