Our last online fundraising session focusing on grassroots in Goma the Democratic Republic of Congo for this year 2024
Our last information session on online fundraising and opportunities through GlobalGiving focusing a grassroots organization in Goma, North Kivu the Democratic Republic of Congo
Some participants during the information session at the office
Theory of change:
If grassroots organizations is empowered, if they access to flexible funding opportunities and if they are encouraged to work together, then grassroots organizations will bring the needed change in their communities and will become an alternative for development,
Objectives of the information session
Only one objective was to share with local organizations opportunities to fundraising through social media,
Information session on online fundraising
On Friday August 9th, 2024 we held our 4th online fundraising session which brought together 14 representatives of different grassroots organizations based in Goma, students from Universities and the media. The session which started at 9:30 am was facilitated by Kulihoshi Musikami Pecos and ended at 12h30 pm. The session was pedagogic and direct to the points which people wanted to know about.
We started on what makes an organizations, the documents, members, and finances, we also talked about communication through social media, emails and websites and we lastly talked out activities and reports.
Reality
People in the communities know their problems which they should solved, some have come together in associations, organizations and interest groups, others do not know what to do. However they lack knowledge on almost everything, some do not even know how to draft a governing document, do not know anything about internal regulations, most of their things are done orally in the meetings. Many are informal which means they are not registered by the government and not even by the local authorities which also have severe consequences to their development and growth.
This young girl a student from a University who attended our information session asked”
Actually, what motivated me to come here was to know how to initiate an association, how do we start, and what we should have, I so happy that I got the necessary ideas from this session, thank you so much.
Online fundraising
We shared opportunities with the following:
Go fund me, Go get funding and GlobalGiving which helped participants to know which opportunities offered by each and how best they can use them. For many this was the first time to hear about these online fundraising and there is also more need to share more information.
Achievements
14 participants from local organizations were initiated to these opportunities in order to attempt to challenge their financial problems, so far some among these will become actors of online fundraising,
The participants were introduced to fully communicate through social media, and always share their reports of activities,
The participants were fully informed about the necessary documents they should prepare in order to join GlobalGiving,
Challenges
The participants explained the need to be trained on how to effectively use the social media, how to draft activity reports, and how to make plans for their organizations,
The participants also presented the need to be trained in English and in Computer which should also help them to be effective,
Some participants expressed challenges to access a laptop or a computer and requested COJESKI North Kivu to put in place a Library where leaders of small grassroots organizations can access both computers and internet for their work,
Way forward
We are going to focus on training about social media and how to make plans and reports, maybe we can organize a session by the end of the year 2024 in case we get the necessary funds,
We are going to make a call for volunteers who can train grassroots organizations about online fundraising, we shall also write to GlobalGiving to see if they can send a volunteer here in Goma, we shall also need a volunteer who can help on how grassroots organizations can be effective on social media,
We intend to have a computer center by next year 2025 in case we manage to get the necessary funds.
Conclusion
Grassroots organizations have many challenges which not only financial, they are struggling with the capacity, the management and human resource among others. Capacity building becomes then a focus in case we can expect development.
Our approach is on a collective efforts of all grassroots organizations and even small associations and groups should be capacitated in order to expect the needed change we are yearning for. It is not about focusing on one organization, change comes when no one is left behind, when everyone participates.
This is what we are also going to do
Thanks
