Abandoned by their families, malnourished before they give birth, Women in some parts of India are 80 times more likely than women in the UK to die in childbirth, the vast majority of these deaths are preventable. As a result, 43% of children in some parts of India under-three suffer from malnutrition – a figure worse than in many African countries.
Child in Need India (CINI) makes a big difference to the lives of children and mothers in India. By focussing on the first 1,000 days of a child’s life (including pregnancy) it helps women access the nutrition and healthcare they need during pregnancy. CINI’s health workers make regular visits to the homes of sponsored women and teach them a variety of key skills, including maintaining health during pregnancy, how to make nutritious meals on a tight budget and hygiene measures to prevent infections.
As communications consultant to the charity, I led the trustees in a messaging session to devise new – more accessible – ways of talking about the work of the charity to UK audiences. I designed a UK communications strategy which culminated in a celebrity fundraising dinner with Jade Jagger and a fundraising appeal broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Mothers’ Day 2012.
Web traffic as a result of the new campaign was up 14% year-on-year, with the time spent on the website also up 64% to over 3 minutes and bounce rates drastically reduced. The appeal itself generated tens of thousands of pounds from new donors to CINI.
Ramblings Of A PR 