It’s tough raising funds these days. There are so many worthy causes, so many desperates stories and just so much of a donor pie to go around.
Outdoor advertising company, AdReach, have decided to lend a helping hand to to the Sunshine Association, an NGO that takes care of children with disabilities, by using its own speciality to raise awareness, and funds, for the charity.
The creative team has designed a series of street pole ad, which run in succession in order to create a unified message. The first poster makes the statement that ‘all children have dreams’, referring to the hopes and ambitions that most young children have for their futures. The second poster states that, ‘some children have obstacles’, alluding to the fact that many children face barriers along the way, making their aspirations that much harder to achieve. The third and final poster invites the public to assist these children in ‘realising their dreams’, by sending an sms charged at R10, to serve as a donation to the Association.
The Sunshine Association, in partnership with parents and communities, comprises five Johannesburg-based training and early intervention centres committed to the development and inclusion of children with intellectual, physical and developmental disabilities and delays. [www.sunshine.org.za/]
The series can be seen on 30 street poles in east and northern Johannesburg. “This campaign provides a wonderful opportunity to raise the much needed funding which will enable children with disabilities access to our services, which parents are often unable to afford due to unemployment and poverty. This fundraising will also allow us to continue providing nutritious meals to these children, many of whom are on medication and require proper feeding,” says Ruth Phiri of the Sunshine Association.
“The Sunshine Association is tremendously grateful for this invaluable contribution and also plans to use this opportunity to create awareness around disability and the services offered by the Sunshine Association, which are aimed at supporting and strengthening children with disabilities, as well as their families and communities.”
According to the South African White Paper, concerning the Integrated National Disability Strategy, Early intervention is an effective way to help children catch up or address specific developmental concerns as soon as possible in their lives. Children with disabilities who receive early intervention services show significant developmental progress as early as one year later, and families report increased confidence in their ability to deal with their child.
One of the primary aims of the Sunshine Association has always been providing early intervention and stimulation for children with disabilities, as well as support for the parents of these children. “The fact of the matter is that, the earlier we identify children with disabilities and provide highly effective evidence-based interventions, the better chance they have of reaching their full potential,” says Phiri.
This campaign will run until October 2011.