Frontshop Nov '13 november 2013 | Page 20

MALARIA ERADICATING THE bite of Malaria e 8 Novemby r a What do Kingsley Holgate, hot Malaria D chicken, beer and Captain Morgan have in common? The answer is malaria, or rather the eradication of malaria in Africa through Goodbye Malaria. G oodbye Malaria is Nando's director Sherwin Charles’ responsibility for Nando’s as CEO of the company, Sonhos Social Capital, set up to deliver the campaign. He told Danette Breitenbach more. What is Goodbye Malaria? “It is a campaign set up to benefit two organisations that fight Malaria in Africa; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM).” How did it all start? “Over the years Nando’s has worked with Kingsley Holgate on the continent fighting Malaria. Through Holgate we were able to see and experience first-hand the plight of communities from Malaria. So despite the success of the bed net campaign with him, we felt more needed to be done. “In 2009 the Unite Against Malaria campaign was launched. It used the World Cup and footballers to deliver the Malaria message and became the official health campaign of the 2010 World Cup. It was so successful that it also became the official campaign of the Africa Cup of Nations and is supported by Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Mark Fish who performed in the closing ceremony.” How does it work? “Out of the Unite Against Malaria campaign we realised that we needed a call to action so we created and launched the Unite Against Malaria bracket. The philosophy around it is simple: to help communities considered unemployable and raise funds for Malaria. The bracket did both. “Selling for US$3, one dollar goes to the Global Fund, one dollar to the community who made it and one dollar to cover the cost and administration of the bracket. Since inception the campaign has contributed $650 000 to the Global Fund. The same amount has gone to the communities in Cape Town that make the bracelet. It’s an incredible story but the question was what next? "The answer was a global campaign that develops from the bracelet. This campaign would also support African entrepreneurs through the creation of an Africa product that could be sold across the world. The result was the Goodbye Malaria pyjamas. “Our idea is to celebrate World Malaria Day by highlighting our successes and the number of lives saved. We want to do this through concerts held globally, where the 20 | NOVEMBER 2013 frontShop concert goers wear their Goodbye Malaria pyjamas. “The first of such an event was held in Durban recently when Goodbye Malaria was launched in conjunction with the 6th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan-African Conference, that was held at the Durban International Convention Centre at the beginning of October. Yvonne Chaka Chaka preformed at the event and all the attendees wore their pyjamas." Challenges and goals “Right now our challenge is distribution. We will not be marketing directly to consumers but would like consumers to push the product. We would like to see businesses buy into the campaign and support it through participating by purchasing the pyjamas for their staff and staff wearing these to work on World Malaria Day. “The goal is for the product to become the equivalent of the Product Red campaign, which was started by Bono from U2 and ONE/DATA’s Bobby Shriver which raises funds for the elimination of