Stories and tips

Start with the person, not the problem. Tell supporters who you are helping, what happened, and what changes if the goal is reached.

Use specific details: names, places, amounts. A line such as "the hospital quoted KES 300,000 for three months of treatment" is more convincing than "we need help".

Finish with a clear thank you and a promise to post updates. People give to people they trust to keep them informed.

Campaigns that get early gifts from friends and family look alive, and strangers are far more willing to join in.

Before you launch, message ten people you trust and ask them to give within the first day. Even small gifts show momentum.

Share on WhatsApp first. It is where most gifts in Kenya come from, and the personal message works better than a bare link.

Scammers rely on panic and vague stories. Slowing down for a few minutes is your best protection.

Check that the campaign names real people and places and explains how money will be used. Be cautious if you are asked to pay to a personal number outside the page.

If a photo looks familiar, search for it online. If something feels wrong, use the Report button and we will look into it.

Harambee means "let us all pull together". It began as a village tradition and became a national call at independence.

For generations, neighbours gathered to help a family with a funeral, school fees or a medical bill. Everyone gave what they could.

In the 1960s and after, communities used harambees to build schools, clinics and water projects themselves. Harambee online carries the same idea to anyone with a phone.

For larger medical and education campaigns, we can now pay the provider directly using the organiser’s invoice.

This protects supporters, because the money goes exactly where it was meant to. It also saves organisers from handling large sums.

Organisers add the invoice when creating a campaign. We verify it and arrange the payment once the goal is reached.

A big goal is just many small gifts added together. Here is how small donations build real change.

A library with 600 books needed 600 gifts of KES 50. Those gifts came from teachers, parents and neighbours, none of them wealthy.

If you cannot give much, you can still help by sharing. A message to three friends can bring in more than any one gift.