International Day of Charity
The International Day of Charity was established by the United Nations (UN) and is celebrated annually on September 5. This day was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India. Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.” Celebrating the International Day of Charity will create a universal platform to enhance visibility, organize special events, create synergies, and thereby further increase public support for the charity.
United Nations believes charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, and supplement public services in health care, education, housing, and child protection. “Rights of the marginalized and underprivileged are promoted and the message of humanity is spread, even in conflict situations.“
International Day of Charity serves to enhance and increase social responsibility among all of us. This day is a great opportunity to raise awareness for charity events on a global scale. The United Nations on this day invites all of us to celebrate the day by contributing to charity efforts in any way we can.
Who was Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa was a great personality who spent her whole life in service to the poor. She is famous all over the world for her good works. She will live forever in our hearts because she was like a true mother. She was a great legend and is recognized as a symbol of sympathy and service in our times. She preferred to wear a white sari with a blue border. She always considered herself a dedicated servant of God, who was sent to serve the poor, helpless, and suffering people of the slum society on earth. He always had a generous smile on his face.
She was born on 26 August 1910 in Skopje Yogoslavia and was named at birth by his parents as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She was the youngest child of her parents. After the death of his father at a young age, her entire family struggled against the bad economic situation. She started helping his mother in charity work in the church. At a very young age, she decided to become a nun and soon joined the Loreto of Nuns in Ireland. In his later life, he served for many years as a teacher in the field of education in India.
She started her life as an initiator in the newly educated Loreto in Darjeeling where Mother Teresa chose to learn English and Bengali (as Indian languages), hence she is also called Bengali Teresa. She again returned to Kolkata where she taught at St. Mary’s School as a teacher of geography. Once, while she was on her way, she noticed the bad situation of the people living in the Motijheel slum. He got a message from God on his way to Darjeeling by train, to help the needy people. Soon, he left the ashram and started helping the poor people of that slum. Despite being a European woman, she always wore a very cheap sari.
Early in her teacher’s life, she gathered some poor children and started writing Bengali letters on the ground with a stick. Soon he was encouraged by some teachers for his great service and was provided with a blackboard and chair. Soon, the school became a reality. Later, he established a hospital and a peaceful house where the poor could get their treatment and stay.
She soon became famous as the Messiah among the poor for her great works. She formed a group of dedicated sisters later became known as the “Missionaries of Charity” and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for helping to alleviate poverty and distress. She was conferred with the title of Saint in September 2016 for her outstanding service to mankind, which has been officially confirmed by the Vatican as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
In recognization of her role in charity United Nations on December 17, 2012, designated the 5th of September, the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, as the International Day of Charity.
The prime purpose of the International Day of Charity is to raise awareness and provide a common platform for charity-related activities of nonprofit organizations all over the world. The day has become a worldwide day of donation to NGOs.
Suggested Read: World Senior Citizen’s Day
Tips on how to use the day to fundraise
Hold Fundraising Events
Plan a fundraising event for the day with lots of little events like a charity ball, tea party, or a potluck or just a personal online fundraising page inviting their networks and collecting the donation.
Create an Online Campaign
You can start a campaign on your social media platform- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Give a shout-out about the International Day of Charity and add a tagline that fits your NGO and the fundraising strategy to the best. Remember online events like the ice bucket challenge and last year’s Giving Tuesday campaign.
Take to the Street
Use your volunteers to your best on this day to promote your NGO and fundraise. You can also place donations jars in restaurants or malls, where people are spending money. Take the required permission and make a poster or sign that will attract people’s attention. Motivate your volunteers to approach people. Street Fundraising’s main benefit is its ability to generate immediate donations.
Pin your Board Members
The role of Board members of an NGO is not only to oversee the operations of the organization but also to be active in the fundraising activity. Every member should donate something to set an example by donating on the International Day of Charity. The donation will set an example and encourage other donors to give and can be used as a marketing tool to influence foundations that provide grants or other support.
Send Thank you Note
A Thank you note is a powerful pair of words for creating loyal relations. A thank you message is a chance to deliver the warm feelings of goodwill that drive people to give more. You can also send a thank you note to your supporters-volunteers, partners, others.
