crowdfunding for social causes – Page 2

March 1, 2018

The Big Bottle Tour, by Annett and the Boomerang Alliance Team!

“I used to be a telecom engineer and got to work in different countries. But wherever I lived, I was drawn to and fascinated by our oceans and the many amazing creatures that live there. 15 years ago, I decided to make this passion my profession. I studied marine ecology and came to understand that human impact goes further than overfishing and loss of habitat. Our oceans are drowning in waste, most of it plastic. That plastic never goes away, it just breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces, which when ingested by animals can transfer toxic chemicals, many of which have been found to magnify up the food chain. The scale of plastic debris is simply staggering and cleaning up is not a solution. I wanted to do something to stop this at the source, on land.

I joined Boomerang Alliance, an Australian not-for-profit group working to reduce marine plastic pollution. We lobby governments, work with industry and educate communities on issues such as single-use plastic packaging. I’m their sole Victorian representative and have been campaigning for 18 months for a container deposit scheme. Drink containers are one of the biggest contributors to plastic marine debris. The CSIRO found that containers are three times less likely to be littered in areas with a container refund scheme. It’s easy really: put a value on it and it doesn’t get tossed! Victoria and Tasmania are the only states that have yet to commit to such a scheme.

The scheme is also great for providing funding for charities and community groups. It’s easy to convince people of why this makes sense, but it’s sometimes hard to be heard over the dim of other issues taking up space and time. So, I decided to go BIG… enter the Big Bottle, which I want to tour around regional Victoria. I put out the call and have already received many offers of help with setting up meetings with MPs, talking at schools and doing clean-ups. The best part of my job is working with all these local waste heroes and I can’t wait to meet them! Together we can push this sensible scheme high up on the Victorian government’s agenda. Let’s just hope the Big Bottle makes it all in one piece 😊”
Annett and the Boomerang Alliance team

Learn more about this awesome cause on Annett’s crowdfunding campaign page below:

February 28, 2018February 28, 2018

Bringing fair fashion to Fremantle – The Fitting Room by New Mode Collective

“Eve and Acacia met in self defence class just over 6 months ago and immediately connected over a shared interest in fair, sustainable clothing. After sharing countless cups of coffee, reading lists, impassioned discussions, wistful dreams and sweaty training sessions, they discovered that Acacia’s background in community development, and Eve’s in fashion and textiles, were just what the other needed to start stirring up the industry. New Mode Collective was born as a platform to share all they have learnt about clothing; the people who make it; and its effects on our precious Earth.

In May 2017, they created a clothing supply chain installation and facilitated a series of workshops on sustainable fashion at Moral Fairground’s Victorian Fair Trade Festival. The positive responses were overwhelming, and served to reinforce their belief that education and access to ethically produced, sustainable clothing must improve fast! Propelled by the fires in their bellies, they showcased the exhibition again in December and launched the first edition their zine, New Mode Mag.

They are now embarking on their biggest venture yet; New Mode Fashion Festival (NMFF), March 3rd – 11th, in Fremantle, WA. Thus far, their projects have focused on education and, while they recognise the importance of this, they have come to realise that a barrier for many people is lack of access rather than knowledge. Outside Australia’s major cities, sustainable clothing is available almost exclusively online, which makes curating a thoughtful wardrobe daunting for many. As part of NMFF, they’re launching The Fitting Room, a pop-up retail space where people can try on sustainable garments before buying them online. They’ll be hosting an industry conference on ethical business, a screening of the harrowing yet inspiring documentary, River Blue, and an Emerging Designer Showcase of Perth and Melbourne’s fledgling conscious designers.

Crowdfunding has proven to be a perfect way to galvanise support for these projects, and Eve and Acacia can’t thank Chuffed and their supporters enough for making it all possible!”

For more on The Fitting Room and New Mode Collective, check our their crowdfunding campaign below:

February 15, 2018February 15, 2018

Elise’s Operation Groundswell Volunteer Trip to Thailand!

“Over the past 10 years, I have seen many pictures and heard inspiring stories from families and friends who volunteered for underprivileged communities overseas. This sparked my interest in participating in a similar program. I have always enjoyed getting involved and volunteering within my own community. I am motivated by the ability to help others and am happiest when I can spread my energy and positive spirit onto those around me. I love to keep busy and work hard on projects that lead to tangible, visible results.

In 2016, I had the privilege of travelling to Nicaragua with a good friend. We spent 10 days backpacking through various cities and towns, experiencing a new culture, hiking up volcanoes, and learning about the rich local history. This experience caused me to fall in love with backpacking, but also demonstrated that so many countries around the world could use support. We are so privileged here in Canada, that it is easy to forget about the issues occurring worldwide. Since then, I have been looking for opportunities to backpack through new locations, soaking up new experiences and cultures, while finding ways to give back to the communities I visit.

Now in my final semester of Mechanical Engineering, I have been coming up with a plan of what to do after graduation. That is when I came across the organization Operations Groundswell; a non-profit, backpacking-style, volunteer-based organization that is dedicated to taking young adults outside of their comfort zones and into the wider world to explore, learn, and give back to communities in need. And then, to make things even better, I found their program called “Farm to Table”, in Thailand. Food is another very big passion of mine. I love to try new things, experiment with new recipes, and incorporate various cultures into each dish I create. Additionally, I am very concerned for the environment, and am always careful to eat in a sustainable manner while supporting local farmers.

Farm to Table with Operations Groundswell, incorporates all of my passions and provides me with a fantastic opportunity to help others while supporting a cause I care a lot about: sustainable farming practices. While getting my hands dirty volunteering on an organic farm, I will learn first-hand about alternative modes of food production.

Volunteering my time and efforts to the foundations and farms in Thailand will provide them temporary relief and bring a new positive energy among them. However, monetary support is also important for them. I am raising money to help organizations in Thailand such as The Mirror Foundation and Pun Pun Centre for Self Reliance; continue to help sustain their local economy and live more self-reliant lifestyles.”

Check out Elise’s crowdfunding campaign page below!

February 13, 2018March 28, 2018

London’s First Crowdfunding Accelerator for Social Causes

An 8 Week Crowdfunding Bootcamp for charities, social entrepreneurs and individuals looking to raise their impact by running a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Apply Now

Are you looking to build and launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for your social cause and build a community who are emotionally and financially invested in its success?

We have partnered with the award-winning consultants at Crowdfund 360 to run a practical and highly interactive crowdfunding training program in London, for anyone interested in building and launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for their social cause and activate the benefits of this powerful marketing machine.

During the 8 Week Crowdfunding Accelerator Training, we will take you step by step through our crowdfunding success system, helping you make sense of the experience. We will help you bring your campaign to life by launching it with you at the end of the training and remaining by your side for the duration of your campaign (an additional 5 weeks tailored support).

The training will take place every Thursday morning at Impact Hub Brixton for 8 weeks, starting April 19th. Through a combination of masterclasses and one on one sessions, each week participants will receive guidance from our experts to get everything setup for their campaign.

This training includes, but is not limited to the following:

There are also two weeks reserved for peer feedback and expert 1:1 advice. By the end of this Accelerator, participants will be ready to launch their campaign on Chuffed.org. Throughout the duration of the participant’s crowdfunding campaign, the experts at Chuffed.org and Crowdfund 360 will provide ongoing tailored support.

When does the 8-Week Crowdfunding Accelerator commence?

Thursday April 19th, 9:30am – 1230pm (to continue every Thursday for 8 weeks)

When will my crowdfunding campaign go live?

Tuesday 12th June (to run for a period of 5 weeks with support from Crowdfund 360 and Chuffed.org)

What are the fees to take part?

Projects aiming to raise less than £5,000 will be charged a flat rate of £330
Projects aiming to raise between £5-10k will be charged £440
Projects aiming to raise between £10k-£20k will be charged £500
Projects aiming to raise over £20k will be charged £660
*Apply by 2nd March and receive 20% discount!
*10% discounts for SSE fellows and Impact Hub members
**Payment plans available by request – email accelerator@chuffed.org to work out a plan that will work best for you

What is the qualifying criteria to take part?

We are looking for individuals with a social cause, charities, social enterprises or startups and other organisations who want to raise over £2,000 through crowdfunding and already have a project or idea in mind. Applicants need to be aware that raising funds is a time consuming process and must be willing to put in the time and work required. Candidates need to be available to attend the session held one morning a week (Thursdays) at Impact Hub Brixton, and will have the option to hot desk in the office space there for the remainder of the day.

When is the deadline for applications?

Spaces are limited, so we recommend applying as soon as possible. Deadline for applications is midnight on 27th March.

Apply Now

Questions? Email us at accelerator@chuffed.org

February 5, 2018

No Means No – Saving Young People from Rape Culture by Victoria

“On 21^st January 2018 I returned from Kitengela, Kenya. This is a small village with slum land approximately one and a half to two hours outside the capital Nairobi. Having been an avid volunteer in Australia and just concluding my Diploma in Youth Work, I set out to visit a new nation and see where my skills could be of assistance for 6 short weeks. When I arrived, I met Giselle a long time pen pal and fellow volunteer.

After two nights in the big city we were greeted by Networks for Voluntary Services Kenya staff and we set out to Kitengela to meet my new host mum Lucy, Agnes from Gihon Womens Empowerment Centre and Erin a past volunteer with a passion for sponsorship of children and families.

The next day we returned to the centre which offers hairdressing and sewing as well as healthy living and a variety of other classes for victims of domestic violence. These classes are held in the mornings and in the afternoons there are therapy sessions for people diagnosed with HIV.

While we were there we noticed that many of the women were hesitant to tell their children that they were carriers of the AIDS virus and so it was decided that as part of the school holiday program we would include a class on Sexual Health and HIV. The aim was to create a conversation and a safe space for the girls to approach their mothers and fathers about the topic.

What happened was completely unexpected! Two of the girls came forward, one who was sick and another who was being sexually assaulted, by a family member. We were shocked and had little avenue to help the girls but we knew we had to do something.

Giselle had previously heard of No Means No (an NGO teaching young people about puberty, rape culture and HIV. They also provide assistance to victims through school based counselling in partnership with safe house programs) and she had contacted the group hoping for their advice and assistance. After visits to a number of schools, we choose Noonkopir as the pilot school. This was where our good friend and colleague Erin has been diligent in building additional classrooms and helping out in the special needs unit by changing nappies, feeding and teaching the kids.

We were very happy when Nancy the manager of No Means No agreed to help, we visited her and the team on a number of occasions to view their presentations and get an understanding about what the program involved. Nancy agreed to use international grant money to fund 50% of the Kitengela program and in addition she donated a few extra teachers.

I am happy to say that this week we received the contracts from Nancy for implementation of the program into the Pioneer School curriculum. It will involve grades 5 – 8, starting in Term 2, 2018. With a favourable outcome No Means No will use the baseline study results to gain funding to implement the program into all the schools in the Kitengela area with any additional funding potentially being used to provide safe houses in the village.”

Check out Victoria’s crowdfunding campaign below:

February 5, 2018

Advocating for Chinese Orphans with Disabilities by Katy & Dustin

“In 2012 I travelled just outside of Beijing to Shepherds Field Children’s Village (SFCV), an orphanage for about 100 kids with disabilities, for a 3 week trip with a team of therapists.

At the time, I was still in undergrad with goals to pursue occupational therapy. After connecting with the children and aiyis (nannies) at SFCV I had one of those life-changing moments that spoke to the core of who I am. This is the place where my skills and a deep need intersect. I was determined to come back in the future with a degree and some experience to provide a greater service for a longer amount of time. I worked to finish 2 degrees and obtain a couple of years of experience in paediatric occupational therapy. Along the way, I met and fell in love with Dustin, a dreamy computer nerd. Very early in our relationship, I disclosed to Dustin that I was indeed moving to China someday. He was fully supportive of my dream and continued to cheer me on through grad school.

Fast forward several years, we are married now and have both been in our fields for a couple years soaking up as much information as possible. We are partnering for a year (maybe more) with Shepherd’s Field Children’s Village. I will be providing occupational therapy and Dustin will be managing all things IT (information technology) related. We will live on site and volunteer full time to help continue the impacting work SFCV does. SFCV focuses on the medical and therapy needs of special needs orphans. The campus has a medical clinic, therapy center, school, an inn for visitors, an office, and a vocational center.

We are self-funding our travel and living expenses. All of the money we raise through our crowdfunding campaign on Chuffed will go towards buying essential therapy and IT equipment like wheelchairs, feeding chairs, sensory items, and hardware/software.”

Learn more about this inspiring cause by checking out Katy’s crowdfunding campaign page below:

February 1, 2018February 1, 2018

Helping Ruban walk again, by Shira

“I am a volunteer refugee advocate and writer. While I had long wanted to help refugees and asylum seekers, I wasn’t really sure how to get effectively involved — apart from having several articles published — and with the responsibility of a young family, didn’t think I had the time.

Everything changed in 2016 when I joined Supporting Asylum Seekers Sydney (SASS): I decided to devote an afternoon each week, going out to Villawood Immigration Detention Centre, as part of a group of volunteers of all ages and from all walks of life, to share food and speak with the asylum seekers detained there. All of a sudden, I was actually meeting the people about whom I had been reading for so long.

While emotionally confronting, it has been so rewarding to become involved — listening to their stories and providing support whenever I can. I am proud to call many of the asylum seekers and refugees I meet my friends, learning about their cultures and experiences. As individuals, we may be powerless to determine their fate, but we can treat our fellows with dignity, no matter their circumstances.

I have tried to find them lawyers, supported detainees in court when necessary, helped them with paperwork and with navigating our health system, and generally advocated for their rights.

For the past 18 months, I have also been supporting Vietnamese failed asylum seeker families, forcibly returned by Australia, several of whom have been punished in Vietnam. Last year, 18 of them, including 12 children, tried to flee Vietnam for Australia again, only for their boat to sink off the Indonesian coast. Rescued by Indonesian authorities, they have since been found to be refugees by the UNHCR and have just been released from Indonesian detention. We are currently advocating for a third country to resettle them. You can read more about their situation on my website or join our Facebook page.

While I have run several crowdfunding campaigns for the Vietnamese families, this is the first time I have run a campaign for an asylum seeker who experienced Australian detention before being returned to his country of origin. If it hadn’t been for his treatment in Australia, Ruban would not be in his current harsh situation, and so I believe I have a responsibility to help literally to get him back on his feet so that he can try to support his young family once more.”

Check out Shira’s crowdfunding campaign for Ruban below:

Click here to read more of Shira’s writing on her blog!

January 30, 2018

Doubling the impact for Narayan Seva Children’s Home in Bali, by Bec

“From a young age I have been acutely aware that it is purely luck that led me to be born into a loving family and a wealthy country where we are granted education, freedom and the opportunity to make the best of this life. For as long as I can remember I have felt driven to somehow use the life I have been given to make a difference in the life of someone else.

It’s almost exactly 8 years since I first arrived at Narayan Seva Children’s Home in Bali. I was 21 and had recently returned from a 6 week study trip in Indonesia as part of my university studies. Bitterly disappointed with ‘normal life’ as I tried to readjust upon my return home, I felt it was time to do something real and meaningful with my time. I deferred from my degree, worked full time for 6 months and saved the money I needed for a self-funded volunteer (with a little travel) trip.

The home has grown from 44 to 85 children in the time that I have been travelling there, with children ranging in age from 18 months to 24 years, 12 of which are now studying at university! I have been incredibly inspired by the children themselves as well as the two amazing women who run the home. I have often been astounded at their ability to not only manage the daily tasks involved in keeping the home running, but at their tireless planning for what’s next.

In the years since I have known them, here are just some of the advancements they have made:

Created an organic fruit and vegetable garden for their own consumption and sale
Bought a water filter large enough to meet their daily drinking needs as well as to sell to local community
Introduced a biogas system that uses the waste from their septic tank to convert and tunnel gas to the kitchen cooktops
Built 3 new buildings to house the children, a tiled common area, a yoga/meditation hall and a new kitchen (which was previously a fire pit on a dirt floor!)

Every year that I return I hope to fund projects that would otherwise not be possible. This year we are focusing on education. So far the campaign has raised the course fees for two of the boys to complete their diplomas in IT as well as covering a full years living expenses for another boy who had to move on campus to complete his studies in Architecture (our last campaign raised the fees needed to pay his tertiary fees). With only a couple of weeks to go I am hopeful that we will be able to achieve even more with last minute donations. Narayan Seva has captured my heart and I will forever do what I can to assist them.”

Learn more about Bec’s awesome cause on her crowdfunding campaign page:

January 30, 2018January 31, 2018

iStay Eco – Promoting sustainable travel!

“I love to travel. I also love the beautiful planet we’re living on. Yet I’ve come to realise just how much the former has been making the latter a lot harder to love simply because of how unsustainable travelling has become. Earth has not been able to cope with it and it’s urgent we think twice about our future travels.

Each time I’m planning on travelling somewhere I think about all the amazing ecofriendly places I might stay at. I used to get really frustrated that I couldn’t easily find such accommodation on the “interweb” and instead had to search for hours even for just a few options. I kept on asking myself why there are no websites dedicated to making it easier to find and book sustainable accommodation while travelling anywhere around the world. Most hotel booking websites don’t even try to help travelers in this way and even if they do, their listings are quite limited or a lot of greenwashing is involved. One day it was decided I would simply produce the kind of platform I’ve been looking for and call it iStayEco!

iStayEco’s mission is to work hand in hand with every accommodation seeking or holding internationally recognized sustainable certification so that travelers can conveniently locate, appreciate, and book them to take ecologically responsible holidays.

Why a crowdfunding campaign was launched to support iStayEco is to find the funds it will take to develop its prototype (a test version) first. With a prototype of the platform in place iStayEco can be tested to learn how best to bring it to life. From how it searches places to stay, to how it shares information about each accommodation’s unique and sustainable features – we want to be sure we do it right. So far over 50% of the crowdfunding goal has been raised, proving that people really care about making travel more sustainable!

In return for more support towards the iStayEco crowdfunding campaign there are many chances to book holidays through iStayEco at a discount once it launches (in the fall of 2018) making it even easier to stay with some of the loveliest most sustainable accommodations in the world.

Learn more about iStayEco’s mission to promote more sustainable travel on their crowdfunding campaign page below: