Have you ever wondered how to run a successful community fundraiser amidst a global health pandemic, economic crisis, and devastating natural disaster? Find out more in our final report for the 2020 TC Harold Emergency Fundraiser. Now available for download ♡
By Litia Kirwin, Founding Director, Loving Islands.
Project Background
Suva, Fiji: Tropical Cyclone Harold passed through Fiji on the 8th of April 2020 causing severe devastation to many rural and remote village communities in its path, particularly Matuku Island, our beloved home in Fiji’s Lau group. Over the following 48-hours over FJ$10,000 was raised, with a grand total of FJ$24,818.46 over a 10-day period, as a result of a series of Facebook posts calling for 1-month of emergency relief supplies for every family in the island’s 7 villages. Supplies included bulk food items such as flour, sugar, and rice, household sanitary goods, such as toilet paper and washing detergent, women’s sanitary care items, and essential community supplies such as fuel for transportation and energy.
The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.
Coretta Scott King
Key Lessons Learned
♡ By connecting with island’s community networks we were able to efficiently and accurately determine the number and size of individual family households in each village in order to tailor assistance packages to their needs. For instance the quantity of goods provided and inclusion of women’s sanitary items.
♡ By contacting manufacturers, such as FMF (Flour Millers Fiji), and telling them our story they kindly provided wholesale rates for all items, which helped to maximise the impact of the donations.
♡ By simplifying the messaging of our fundraising request – “FJ$100 to provide basic essentials for 1 family for 1 month” – we were able to immediately show how people could help and the impact they would have with their donation.
♡ By connecting with friends and family and assigning key focus areas – Eg. Facebook posts, community communications, resource coordination – we were able to efficiently work as a team.
♡ By providing frequent updates on our Facebook page and a high transparency around donations through the online database platform AirTable we were able to build trust with donors without using a designated fundraising platform, as these were not suitable given the immediate time frame.
Key Results
♡ A total of FJ$24,818.46 raised from public donations over a 10-day period.
♡ A total of 535 beneficiaries from 110 families reached with emergency supplies to provide relief for 1-2 months.
♡ Remaining balance of FJ$1,958.84 used for the construction of a community Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Project in Levukaidaku village.
Thank You
Our greatest thanks and appreciation to everyone involved in making this happen! In particular, Australian-Fijian singer-songwriter Andrea Kirwin for the incredible fundraising campaigning, as well as friends, family, and generous strangers for donating towards this emergency relief effort. We were completely blown away by the overwhelming response to the fundraiser and so grateful for the much needed assistance it was able provide.
A special thanks to the range of local manufacturers and businesses that helped us achieve our goals within budget and timeframe. To those that opened their offices over the public holiday weekend, offered below wholesale rates, provided advice and connected us with contacts. This made us proud to call Fiji home.
Lastly, our thanks to the team on the ground who volunteered their time & the shipping crew who always go above and beyond to deliver our inter-island services.
With love & appreciation on behalf of the Kirwin family, the Coriakula family, and Loving Islands Team ♡
Download The Report
Media & Enquiries
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