Poverty is defined as the state of not having enough material possessions or income for a person's basic needs; such as food, clothing, and shelter. It exists in varying degrees around the world, and millions of charities across the globe aim to minimise and eradicate it. There are 190,000 registered charities in England and Wales alone dedicated to dealing with poverty. One such charity is Human Appeal, an international NGO development and relief charity based in Manchester and established in 1991. For this article, I interviewed the organisers of a charity fundraiser by Human Appeal in order to gain insight into philanthropy – the desire to improve welfare of others – and what inspires individuals to do it.
Maariyah Ismail, a law graduate, has fundraised for the organisation previously and participated in their most recent campaign. Below is a transcript of a phone interview I was able to conduct with her. Read on to find the link where you can donate and make a difference too!
Q: When did you start your appeal and what inspired it?
A: I started my appeal on December 30th, 2020. A friend of mine contacted me informing me of the opportunity to raise money for the Human Appeal Global Emergency Winter Campaign. It is a charity close to my heart as I have previously volunteered with them.
I was reflecting upon the harshness of the winter and how so many refugees are displaced and I wanted to make a difference going into the New Year.
It is a global aid appeal which spans a vast amount of countries including Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. The donations go towards helping refugees with food, medication, and blankets to help them through the tough, harsh winter. I joined because I thought it was a very worthy cause.
Q: How much have you raised so far?
A: I received a fantastic response within the first two days and reached a target of £1000.
Q: Congratulations! How did you feel?
A: I was astonished and overwhelmed as to how much support I received worldwide thanks to posting about it online and on social media.
Q: Did you face any difficulties and challenges?
A: It has been extremely difficult due to COVID. I was not able to do charity runs or door to door knocking which limited the options in ways we could raise money and awareness.
With the help of 66 supporters, Maariyah’s fundraiser raised £2,550 by the middle of January 2021. You too can donate through the link below:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/maariyahspage
Even as little as £1 can make a difference to those less fortunate than us!
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