Exploring a new way of Fundraising

As lockdown measures are gradually lifted, authorities maintain that social distancing is paramount to containing the spread of COVID-19 and preventing a second wave of the virus. We at United Amayi have been considering how we can effectively fundraise in the current climate; our network of volunteers is vital to United Amayi, providing essential support and funds to our Malawi-based colleagues and students – we couldn’t run the charity without you.

So, what about fundraising-from-home? In this blog post we have put some ideas together and are sharing some recent success stories that we hope will help you plan a virtual or socially-distanced fundraising event for United Amayi!

Emily, Claudia and Martha - colleagues from the Malawi-based United Amayi Team

Emily, Claudia and Martha - colleagues from the Malawi-based United Amayi Team

Host an online coffee morning

A fundraising staple, it may seem unlikely that you could hold this over Skype or Zoom, but this kind of event can be held virtually and is a great way to include more vulnerable members of society in your fundraising. Pick a date and invite your friends and family to join you over a video call and donate what you would have spent on a coffee. The best part? You don’t have to share the cake!

To host a coffee morning for United Amayi, you can donate via our JustGiving page.

Set yourself a sporty (or not!) 2.6 challenge

Hundreds of charities recently took part in the 2.6 challenge, a UK-wide fundraising initiative to help charities survive the pandemic. The challenge saw people undertake various activities including holding an at-home concert for 26 minutes in aid of Dark Horse Theatre, cycling for 26 km, or doing 26 exercises on a trampoline for The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust; click here for more inspiration. The 2.6 challenge is still open for donations and it’s easy to get involved – please get in touch if you would like to complete a challenge for United Amayi.  

Compère a virtual pub quiz

If you’re not quizzed out, hosting a quiz for friends and family can be a fun way to spend an evening. Add in some tough questions to bring out everyone’s competitive side, show off your creativity with a drawing round, or get everyone dancing with a music challenge. With all the quizzes that have taken place over the last few months, there is plenty of inspiration on the internet to build your own!

The team at United Amayi will be hosting our own virtual quiz night, date pending. Keep your eyes peeled if you would like to take part, as we will be posting updates on our Social Media channels.

United Amayi class in Managochi

United Amayi class in Managochi

Hike Kilimanjaro from your living room

Gulf4Good have remained committed to raising funds for their charitable projects, despite travel restrictions. Their solution? Hike the distance of Kilimanjaro or Machu Picchu over a 10-day period via Zoom! This could be applied to any distance and time period, and is great as either a (virtual) group or solo activity. Alternatively, you could plan a socially-distanced event of the same nature, for example hiking the distance of the 3 Peaks in your local community.

Speaking of covering epic distances, we would like to say a big thank you to Northampton Swimming Club who, back in March, completed a distance equivalent to the English Channel in order to raise money for us. We really appreciate your efforts, and the money raised helps to deliver our programmes and support our students’ journeys to employment and empowerment.

Donate your commute cost

For those of us who are able to work from home, one benefit may be a reduced daily commute cost. If you’re looking for a quick, no-commitment way to get involved with a charity, donating the cost of a day’s commute could be a great way to do that. The global initiative has been a huge success, with funds being raised for some of the most vulnerable and marginalised in society and for some of the hardest hit sectors.

Share your skill with an online workshop

Do you have a skill or hobby you can teach others? Another great virtual activity is to hold an online workshop to share or teach one of your skills – maybe knitting, or life drawing, creative writing, or an exercise class – and ask for a donation to a charity of your choice.

Claudia and Stelia designing the curriculum

Claudia and Stelia designing the curriculum

Fundraise on Facebook

United Amayi is now approved as a registered charity on Facebook for fundraisers! Click here for more information on how you can create a fundraiser for a charitable organisation.

Sponsor a Woman’s Education

One of the simplest ways to get involved virtually with United Amayi is to join our sponsorship programme. For either £5.99 a month, or £60 a year, you can support a woman through a 2-year course with United Amayi. Your donation will pay for the English course, uniform, school supplies and contribute towards teacher salaries and school running costs. For more information, please click here.

Become a United Amayi Ambassador

We’re looking for friends and supporters of United Amayi to be the face of our charity in your community – our local representatives. We will support you to carry out this role both virtually and in a socially distanced manner. For more information on this opportunity, and on how to apply, please head to our volunteering page and check out ‘I want to become a UA Ambassador’.

If you would like to discuss any of the above, or if you have any other ideas, please do get in touch with us and we will support you with tips and resources to ensure your event is a success!

United Amayi Team

Emma Leeringeducation, COVID-19, fundraising, coronavirusComment