Refilwe Community Project: Leveraging IoT for Charity

Technology Category

Sensors - Camera / Video Systems

Applicable Industries

Equipment & Machinery
Finance & Insurance

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development
Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Time Sensitive Networking

The Challenge

The Refilwe Community Project, a South African charity for disadvantaged and vulnerable children, was facing challenges in producing marketing and fundraising materials. The charity, which supports over 200 children and infants, is heavily dependent on donations and has to make the most of volunteered services and thinly-stretched staff. The process of outsourcing graphic design and video production was not only costly but also time-consuming, with a lot of back and forth with external designers or video producers. This was slowing down the approval process and increasing production time. The charity needed a solution that would allow them to be self-sufficient, save money, and cut down on production time without compromising on the quality of their marketing materials.

About The Customer

The Refilwe Community Project is a multi-focused initiative serving the informal settlements surrounding the town of Lanseria outside Johannesburg, South Africa. Named after the Tswana word meaning “gift”, the charity focuses on offering a hand up, rather than a hand out. From caring for abandoned babies to supporting early development for pre-schoolers, as well as providing after-school care linked to a recycling project, the charity supports over 200 children and infants. Children in the After Care Centre have to collect and bring recyclable material in order to participate in the programme. They are paid for these materials in “Mulas”, a fictitious currency which can be exchanged for stationery, food or personal care items.

The Solution

The charity turned to CorelDRAW and Corel VideoStudio Pro to produce all their marketing and fundraising materials in-house. These tools offered a range of features that made it easy for the charity to create a vast array of marketing materials, including videos, slide shows, banners, business cards, and annual reports. Donor Relations Manager Corné Engelbrecht, who had previous experience with CorelDRAW, used the software to produce banners for promotional events, create thank you letters, business cards, posters, and stickers. With Corel VideoStudio Pro, he was able to compile slideshows and videos that demonstrated the crucial work the Refilwe Community Project was undertaking. The use of these tools not only saved the charity money but also reduced the time taken to produce these materials, as there was no longer a need for back and forth with external designers.

Operational Impact

The use of CorelDRAW and Corel VideoStudio Pro has had a significant impact on the operations of the Refilwe Community Project. The charity has been able to become self-sufficient in producing their own marketing and fundraising materials, which has not only saved them money but also time. This has allowed them to focus more on their core mission of supporting disadvantaged and vulnerable children. The quality of their marketing materials has not been compromised, allowing them to effectively raise awareness of their cause and appeal for donations. Furthermore, the charity has been able to foster awareness and procure donations through weekly promotional events at Lanseria International Airport, where they use the banners and slideshows created with the software.

Quantitative Benefit

Saved significant amounts of money by producing marketing and fundraising materials in-house
Reduced production time by eliminating the need for back and forth with external designers
Increased efficiency in the approval process of marketing materials