09 April 2021
The mois du don (Month of Giving) is traditionally the most important fundraising activity of the Luxembourg Red Cross. For decades, thousands of volunteers have been mobilised to call on their neighbours to show solidarity with the most vulnerable. As in 2020, the traditional door-to-door campaign is being replaced by a major online campaign involving 2,000 volunteers.
Although the health situation is still too tense to allow us to return to the traditional door-to-door campaign, the revamped mois du don could be started in April. The moisdudon.lu website is the backbone of the initiative, on which not only can you make a donation, but also set up virtual collections or solidarity actions.
“Many people call us to offer their help. The mois du don has always been more than just a fundraising event: it’s an opportunity to get involved personally and concretely, to talk about the Red Cross, its mission and its actions. With the website, we are providing a tool that does not impose anything but allows everyone to take initiative and really act for those who are less well off, in the way that suits them best,” explains Rita Krombach, vice-president of the Luxembourg Red Cross.
“It is simply a necessity: we are convinced that the health crisis will be followed by a state of social and psychological emergency. Even if you have been spared in your own personal life, you are tired and want to move on. Imagine how you would feel if you had to choose between buying food for your children or paying your rent? The pressure you would feel would be both financial and mental,” says Rita Krombach. “And don’t forget the rest of the world! There are geographical areas, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the crisis will last even longer than here… For certain populations affected by the crises, the prospect of returning to a normal and dignified life is very distant.“
Although the various measures put in place during the pandemic have made it possible to limit the most harmful consequences of the virus, its effects will be felt for several years: “People’s resistance is gradually wearing down, and it is certain that the return to a ‘normal’ life will be difficult,” adds the vice-president of the Luxembourg Red Cross. “People who are isolated from their friends and families will probably find it difficult to resume life in a natural way, as if nothing had happened. Our conviction at the Red Cross is that in a few months’ time we will have to act even more strongly than we are doing now to help people get through this. Financially, socially and psychologically.“