Fields of Life

"Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving." - Hank Rosso

If you are a good communicator, enthusiastic, motivated and believe in our goal to educate East African children, then this role is for you. There are loads of different ways to raise money for Fields of Life, and to get others involved, encouraging them to care, to be involved, and to give of themselves.  As a Fields of Life Fundraiser you will be involved in planning, organising and running as few, or as many, fundraising activities as you wish.  The activity, the frequency, and the level of commitment is entirely up to you. Fundraising for Fields of Life should not be a chore; rather, it should be a joy. To see a full listing of recommended fundraising activities, consult our Fundraising Ideas section, or download the Introductory Fundraising Pack.   It offers practical tips and ideas - everything you need to organise and promote fundraising events and sponsored activities all year.      

Transforming struggling communities

• Fields of Life understands the needs of the children of East Africa.  We work with them directly in the field to ensure that they not only get an education, but that their parents can be given an opportunity to provide for them. No one understands better the issues that affect their communities, and we try our best to address and assist them.
• The money raised isn’t farmed out to local government, or individuals with potentially conflicting values and/or concern.  No, the money is provided directly to the schools, and then is monitored to ensure that it is spent well with our education, micro-finance, water, or health programmes. (Please consult the Accountability section if you wish more details on how money is allocated and spent.)
• Your fundraising effort makes a real impact because Fields of Life channels it directly to where you indicate.  Yes, you are in control as you decide which of the Fields of Life programmes to which you feel the most interest, or for which you wish to channel support. 
• Fields of Life views our fundraisers as not only partners, but vital communicators to the public.  Your fundraising event not only brings in support, but it tells folks about our work.  This may even be more vital than the money! 
• It helps us to sustains and educate the children, it’s contributes to their health and wellbeing, and hopefully, for you - it's fun.  It is the quintessential win-win scenario!
  
  

Get something in return

Is it easier to simply give?  Some people feel that, and there isn’t anything wrong with feeling that!  It depends on what you want and how much you emphasise for the work that we do.  If you wish to just give, then that’s okay also, simply look for the Give button at the top of this page, or Donate Now. 

However, fundraisers are a breed onto themselves.  They want more than just the moments of satisfaction that simply giving provides.  They want the afternoon out with the girls or boys, they want the challenge of doing something they have never done before, they want the excuse they need to get into shape by walking (or running) for the benefit of others, not only themselves.  They get the gift of something on top of the handing over the funds, they get the satisfaction of social interaction, and the buzz palling and gathering together funding for their chosen charity.  So what are you waiting for? 

FOL has been blessed with fundraisers such as Ian and Graham who have demonstrated unswerving commitment to their ambition to build a school in Kitandwe by undertaking their Mt. Everest challenge as the final leg in their goal of climbing four mountains on four continents in one year.  Their quest began in June 2007, and the Fields of Life staff eagerly monitored Ian and Graham's progress as they completed Mt Blanc in France, Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Aconcagua in Argentina. The team aimed to raise one euro (€1) for every foot they had climbed over the year, totalling the €85,000 needed to build the primary school in the Ugandan village. Needless to say, FOL is dependent on the generosity of the public to assist in our work, for the people of East Africa.  Without it, FOL could not exist.  So far FOL has received wonderful support from the people of Ireland and beyond. 

However, there are many worthy charities competing for a raised profile and donations, so people who are passionate about our work and are happy to communicate this message are a real asset to us.  Fundraisers are involved in the preparation, organisation and running of fundraising events.  So, if you are at a point in life where you want to dive in and make a difference, Ian and Graham have proved that one could even take on Everest and win! 

The point to the fundraising is the children, and at the end of the day the satisfaction of seeing concrete results of your fundraising effort is a certainty.  Photos of the construction progress and reports of our programmes will be available online, so that there is no doubt as to the impact of your contribution.  Your fundraising effort can be earmarked for a specific programme, or you may wish to support the FOL Growth Funds, so that general support of the organisation’s future plans can be realised.If you would like to get the ball rolling or even if you have some unanswered questions, simply forward an email to info@fieldsoflife.com, or fill out the form on our Contact Us page.  Our Volunteer Co-ordinator will be happy to be in touch with you to explore your ideas and the possibilities! 

Questions? 

Why don’t you try the Fundraiser’s section in our online FAQ? If this doesn’t supply the answers, contact us via email at info@fieldsoflife.com. We would be more than happy to respond to any and all of your queries!