Within five days of sharing an article on social media, Sanam Maher, a journalist, was able to raise her initial estimate of Rs300,000. It was enough to purchase essentials for the players, but the flow of donations surpassed Rs500,000. Never mind, this extra amount could be used for the boxing tournaments.

Maher went to Lyari, a neighbourhood in Karachi known for gang violence and sports stars, particularly footballers and boxers, with the intention of bringing up an exclusive story about Pakistan’s first all-girls boxing training programme. There she saw a bunch of girls learning how to box in a small, cramped place, clad in everyday clothes, slippers and sandals. There were no boxing gloves or shoes nor floor mats or, above all, a boxing ring, to experience what life is within those ropes. However, one thing was clear; it was their passion.

Overwhelmed by their determination to pursue their goals with minimum facilities, Maher wanted to do something for them. “It was not only about my profile, but doing something tangible to make a difference in their lives,” Maher said. “It is so amazing how people not only in Pakistan but all over the world have responded to my call,” she added.

The concept of crowd funding which enables one to raise money online has made it easier to make pledges to the cause. Money collection is not a problem now, giving through the social network has become as simple as following a couple of links. “With less hassle involved it was thoughtful to begin my first fundraising campaign,” Maher said.

Online fund raising campaigns are popular because donors know exactly where their money goes

“It is a great opportunity to spread the word on the social network and let everyone get involved at the push of the button,” Mohammad Jibran Nasir, a human rights activist and founder of Elaj (a social welfare trust), emphasised. “It is just about tapping in the right audience.”

The secret to the effectiveness of social media activism is consecutively being used with other mediums for better understanding with the donors. “The reaction of the people in terms of generosity depends on how much the issue is blown up by traditional media. People here become impulsive with the moving images,” added Nasir.

For the social activist, collecting funds for the flood-affected areas and victims of Karachi’s heat stroke last year was much easier as these issues were covered widely by other media outlets whereas the destruction caused by the recent earthquake was sidelined for the political discourse. Thousands of houses in the areas of Dir, Swat and Chitral were destroyed which forced 350 families to live in the open in sub-zero temperatures.

So through social media he raised a voice highlighting the misery of the people up north through strong visuals on his page. Nasir is also an avid sharer of videos and photos of the good that has come from the donations to let the people envision the effect their donations can have on the community.

Connectivity ratio is increasing each year in Pakistan. The growth rate has risen from 10pc in 2007 to more than 16pc now, as quoted in reference to the World Bank statistics. Similarly, as per the estimate of the Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan the number of the internet users has reached 25 million.

As much as the movements for bigger causes have been driven, social media activism has unleashed the unheard voices of the marginalised groups in the community. Shami Baba is an unofficial tour guide of historical places in Lahore since 1956. He lived in a small one-room quarter under pitiable conditions. At the frail age he is now, his earnest desire is to find comfort in his own house which is estimated to cost Rs1,100, 000.

He was lucky to meet Aurangzeb Haneef, then a teacher at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, who started the campaign “Build a home for Shami, a guide of Lahore” on Facebook. “It made complete sense to connect with a thread that reaches the local community who must have seen the man once,” Haneef explained. “It was a huge amount, with hidden expenditures.”

His page is a step-by-step guide for the followers to keep them informed how the money is being used in the construction of the house. “It is to gain the confidence of the donors; they can know right away where their money is being utilised,” Haneef underlined. “Sharing evidence makes the procedure transparent.”

“It is about legitimacy. Donors entrusts their money to us, they have the right to know too, but it is also about the repute of the fundraiser. If you have been honest and done well, people will not hesitate to hand over their money to you next time,” Nasir added.

A lot of people say that they cannot trust charities working in Pakistan. “We are notorious for taking monetary favours in the name of welfare work. But you never know how much money actually go to the deserving people,” Zahrah, a housewife living abroad, regretted. “These so-called NGOs have personal driven interests.”

“Let me tell you the truth. Online donation has sorted out the problem of accountability. At least we can now know who is exactly using our money and for what,” she added. “I can give with confidence now.”

The popularity of online donations is changing the way of participation in charity work. It is just that we need to think differently. And it’s the same approach that made the summer ‘Ice bucket challenge’ so unavoidable and successful.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, January 31st, 2016