How the 2020 Annual Fundraising Team Overcame New Sets of Challenges
Ali Mohammed
Well, here we are coming off another great December 24 Annual Fundraising Event. My name is Ali and as someone who was able to take part in the production of the passing year’s event, I am still recovering from all the buzz and excitement. As the air begins to calm, I sit here with the manager of 2020’s fundraising event - Abdullah Yusuf.
How is it going Abdullah? I wanted to ask about this year’s theme. With the headline reading “Patience, A Brilliant Virtue”, what led to settling on this as the theme?
Alhamdulillah, I’m going well, all things considered. As a result of the significant circumstances we had endured last year and continuing to endure this year, COVID-19 has required us all to be patient. The need for patience was so prevalent, it made sense to have the theme of the day be the same. We wanted to demonstrate to the viewers that all aspects of our lives require a great deal of patience. Patience is inclusive in everyday life, whether in sickness or hardship and then ultimately with death. We did this to ensure the audience will continue to display patience throughout these hard times and the rest of their lives because, without patience, it is difficult to overcome the challenges that life throws at us. We should always be thankful for the things that happen to each and every one of us, for being patient in the most difficult of times yields the greatest rewards.
Well said. I think it's great that through the event you basically provided the solution to dealing with such a difficult year. Speaking of difficulty, how did you overcome the cancellation of a live in-person event?
To be honest, I've never led a live or online event before so I wouldn’t be able to compare the different challenges. Before beginning 2020 as a leader, I spent a little over two months involved in the preparation and contribution to the annual fundraiser. There was a lot of improvisation and long late-night conversations with you and Maryam discussing the pros and cons of the decisions we would be making. You might be able to answer this better as you've been directly involved in running both online and live events over the last few years.
Behind the scenes of early rehearsal sessions with the MC’s of the night, Walid Adus and Suhayb Diyab
Being on the production team for both an in-person and online event, I can say that we had to break-down the event and look at each piece from a different perspective. A large-scale play production would not cut it online and the entertainment had to be broken down into a more consumable format. Another example was the auction which was completely reworked using an online platform. These changes did bring some problems that past leaders might have not had to deal with. What are some difficulties you faced while working in this online setting?
Maa shaa Allah. My greatest hurdle went from “How are we going to write a script and then run multiple training sessions within 1 month and a half” to “Where are we going to find an army of editors and have the recordings done in less than 1 month”. Half the year was spent in limbo, wondering whether the event was going to take place online or not due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic. What made matters more difficult was that the previous leaders of the event were basically in the same situation as me so there was only so much advice that they could provide in this context. There were other events that occurred online for the first time such as Nabiyy Mawlud and Shawwal Eid. We tried to see what went well with those and improve on elements that didn't go so well. However for the most part we were met with new sets of challenges. I was wary of the impact our decisions may have on the event and on the wider community. This is why I would often think long and hard about the decisions we made before we executed them. I know you Ali, have been on the receiving end of my silence when I’m making decisions and you would often question whether I was still on the line during our late-night conversations.
Haha! That did take some getting used to. This new setting really brought many new challenges that previous leaders could not give you any guidance on. Even then, with the little experience you said you had, you did an amazing job putting this successful event out. As the manager of this event, what qualities did you find were crucial in running an event?
I know this seems ironic, but patience. It is by far the most crucial characteristic to have. This is because when you are a leader, you will be working with and alongside a large number of people. No two people are the same. We each contribute new perspectives to the job and while I respect the different inputs from the bottom up it can sometimes be challenging to step up as a leader and make those important calls. I always try to show respect to the contributions of my team and other valued members involved in the fundraising event. This allows them to feel comfortable to engage with others in the team as well as myself to get the tasks required done. Having this relationship with them will ensure things run smoothly and it will make those who work with you give their utmost effort and enjoy their experience or at the very least, reduce their stress.
My experience on the team was quite enjoyable despite the stress that came with the work. While the stress is expected with any large production or project, I agree with you that it was reduced in part due to your efforts as well as the efforts of the hardworking team we were working alongside. Sounds cliché but it couldn’t have been done without them. With that said and as the leader of this team, what were some valuable qualities that you found in members that helped shape the team overall?
I think it was their ability to take on the responsibility, and then with that responsibility, taking it to completion to the best of their abilities. Having people that take initiative is what brings an event like this to fruition. I’m proud to say that the December 24 2020 team displayed this attribute exceptionally well. Each and every one of them were respectful and this made my task as a leader significantly easier. Another element that was important for me was to establish an environment where the team would feel comfortable enough to express their opinions and ideas freely. It took time for some to get used to however in the end, they were confidently expressing their ideas and this made decision-making effortless. Having members do all those things is what shapes a successful team and what inevitably leads to a successful event. This December 24 event uniquely required the assistance and contributions from such a wide variety of people within the community. It was amazing to see how everyone’s hard work has paid off and everyone who had a hand in making this event such a success should be proud of themselves.
Thank you and you should be happy with your hard work as well. Although this year was a challenge, you triumphantly led the team to success. Thank you for your time here and I am looking forward to another successful event from you and the team. Before we leave and for one last farewell to this event… Sabri min inta?
Sabri Ôr Sôrinta!!
Watch the full December 24 Annual Fundraising Event 2020 ‘Sabri Ôr Sôrinta / Patience, a Brilliant Virtue’ event below