Durban, KwaZulu-Natal: It was a weekend to remember, following the launch of the much-anticipated Change in Action NPO Fair. The Fair, which took place on the 24, 25 and 26 March 2023, at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping, brought 20 selected NPOs together, as they were afforded a fantastic opportunity to showcase what they do for the community and use their marketing skills to take their organisations to greater heights in the future.
It was a natural decision for the Hollywood Foundation to partner with We are Durban Social Upliftment NPC, Gateway Theatre of Shopping and East Coast Radio for this initiative, given its commitment to community upliftment. In Durban, there are in excess of 3 500 organisations, who are operating at various levels and offering various services to empower individuals from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds. The reality is that many of these NPOs lack the basic marketing skills and resources to attract more assistance from the public. The purpose of the Fair was to highlight the good efforts being done by these organisations and give the public an opportunity to assist and support them, either by volunteering their time or making a meaningful donation.
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The launch of the Change in Action NPO Fair began with a Networking Breakfast, where various stakeholders and businessowners had an opportunity to interact and get a first glimpse of the newly-branded NPO stands. Following a successful training workshop on 10 March 2023 at Olive Tree Church in Florida Road, the 20 selected NPOs, including the Bright Eyes Trust, the Seed Fund, Highway Hospice and Peace Players, put their marketing skills to the test as they engaged with the public and confidently spoke about the services that they offer to improve livelihoods.
“The Change in Action NPO Fair is two-fold. It’s basically putting the changes into community in action, so that these NPOs can now be armed to go out into the community and make a bigger difference, coupled with the knowledge and contacts that they have gained. It also brings about change in action for community members, such as ourselves, to get more involved and find out what we can do to affect change in our communities, and how we can partner with these NPOs to make a difference,” said Ayesha Sewbaran, the Campaign Manager for Excellerate Brand Management.
“The main aim of the Change in Action NPO Fair is to allow the public to see the incredible work that NPOs are doing. It is showcasing the variety of Durban, and the ability of people to bring about change. It allows the public to come and see how they can volunteer, how they can access the service, or how they can donate to become part of the change in Durban,” said Linda Morrison, the Managing Director for We are Durban. “What has been really wonderful about this project from our side, is the fact that we have been able to bring different parts of society together: corporates, governments, NPOs, and the general public. It is only through all of these areas working together, that we will see change in action and change in our communities,” said Meghan Hourquebie, the Operations Manager for the Hollywood Foundation.
