Mass-individual Giving: The Power of Individuals Coming Together to Make a Positive Impact on Their Communities

Mass individual giving is a powerful way for people to unite and make a difference in their communities. Through it, individuals can make a meaningful impact on their communities and help to improve the lives of those around them.

In Kosovo, mass-individual giving is driven by a powerful sense of community and a desire to help less fortunate people. According to a report by the European Foundation Centre, 58% of the population in Kosovo has donated to charity at least once in the past year.

According to Catalyst Balkans data, in 2022, mass-individual giving in Kosovo was the primary donor type comprising 33.6% of donation instances and 56.9% of the total recorded amount.

Catalyst's data also show that from the beginning of 2020 until the end of  2022, citizens in Kosovo donated 6,051,627 euros through mass-individual giving. 

How do the citizens of Kosovo support their communities?

According to the Catalyst Balkans' data, in the period 2020-2022, most mass-individual giving actions were directed to support non-profit organizations (59,9%) and individuals and families (32%).

Popular causes for mass-individual giving in Kosovo include social welfare, poverty relief, healthcare, and education. However, it is not limited to monetary donations. People also donate their time, skills, and resources to support causes they care about. They are deeply connected to their communities and willing to contribute to causes that will benefit their fellow citizens.

Many businesses in Kosovo also participate in mass-individual giving by donating a portion of their profits to charitable causes or organizing charity events. This helps to create a culture of giving and encourages others to contribute to important causes.

In the rest of the article, we bring some success stories and good practice examples of mass-individual giving in Kosovo.

Philanthropy's Response to COVID-19

During times of crisis, such as natural disasters or the COVID-19 pandemic, mass-individual giving increases as people come together to support those in need. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals and organizations in Kosovo donated money and supplies to help hospitals and healthcare workers and provide food and other essential items to families in need.

A good practice example is a  group of young Kosovo activists living in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, who started a fundraising campaign to help the University Clinical Center of Kosovo staff. The money raised was used to provide the health workers with work and protective materials during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another example is CSO „BONEVET“, which in 2020 raised funds from various donors and produced 8497 3D masks, donating so 7093 of them for health workers, administrative workers, and others who needed those to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while working.

Campaigns to support the social good in Kosovo

Citizens are also the most frequent donors in various campaigns to support important causes in their communities. Below you can read how people in Kosovo, through campaigns, support people with health issues, individuals and families in need, and marginalized groups, as well as donate for education, culture, art, and other purposes.

The Balkans Orphans Association is one organization with strong support from mass-individual giving. For example, in 2020, members of the Facebook group "Maraklitë e Kerreve," through a joint initiative, donated 24 sheeps and one calf to the association for their humanitarian activities.

A success story from 2021 is also the "Një Kartolinë për Ty" ("A Postcard For You") campaign, organized by the Down Syndrome Kosovo Association. During the campaign, stalls with postcards made by association members were placed in the Zahir Pajaziti Square in Pristina and other squares in cities throughout Kosovo. Various donors contributed to the campaign by donating directly and through the symbolic purchases of the postcards. By the end of the campaign, 38,600 euros were raised across the four centers of Down Syndrome Kosova – in Pristina, Ferizaj, Mitrovicë, and Prizren.

NGO „QIPS“ conducted another successful campaign in 2021 on Kosovaideas crowdfunding platform. The story begins in 2019 when the Center for Information and Social Improvement (QIPS) established a suicide prevention helpline called Linja e Jetës (Lifeline). Twenty-nine volunteers have been trained to use methods taught by partners of the organization, including the 113 Netherlands helpline. In 2021, QIPS launched a fundraiser on the Kosovaideas platform to continue volunteer training activities, improve and advance techniques for daily activities. Thanks to donors, the campaign amassed a total of 5,295 euros.

Also, persons with health issues are often supported through mass-individual giving. In 2021, The Labinot Tahiri Foundation raised 100,000 euros to treat two people injured in a gas cylinder explosion in Ferizaj. The explosion injured over 40 people, with some of them suffering from severe burns. The funds for the treatments in Austria were raised over two days with the help of generous citizens from Ferizaj through mass-individual donations.

Another organization with strong community support is Humanitarian Association „Bereqeti“. In 2021, the branches of this association in Kaçanik and Prizren, with the help of various donors, provided more than 320 school bags for children in need.

Ongoing, during the month of Ramadan in 2022, through the support of their donors, the association Balkan's Orphans has delivered 24,000 meals for dinner (iftar) in total for people in economic need in Kosovo. The delivery of meals has been going on from 2 April until 1 May 2022.

Short-Term Giving as Dominant Support Model

Talking about the intended effects of giving, according to Catalyst Balkans' data, most of the mass-individual giving donations are ones with short-term effects. In 2022, more than 91% of all mass-individual giving was directed to uses that aimed to achieve short-term impact, while just 4% was used in a way that would make a strategic difference. In the period 2020-2022, 87,5% of all mass-individual donations were short-term effects giving, 9,03% long-term effects, and 3,2% unknown.

Seasonal giving is one example of giving with a short-term impact. An example of that comes from 2020  when the association „Hope Lipjan“ distributed over 700 gifts in the Municipality of Lipjan. The gifts were purchased through the money collected with the "A Gift for You 3" activity, which was realized for the third year by the abovementioned association.

Another story is from 2021, when Riinvest College initiated a campaign to collect gift packages for the children of  SOS Villages in Kosovo for the holiday season. The primary school "Ismail Qemaili" and the Gymnasium "Ahmet Gashi" from Prishtina joined this initiative, and various donors collected numerous gifts.

Conclusion

The power of social media has also played a significant role in increasing mass-individual giving in Kosovo. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have made it easier for individuals and organizations to promote their causes and reach a wider audience, resulting in more donations and support.

In conclusion, mass-individual giving is a powerful force for good in Kosovo. It can bring people together and make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need. Whether through national campaigns or community-led initiatives, crowdfunding campaigns for families facing financial hardships, or volunteers organizing food drives for those struggling to make ends meet, we can all support our communities through giving.

The act of giving is not only beneficial for the recipients of the donations but also for the givers themselves. Studies have shown that charitable giving can positively impact mental health, increase happiness and life satisfaction, and improve social connections.

To read more inspirational stories, learn everything about philanthropy and giving in Kosovo, and find your place in Kosovo's philanthropy ecosystem, visit kosovadhuron.org.