LAUNCHED!

 

Today, the first day of the Chinese Year of the Rat, and at the beginning of the Christian Lenten Season a new charitable initiative is being launched. It is called Bricks the Great Wall Appeal. It flows from a passion to use the Internet to connect people on line with those small grass roots projects which make a difference in peoples’ lives but are too small for the, often, expensive fundraising methods we are used to in the West. In China, fundraising is its infancy and old models are the norm. Online fundraising has the promise of connecting people together in a very personal way and also delivering donors generosity at low cost to people in need. The Internet also makes it possible to link the dots between these small projects or, if you will, allows them to become Bricks in what we hope will be a Great Wall of Charity for China. Bricks also takes my 10 years experience in China with grass roots organization to ensure that the Bricks are actually meeting the needs of the disadvantaged in rural China. The new charity, we hope will create confident and trustworthy links between the ‘Connected generation and the poor of the Middle Kingdom.

small beginnings

Bricks the Great Wall Appeal arose out of an experience of the poverty that still exists in rural China despite the economic miracle that is transforming the coastal cities. We hear so much about the latter, that the reality of the former is often obscured. The following article gives a simple yet accurate picture of the situation I have come to know first hand. It seemed both doable and opportune to use the ‘Net to create links between people of good will around the world and those still struggling on the other side of the Digital Divide in China. The initial goals of Bricks were modest and the appeal confined to family and friends. The year allowed me to see where bottlenecks in the process were and where the challenges might be in taking the idea that looked good on paper to reality. The original idea proved remarkably robust and the idea snowballed. By the end of 2007 the idea had helped bring comfort and support to handicapped children and vulnerable seniors in China to the tune of €30,000. Free online software and a very simple structure meant that Bricks could promise that 100% of donations would transfer to the individual projects.

going global

In 2008, Bricks is “going global” to see if we can create links between people in need and a greater number of generous donors across the Internet. The idea remains the same, connecting people across the digital divide, but instead of two projects we hope to have 20 by year’s end. Instead of confining the appeal to family and friends, Bricks is inviting YOU to make a difference to people in real need and help work with the wonderful men in women of each Brick to build that Great Wall of Charity in China.

adjustments

Going Global required a number of important changes to the initial Bricks idea. While family and friends might trust me to handle their donations wisely, you need to have confidence in the organization. Bricks The Great Wall Appeal is now a registered business name of an Irish company set up for the purpose (Charitable status will follow in 2009). Donations to Bricks to each project will be audited and annual reports published. All projects are vetted by me personally and the integrity of each Brick is guaranteed. Finally, scaling up inevitably has cost but we have been able to keep to our promise 100% transfer of donations thanks to the generosity of a donor who is underwriting our costs for 2008.

the future

Chinese Astrology has this to say about the Year of the Rat

“The year of the Rat is a time of hard work, activity, and renewal. This is a good year to begin a new job, get married, launch a product or make a fresh start. Ventures begun now may not yield fast returns, but opportunities will come for people who are well prepared and resourceful. The best way for you to succeed is to be patient, let things develop slowly, and make the most of every opening you can find.”

I am taking this as a good omen. The future is in God’s hands ultimately, but Bricks is well prepared and we can draw on the resources of many clever people. The charitable initiative being launched today is not looking for fast returns, instead Bricks is hoping to work with YOU and the men and women of the Brick projects to build a Great Wall of Charity in China.

Yours sincerely,

Joseph Loftus C.M.
Director, Bricks The Great Wall Appeal
bricks@greatwallappeal.org

 

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Tags: bricks, launch