Our campaign is now complete. 164 supporters helped us raise £4,746.00
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The campaign has now expired but it's not too late to support this charity.
Visit the charity's profileEarlier in May, we launched our Hardship fund for MYP alumni. And thanks to you, we have been able to help some of those in real need. We closed it so that the funds could reach the alumni as soon as possible. But there are still more alumni that need our help. We are launching this again to continue raising funds and to make sure we reach those in need.
As a result of the coronavirus outbreak MAMA Youth alumni are now in need of your support more than ever before. Many of our alumni are struggling to move away from challenging backgrounds and were already disadvantaged prior to the major set back of this global pandemic. We are concerned that already vulnerable young people will now be subject to further financial pressure in addition to mental health issues. Many of our alumni were just embarking on their career journey, seeing light at last at the end of the tunnel and are now facing grave uncertainty instead. For them, the current circumstances could not have come at a worse time. MAMA Youth Project alumni are now at risk of becoming extremely vulnerable.
The impact of the current outbreak on MAMA Youth alumni struggling to cope financially has already been significant, and will likely worsen over the coming months. These are young people from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds and we need to ensure that the most vulnerable are protected from the damaging economic effects of the outbreak as far as possible.
The Covid (19) Hardship fund has been created to provide support primarily for subsistence and living costs; rent and accommodation for those at risk of becoming homeless, support for those unemployed and not eligible for any existent schemes; and those with no access to IT equipment to enable them to work from home or take part in remote learning.
Eliza* "My work was cancelled due to the pandemic and I currently don't have a source of income to take care of basic bills. In addition to this, my sister is in a similar situation as we both work in the same industry as freelancers and take care of our mum, who has arthritis and who we live with. I'd be grateful for any support at this time."
Jamal* " I'm currently struggling to find work and struggling financially due to Covid-19. My contract for my most recent job ended naturally at the beginning of March, and after some back and forth with my previous company, they decided to decline my request to be furloughed by them. They rejected to help me during this difficult time of need. I have no other form of income and rely on my job in TV as my only financial stability. I have had to budget my savings but am becoming worried about it as this situation progresses longer."
Anna* " Being an extrovert like many others, the main struggle I have is mental health. The anxiety I used to suffer from is re-surfacing and it leaves me wondering if the freelancing life is an anxious life! My sister suffers with clinical depression and is finding this period very hard. I'm determined to stay motivated, but worried about the future and my family can be overwhelming at times."
Dan* " I am concerned about my future in the film/tv industry. In mid February I left my full time salaried job as a camera technician at a camera rental house, my plan was to try and focus on gaining some freelance work as a camera assistant. Before making this step I made sure I saved money to enable me some back up while looking for freelance work. I also spoke to some freelancers within the industry and we all agreed at this time, the industry was booming and there was no better time to go freelance. Little did we know what was coming, and 4 weeks into the pursuit of my freelance career the country was in lock down and the future of the film and tv industry has since been thrown into major doubt. I am unsure whether I will be able to pursue a career as a freelancer who is in the early stages of their career. For someone who was just starting and does not have many contacts this couldn't have come at a worse time, even the most established freelancers are concerned for their future. This has left me with no income for the foreseeable future and I have begun to look at alternative jobs in order to support myself. Any support would be welcome right now, as eventually the money I have saved for my rent will run out and I will be unable to afford to live at my current home."
*anonymised
Any gift you are able to make during these tough times would be gratefully received.
Giving £20 could pay for basic provisions for a few days.
Giving £75 could help with rent and utility bills for a week.
Giving £150 could buy food supplies for a month.
Giving £300 could purchase a laptop.
Giving £500 could purchase a laptop with wifi subscription.
Thank you to all our supporters!
A big thank you from everyone at MAMA Youth, we greatly appreciate those who are able to support us by making a gift, and those who are able to share our appeal on social media. Your generosity ensures that we can provide essential support to those alumni who may have nobody else to turn to.
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