Fundraising

My team have been fundraising since November. Basically, the people who don't

drive, sell magazines in the streets to raise many to go to Africa. Our job consists in

standing with a board around our necks where you can read " I am going to Africa as a

volunteer" or "Help me, help others".

We make the magazines at the school. Inside, you can read some reports from

the teams which are in Africa or India and some articles about our activities and

actions. Each magazine costs £2.

Let's be honest. Fundraising is not the best job in the world. Sometimes you get cold

and other times, you feel invisible... and the truth is that I never ever in my life

thought about selling magazines in the streets. It reminded me of those people in the

streets of Lisbon selling the magazine "Cais" and it didn't seem suitable for someone

who has fought and studied hard to reach certain goals. Still, I knew that this was part

of the program and I agreed with it. Anyway, I had sold calendars in the streets before

when I was a scout girl.

Quickly I realized that this with selling magazines has nothing to do with selling

calendars as a scout girl. First of all, I'm not a scout anymore. I'm a volunteer, a grown

up (although I look like a 17 years-old girl, which helps sometimes ) who decided

to be a volunteer, or at least, in some people's point of view, I am someone who

says that is going to Africa as a volunteer. Secondly, I am not British - they say I'm

American, Indian, Mexican, Venezuelan,Spanish or Italian - but actually I'm

portuguese just like Cristiano Ronaldo and José  Mourinho, who are, in some people's

point of view, "quite arrogant" (Luckily, there's lot of British people who have been in

the Algarve and say that portuguese people are nice !). Finally, there are more people

doing the same as I do for other causes. This is amazing, but it also means that I have

concurrence.

I have been fundraising in Hull, Withernsea, Beverly, Manchester and York. In all these

places, people have different reactions. While some shout "get a job!", others are very

nice and supportive. They want to know more about me, the school, the project and

the place where i am going. Some of them tell me their experiences in Africa. And the

most important, they smile at me and wish me all the best. This is my motivation to

continue to fundraise in the streets. I feel useful.

I love when I get the chance to talk to the people ! It's nice to hear what they have to

say, even if what they have to say is not so nice. I remember a man who assured me

that Africa was a country. I tried to explain him that Africa was a continent with many

countries, but in his opinion, I was totally wrong ! I found it both sad and funny. I

decided to go for the funny side. That kept me smiling all day .

Regarding my concurrence, I usually find homeless people selling a magazine "The

Big Issue" also for £2. Their motto is "working, not begging". Last week in York,

I decided to buy one magazine from one man I found in the same street I was. He was

very happy and we started to talk about our jobs. Next day, he didn't forget me! He was

in the same spot and he said hello.

It's good find nice people! I feel really happy when it happens. So, I have a request for

you:

If you find me fundraising in the streets, even if you are not interested in the magazine,

please smile at me. My day will be better :)