Santavajri
Having fundraised on eight and trained on three Karuna Appeals to date, there’s one thing I can say with great confidence about every Appeal: You Never Know What’s Going to Happen. In fact, as soon as I start to think I know what’s going on, something unexpected happens. And that’s the same whether I’m door-knocking or training others; so the best way to prepare for each Appeal is to approach it with as much openness as I can muster.
At the start of an Appeal, the fundraisers often seem to be looking to me as leader to… well, lead them! It seems they think I know what’s going on. But it soon becomes clear that we’re in the same boat: that each Appeal is as much of a learning experience for me as it is for them. As long as we’re willing to give it a go, make mistakes, and be open to learning, what can go wrong?
The main difference between being a fundraiser and training others is that, as trainer, my focus is primarily the team, rather than the doors. So for those six weeks, that particular group of women, both collectively and individually, are my main priority. In fact, the practice for me is getting to know and learning to love each woman. The challenge of finding empathy for a group of very diverse people, and staying with them emotionally throughout whatever they may be experiencing, stretches me beyond my perceived limitations. So I gain enormously from the opportunities offered to me by our precious volunteer fundraisers!