ISOC aim for record total at Charity Week

One of De Montfort Students’ Union (DSU)’s largest societies is looking to raise more money than ever for orphans across the globe this year.

The Islamic Society (ISOC) is once again taking part in the national Charity Week project between Saturday 22 and Sunday 30 October – but they need the help of their fellow De Montfort University (DMU) students to raise more than ever before to help needy children from around the world.

Ismail Abdulmolla, General Secretary of ISOC, said: “DMU ISOC is known to raise large amounts during Charity Week – we usually come first in the midlands region but last year we came second to Keele University.

“The most we have ever raised during Charity Week is over £22,000! Our aim this year is to beat that record and we can only do it with your help.”

Charity Week is a non-profit organisation that works in association with Islamic Relief and volunteers across the country to raise money for orphans and needy children around the world by acting according to Islamic principles.

Projects in Syria, Gaza, Bangladesh and to help child refugees across Europe are among those supported by the organisation.

You can also catch ISOC talking about Charity Week on the first episode of VP Student Activities Ahtesham's new vlog series.

Ismail continued: “In 2003, a young group of students had the vision to bring people together by uniting them for one cause. They maintained that by joining forces and working together, a bigger impact can be made on those suffering around the world.

“With this in mind, they came up with a project called Charity Week. The project began in 2004 with 20 university Islamic Societies combining to raise £30,000 for orphans and needy children.

“Over the years Charity Week has spread across the country, uniting the students and making a real change to raise money in order to fund sustainable projects. Not only is Charity Week growing across the United Kingdom, but also it has spread overseas to Canada, Germany and Qatar with the potential to continue growing!”

ISOC will be holding a number of events including organising cultural stalls, sporting events and culminating in climbing Mount Snowdon in Wales. All money raised will be donated to Charity Week.

Ahtesham Mahmood, VP Student Activities at DSU, said: “I am very confident because ISOC have a massive tradition of raising a massive total.

“Each year they pull together as a huge machine driven by such a great cause – to raise money for orphans across the world – and the student body here is really responsive to that and they donate with open hearts.”

You can find out more about the events planned plus keep up to date with the running total on ISOC’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

ISOC raised a total of £7,212.62 during Charity Week 2015 and were ranked second of all groups in the whole Midlands in terms of money raised.