The International Day of Charity was officially declared in 2012 by the United Nations General Assembly and falls annually on 5th September. The whole aim of this day is to raise awareness for those less fortunate than ourselves, who are in need of help, by providing a day where local and national organisations can unite, and carry out fundraising activities on an international level.

There are many actions that can be carried out to raise funds to donate towards a good cause. Islamic Help has put together a few ideas to help you find your niche in fundraising towards a campaign that resonates with you.

• Online

In this day and age, everything seems to be application, technology and internet based. With all the latest gadgets and phones around, it’s easy to attract the support you need online. Use social media to your advantage and go viral on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp or even all of them. Alternatively, we offer the chance for you to use your initiative and start up your own project on iHelp Give; where you can raise funds online via Islamic Help’s website.

• Community Event

Plan and hold a local community event to raise awareness and funds for a good cause. A good idea would be to theme the event to your chosen campaign. For example, if you are aiming to raise funds towards Islamic Help’s Water for Gaza campaign, base your event around water. Deliberate on the facts and benefits of water vs. the effects a lack of water can have. You could even (pardon the pun) fish around to see if any local or national water associations may be willing to sponsor your event. Local businesses may also want to sponsor you, and before you know it, your event will have snowballed into something a lot bigger than you had initially imagined.

• Create an Event at Work

We spend most of our time with the people we work with, so why not kill two birds with one stone and hold a work challenge amongst your colleagues? Raise the stakes for a day and get everyone to contribute and donate to one fund. The person who wins at the end of the day and exceeds their target can decide which campaign the fund will go to. Whichever project or campaign is chosen, you will feel satisfied that you not only worked a day for your own benefit, but for someone else’s too

So there you have just three ideas to kick-start your project to raise funds for someone who really needs your help. Donate and help raise global awareness this 5th September on the International Day of Charity with Islamic Help.