Giving Tuesday celebrates generosity and kindness every year, with many charities and organisations taking it upon themselves to spread goodness far and wide – Pump Aid are no exception. They exist to end water poverty for good in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world with many isolated and under-served communities to reach. Through their water entrepreneur initiative, they seek a solution to the problems the people of Malawi face, simultaneously improving rural livelihoods and providing access to safe clean water.
Pump Aid were inspired by the Giving Tuesday, identifying the opportunity to tap into the spirit of generosity surrounding the big day and encourage people to support their very important cause for 2022 and beyond. They’re no stranger to big giving campaigns, as they usually participate in Big Give Week, so what better way to optimise it than to join us for a Tuesday like no other? After attending some webinars and checking out our toolkit to learn more about the approaches they could take with their fundraising, they opted to go for a match funding campaign. This campaign was launched on Giving Tuesday to run through Big Give Week. Every donation was promised to be doubled, and it was a whopping success!
The campaign surpassed its initial target of raising £61,000 in one week, instead receiving £66,129 – with the funding, they will train and support 10 Water Entrepreneurs whose businesses will ensure long-term water access for 25,000 people in rural Malawi. They will also provide vital hygiene support to 500 children and their caregivers across two nurseries, giving them the best possible start in life. Using social media, newsletters and letters as their mediums to spread the message, they touched the hearts of their supporters and made Giving Tuesday 2022 one to be proud of.
Their advice for others interested in taking part themselves next year? It’s worthwhile to use a hook to attract potential donors in your fundraising efforts – spend some time figuring out what that hook may be, which could tie in with the Giving Tuesday theme for that year, and then make some noise about it! What would your existing or potential audience connect with? What would make them want to act by giving what they can to support the cause? Addressing these is the key to making sure your messaging is right.
They also tried to get a celebrity to record a video for them to share in support of their Giving Tuesday message – however, they hit a bit of a roadblock here as they didn’t have time to deliver this. What this taught them for next year, something all participants should keep in mind, is the importance of having a backup plan just in case things don’t quite go to plan. Planning ahead of time is a recipe for success, as it gives you the space to make the most of any opportunities and make the most out of the day. Pump Aid also have considered approaching local radios to talk on air during Giving Tuesday to reach a wider audience and encourage giving for their cause.
Are you interested in finding out more about what Pump Aid do year-round to end water poverty? Read about their approach, projects and more here.