Prepare for sweaty players, ferocious handball and an electric atmosphere. On the 10th of April, this Thursday, the Charity Games of 2014 will take off.
Coming together for one night only Students4Charity is collaborating with The Sport Collegiate, Idrottskollegiet, to host Lund’s first ever Charity Games.
“You really don’t want to miss this, there will be something for everyone!” says Rasmus Mingert Wirje, 21, who is an organizer of the event and studying for a Bachelor in Economics at Lund.
The event will take place at the Fars & Frosta Sparbank arena. The evening will consist of Nation handball teams battling it out, with the best team going against the prestigious LUGI handball team (a famous Swedish handball team) in a grand finale. There will also be music and entertainment from O-Dog & Third Eye by Antonio D. All profits will go towards Students4Chartiy’s latest project of building a school in Colombia.
For the 3rd world
Students4Chariy is a non-profit organisation run by students at Lund University, which according to their mission statement is “a network of socially conscious people working for the dissemination of knowledge in the 3rd world.” Having founded in 2011, the organisation has funded scholarships for education, building a school and startup capital for vulnerable women. They currently have around 15 active members and have been rapidly expanding.
“Despite our expansion we pride ourselves on being a very horizontal organisation, everyone can have their say and we want people to feel immediately welcome” says Rasmus Mingert Wirje.
Party for charity
Originally formed as Party4Charity they managed to raise 50,000 SEK from collecting donations at parties they organised, which co-funded building a school in Lokichogio, Kenya. Yet after struggling to get sponsors they decided to rebrand as Students4Charity. This change also allowed for use of creative entrepreneurial skills and ideas of all those involved with the organisation. Since extending beyond the surplus of nightclub drinks and coat profits, they have been utilising the craft skills of those receiving the charity.
“We have been selling bracelets made by women working as prostitutes and Christmas cards drawn by children in Kenya.” says Rasmus Mingert Wirje.
“All profits we received go directly back to the charity projects. With no administration fees we believe we are a unique organisation.”
“Making people happy to contribute”
The intertwining of commercial entertainment and partying in the name of charity became phenomena after Bob Geldof’s Live Aid concert in 1985. Parallel festivals, parties and spectator events with profits going to charity have taken place ever since. It seems natural that student life of excessive hedonistic partying combines with charity, partly so that people can indulge with a clear conscience, and partly out of a backlash to the increasingly omnipresent donation collectors hovering around campuses.
“We try to collect the donations by empowering people, making people happy to contribute, instead of having these sad commercials with people starving, we try to do it with smile on our faces” says Rasmus Mingert Wirje. Students4charity is also a social experience with many members getting involved through friends.
“I attended the s4c party and heard about it through a friend. I found it such a success that I decided I want to be part of it and contribute in my own way.” said Christina Lilliehöök, 22, studying Service Management at Campus Helsingborg, Lund University.
“The meetings are very open. Anyone can contribute their idea. It is also really fun! You meet so many people and it’s more tangible than if you just donate money to some bigger organisations. We collect money, decide where it’s donated and see the results. So it’s a whole process, which is very fulfilling.”
Can be a tradition
The latest event the Charity Games is a move in a new direction from the parties and crafts towards sport. With a goal of raising 110,000 SEK to fund their latest project of building a school in Colombia this summer, Students4Charity are hoping that the event is a great success. Already much hype has been generated on social media and the event promises to be tease out the best of Nation rivalry.
“We are currently negotiating entertainment and sponsors. It will be an arena for everyone that wants to be there” says Rasmus Mingert Wirje.
“We are hoping for it to become a tradition.”
