Seeing investment in action inspires a month of record breaking fundraising from The Body Shop at Home

3/7/2019

This June started with a trip to Uganda and ended with a target smashing amount raised by The Body Shop at Home™.

Ben, our Executive Director, visited Jinja with Suzanne, Jade, Louise and Lauren - supporters from The Body Shop at Home. They visited the five communities we work with , to see the difference that The Body Shop at Home are making through their dedicated, year round generosity of their consultants and customers.

The team had a chance to meet with members of the Child Protection Team in Wandago.

They visited the Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in Loco and Wandago, getting involved with lessons, talking to the teachers and children about their experiences. The team was particularly struck by the new centre in Wandago which has been built this year already has three vibrant classes where children are making excellent progress.

Ben said: “We met with members of the Child Protection Teams (CPTs) and heard about the impact these community volunteers have had and the many changes that they have made within their communities. We also had a chance to meet with some of the families who have received small business loans, enabling them to develop a new form of income and provide for their families.”

One person they met was Joyce from Masese I, who has three children and her grain drink business was not making enough to look after them, pay the rent and send them to school. After advice from the CPT she applied for a small business loan.

To receive the loan, a prospective business owner like Joyce will make a business plan and write an application with support from the CPT. They are given a timeframe within which to pay it back, by which time they have a thriving business, a child in school and a good knowledge of how to manage their own finances. This is exactly what’s happened with Joyce, who now has a successful business cooking and selling fish, and can send her children to school.

Repaid loans are available to be passed on to someone else in need. With recipients paying a little interest, the loan pot can gradually grow, in order to help an increasing number of households. The repayment of the loan with a little interest also teaches business and budgeting skills, rather than dependency, and makes the fund itself sustainable.

The week finished with a play day at Loco ECD, where children from the communities came together to play games and just have fun! Back at home though, the activities were just gaining momentum.

In the UK, while the team were finishing their play day in Loco, consultants and customers donated to Children on the Edge by text - donating an incredible £4,999 in just a few days, and the fundraising just kept pouring in.

Eloise Armstrong, Fundraising Manager, shares:

“As well as giving by text, consultants organised so many outstanding fundraising events through June, including family fun days, regional training days, a Summer Sensational Ball and a 24 danceathon. They also sold 404 Hemp Hand creams, which donate £1 to Children on the Edge from every sale. Across the whole month they raised £18,561 - more than has ever been raised before in a single month by consultants supporting Children on the Edge. We have just been blown away by all their energy and support”

Jade, Suzanne, Louise and Lauren are part of a team of more than 14,000 consultants, managers, directors and a Head Office team from The Body Shop at Home who fundraise tirelessly for Children on the Edge, raising more than 1.5 million in the last 25 years.

The Body Shop at Home are aiming to raise an incredible £200,000 for Children on the Edge in 2019. If you are feeling inspired, find out more about fundraising for us here.

If you are from the Body Shop at Home and would like to fundraise for Children on the Edge or organise an event visit www.childrenontheedge.org/thebodyshopathome