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Local fundraising example:
Marimanti girls student sanitation block

Main characteristics

Fundraising method
Beneficiary contribution, Charity tea, lunch or dinner, Community contribution

Rural/urban
Rural

Net fin result (€)
9,460

ROI
18.3

Time investment
6 months

Parents, pupils and community looking on during harambee
RIDEP board members present their contribution
Parents lining up to give their contribution
OrganisationRIDEP Kenya
Websitehttp://ridepkenya.org/
TypeCBO
SuitabilitySlightly experienced
CountryKenya
Funding needed forConstruction of a sanitation block at Marimanti Girls School
Period of actionMarch 1 - September 7 2013
In-kind donations raisedFood
Types of donationsIndividual and institutional donations
Types of donorsRIDEP staff, school parents, guests at the harambee, other stakeholders

Summary

Marimanti Girls School was in need of a new sanitation block and RIDEP Kenya decided to help raise the necessary funds locally. A joint committee was formed, that identified various donor groups and developed strategies to involve them. A series of activities in the community (goat eating parties, harambee) produced good results, while the parents also contributed their fair share. RIDEP organisation and staff contributed too, while RIDEP moreover mobilised its network of stakeholders, even as far as Meru and Nairobi. Much attention was given to publicity. The events were announced on posters, banners and leaflets.                 
The beneficiaries themselves explained the need for the project in the local churches.


Tips and lessons learned

Required resources are available within the community, but they are seldom tapped.
If people are mobilised they can help solve their own problems and be part of the solution.
Don´t be put off by the challenges at the start, but solve the problems as you go along and be consistent.

Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation

This is a good example of the combination of various methods of fundraising for a specific project that resulted in a high return on investment. Specific fundraising activities were designed for various donor groups such as parents, community members, government officials, churches, etc.

Details

Objectives
To have a flush toilet constructed.
To have the local community realise many problems can be solved through locally available resources.

Targeted donors
General public, funding partners, local churches, institutional stakeholders.

Results

Cost/benefitNational currency (KES)Euro
Total amount raised1,160,0009,976
(-) Total amount invested60,000516
Net amount raised1,100,0009,460

Accounting details

Income:
RIDEP Organisation 30.000
RIDEP staff 15.000
School parents 220.000
Stakeholders/pledge forms 251.200
Harambee 643.800
Costs:
Mainly food

Description of preparatory work
1. Development of project proposal to improve the sanitary situation in the school.
2. Organisation of a stakeholders meeting to lay down strategies for fundraising. Formation of a project committee. Formation of an implementation committee including representation from RIDEP and school board members.
3. Contribution strategy focusing on different categories of potential donors set up. Deadlines stated for every activity.
4. Sharing of responsibilities during preparations of the resource mobilisation.
5. Project committee came up with ideas of getting resources from the community, such as students explaining the situation to the local churches.

Description of implementation
1. Parents were given deadlines to contribute their share as part of ensuring ownership and meaningful participation.
RIDEP mobilised resources from their networks including opinion leaders and people from the community working in bigger towns like Meru and Nairobi.
2. The committee and school administration were able to identify guests who would make significant contributions during the planned public fundraiser commonly known as ´harambee´.
3. Committee and stakeholders attracted potential donors through goat eating parties, where donors would make their contributions after a good meal.
4. Creating awareness through publication on posters, banners and leaflets helped with popularising the goat eating parties and the main fundraiser.
5. Stakeholders were encouraged to sign pledge forms, an exercise facilitated by students of Marimanti Girls.
6. On the material day, a public fundraising event was held. Local community members came with farm products for auction. Those from urban centers brought money.

Plans to repeat the action
This successful campaign made RIDEP and the community realise that local resources to solve local problems are often available. Already a second fundraiser has been organised to fund the construction of classrooms in another school.

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