‘No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted’

Elo Uzor – a second-year Business, Economics and Social Studies student at Trinity College Dublin – explains why she’s raising funds for ISPCC Childline through the 100minds project 

I am absolutely delighted to have been chosen to be part of the 100minds team this year. 100minds is a social enterprise founded in 2013 that brings together some of Ireland’s top college students and connects them with one cause to achieve big goals in a short space of time.

Founded and run by Declan Egan, a former UCD student, 100minds connects third-level students with a chosen charity and encourages them to run fundraising projects that will help develop their skill set and apply their theoretical learnings from college in a practical means. Each student is assigned a mentor to support them throughout their fundraising efforts.

This year 100minds has partnered with the fantastic charity ISPCC Childline. Over the past years, 100minds has also partnered with Temple Street Hospital and Bernardos. This year the 100minds team hopes to raise an incredible €1m for ISPCC Childline, and is tasking each volunteer with raising €1,000 – though any money raised will make a difference.

ISPCC Childline is Ireland’s oldest and most well known children’s charity. The charity focuses on providing support services to children and their families. The ISPCC itself has been in existence for over 100 years, and is the only organisation in Ireland that provides 24-hour listening services to children and young people all over Ireland.

Without Childline, who would have been there to answer 460,000 calls from children last year? Who would have listened to the 300 children who contacted the service at urgent risk of suicide, or the 1,208 children who made contact with Childline on Christmas Day? The numbers speak for themselves: Childline is an essential service for the children and young people of Ireland.

As a volunteer with 100minds I have faced many different challenges, and as a result I have gained some incredible new skills, which will be invaluable to me throughout my future career. I have also gathered some fantastic insights into the amazing work of Childline, which has motivated me throughout the fundraising process. 

With the help of Trinity’s college Afro Caribbean and Jazz Society, we are organising a music night that will be held later in March. It’s an event that will have different genres of music from Afrobeat to pop, jazz and soul.

If you would like to donate to this amazing charity, you can do so by visiting my 100minds profile at tinyurl.com/elo100minds – no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.