Four women, a quick decision – and so far DKK 122,000 raised for refugees

The organisers behind the AU#refugees-welcome appeal had greatly underestimated the level of willingness to donate when they started the appeal at the beginning of September. The original target was to raise DKK 40,000. But once it took just 15 hours to raise the first DKK 34,000 following the sharing of the news about the appeal on Twitter, they increased the target to DKK 100,000.

DKK 100,000 in five days

This also turned out to be too modest as the story – helped by some interest from the local media – quickly spread among AU's students and staff, so the DKK 100,000 target was reached in just five days.

READ MORE: Students and staff launch appeal to help refugees – and they want your help

The target was then raised again, this time to DKK 150,000. As of today, DKK 122,000 has been raised.

"It’s fantastic! We’ve had donations ranging from twenty to ten thousand Danish kroner. We’ve no doubt been helped by the fact that we began the appeal in the same week as the first refugees crossed into Denmark, and because we came before the appeal show on TV. Now we hope to reach our target of DKK 150,000. That would be great," says Christina Fiig, associate professor in gender and European policy, European Studies at the Department of Culture and Society, and one of the four organisers of the collection.

In addition to Christina Fiig, the other people behind the appeal are Associate Professor Sara Dybris McQuaid and the two students Caroline Lundqvist and Alice Sahinkuye.

Pat on the back from colleagues

Many of the donations from students and staff at AU come with a written pat on the back for the four women behind the appeal. For example, one student writes:

"Such a great initiative! I am proud to be an AU student!"

Another writes:

"If my grant had been higher, so would my contribution : )."

There is also a student from the University of Southern Denmark who couldn’t help but support the good AU initiative. Rector Brian Bech Nielsen also supports the appeal and writes the following in his donation:

"Thank you for a good initiative."

Help with everything from protection to wells

The appeal at AU is part of the 2015 nationwide appeal which runs until 8 November. The money which is raised will go to the Danish Refugee Council and will be used for everything from security, shelter, emergency aid and securing refugee rights to access to clean water establishing wells and proper sanitary conditions for the reconstruction of schools and homes.

You can still support the appeal as it continues until 8 November.

READ MORE – and support the appeal here:
http://minindsamling.flygtning.dk/landsindsamling/3-1800#.Ve9C2FXgL1o.twitter

Translated by Peter Lambourne