‘So what is it you’re actually going to be doing out in Tajikistan?’
‘Umm……’
Ah, the one, simple question I had failed to answer and when I realise my mistake I’m standing in front of ten polite and interested members of the Maesteg Lions Club who could make or break me.
In December 2012 I managed to secure a place on the VSO’s ICS (International Citizenship Service) scheme and I was told from the off that I would have to fundraise £1500 to prove my commitment and confirm my place. The scheme allows 18-25 year olds the chance to volunteer in some of the world’s poorest countries for three months working on a fantastic range of sustainable development projects from HIV/AIDS in Zambia to Global Warming in India. I’ve wanted to something like this since I can remember so I didn’t hesitate to hit ‘apply’ button. The only thing that shook my faith was the dread of fundraising.
Now it’s not the giving I had a problem with, I’d just like to make that clear. I had never done any fundraising before and my target seemed intimidatingly large for the amount of time I had. I had no idea where to begin but the full briefing we had been given during our assessment day gave me a vague idea of where I wanted to go.
I started with telling all my family and friends that my Christmas gifts that year would be donations and I followed that quickly with a bake sale in my mother’s school (I was bailed out by my mother and grandmother when my burnt biscuits were declared unfit for consumption). After this was a blur. I trained 3 times a week for the half marathon I was running and launched a fairly annoying facebook campaign plugging for donations. I also organised a charity curry night at the local Indian Restaurant. I set up a meeting and presentation with the Women’s Institute who paid me for my troubles and individually offered me some sponsorship. Two other meeting were scheduled very soon after that with the Rotary and the Lions.
In the assessment our trainer said that in the long run, fundraising helps to increase a volunteer’s passion and commitment to the project as through learning about the issues and explaining them to other people, they really start to understand their importance. This is completely true. To be able to talk for 20 minutes on a subject you need to do your research and the more I did, the more worthwhile the project seemed to me. However, standing awkwardly next to my head projector in the local golf club in front of ten people, stumped over the most basic of questions, I could not have felt less prepared. The truth is I was still a bit confused over that question myself. My placement was business and economics based and one thing I can’t do is maths. The issues of gender equality and education were closer to my heart but I was still not sure what I would be asked to do or whether I would be able to deliver. At the time I gave the only answer I could and that was ‘Whatever I can.’
The Lions were incredibly generous and donated the amazing sum of £400 which meant that I had reached my target way ahead of schedule. The events and talks which I had organised still went ahead and the incredible generosity of everyone meant that I eventually achieved the total sum of £2470.60. It was a lot less of a challenge than I thought it would be and I think that’s because the people around me made it so easy.
Thank you to everyone who helped me and gave so generously. Lots of love to you all. Now here’s the rest of my adventures
