# TrollAid ensures online trolls promote fundraising for refugees

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/01/26/trollaid-ensures-abusive-online-posters-promote-fundraising-for-refugees/
- Published: 2016-01-26T12:48:36+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The Calais Action Group have come up with a way to make positive fundraising use
of the abusive comments that the organisation receives on its Facebook page.**

‘[TrollAid](https://www.youcaring.com/calais-action-510175)‘ is “a way for trolls
to directly raise money for refugees”.

Every time a “troll” or abusive person posts a negative post on their page the organisation
posts a link to its fundraising page as a comment underneath. The group say:

## Advertisement

> “These guys give their time to adding something to the refugee crisis, so we’d
> like to be able to give something back to them”.

Indeed, Calais Action Group invite supporters to leave a message for the trolls,
and check to see how much a particular troll has raised.

The fundraising link takes you to the TrollAid page on crowdfunding site YouCaring.
The fundraising target for TrollAid is £1,000 and they have already nearly raised
the first £100.

[Calais Action Group](https://www.facebook.com/calaisaction/) is a grassroots giving
network supporting refugees in Calais and Europe.
 

## Wunsiedel wonder

TrollAid is similar to an online swear jar, although of course the trolls are not
donating anything, beyond promotion of a fundraising message.

The citizens of the German town of Wunsiedel won praise for a similar creative approach
that turned a march by neo-Nazis into a sponsored fundraising walk to raise funds
for EXIT-Germany, a charity that helps members of the far-right who want to leave
the movement and start a new life.

Indeed, the campaign won an [award for ZDK Society Democratic Culture](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/10/27/fundraisers-from-germany-india-and-kenya-recognised-in-global-awards-for-fundraising/)
at the International Fundraising Congress in October 2015.

Residents were encouraged to donate 10 euros to the charity for every metre walked
by the extremists.