The Brief

Target: both existing and new people. Dignity for Children’s Harvest Centre (run by pastor Rev Elisha and Petrina Satvinder) gives a quality education to street kids, stateless and refugee children; even provides dorms for those who need a place to sleep. But funding was short; and very few people knew of them. Insight: Malaysians give generously if they know the charity makes real and positive changes.

Creative Execution

This execution is particularly relevant - as the “exercise book” is part of every Malaysian child’s growing up experience. At the same time, Malaysians like to know charities spend the donations wisely and frugally. Adult Malaysians connected well with the cheap exercise book, handwritten true stories and child-like doodles. Kids using these exercise books in school get playful happy daily reminders of hope and faith.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

The creative solution: “Seeds of Change” – true stories on how street kids end up, not as drug addicts, criminals or beggars, but as teachers, electricians etc – came from Petrina Shee, who runs the Dignity for Children Foundation, and knows each child personally. Each story is written in part of an exercise book (the cheap, standard book with a brown paper cover all Malaysian kids do their homework in), complete with doodles and handwritten scribbles to illustrate what each kid went through. The exercise book’s remaining pages can be used as a normal exercise book.

Results

Sponsorship by banks, embassies and individuals increased. Also caught the eye of Pearson Longman (a leading publisher) & collaboration on sponsored production of these books is in progress. In April 2012, journalist Allan Koay with Malaysia’s leading English-language newspaper, The Star, picked up this story and dedicated four full pages to Harvest Centre’s Dignity For Children.