Case study contributed by our Interdirect partner from Madrid, Response JPS.

Save the Children is a leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the world. Our Interdirect partner, Response JPS, was tasked with finding new ways to raise funds, create awareness of SAVE THE CHILDREN amongst the youth and promote the concept of solidarity.

The agency was tasked with reaching out to hundreds of schools to organize a Solidarity Race to raise funds for children in Ethiopia.

A significant challenge was to involve the influencers of the education sector and motivating them to teach values of charity and consolidate the Solidarity Race as part of the school’s activities. Teachers, school directors, students and their families had to be reached out to in scale.

The creative strategy involved messaging the runners – potentially students and teachers - to find sponsors among their family and friends who would pay them a certain amount of Euros for each kilometer they run. Once the race has been run, the school would have to stamp the runner's booklet confirming the number of kilometers run. The runners would then claim the money from their sponsors and donate the funds to the school. The school would be responsible to remit the funds to Save the Children, and extend personalized diplomas for the students.

Campaign tasks included list building, outreach through invitations, delivery of all the material necessary to organize the Race (runners' numbers, educational unit for activities in class, "runners booklet", "thank-you diploma" for the school and each runner) and mailing of a report with the Results to each participating school. Campaign elements also included the magazine "Los Más Jóvenes Solidarias" to be sent out to each runner.

Results: This Solidarity Race is an annual event. The 3rd Solidarity Race held in 2007, attracted 150,000 participants from 632 schools with the collaboration of 9,221 teachers.