When the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Trust Sibongile Mkhabela announced in May that a R1 billion specialist hospital will be built in Johannesburg, media houses came on board and pledged their support to broadcast adverts needed to assist in creating awareness at no cost. 

Industry expert and member of the NMCH Capital Campaign Strategy Team Andy Rice was among those who helped make the concept a reality.

”We approached icons Graça Machel and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who are chairperson of the Hospital Trust and Patron, respectively, to record the PSA. TV and radio stations, as well as print publications were approached to broadcast and publish the adverts to raise awareness about the fundraising drive for the hospital,” said Rice.

The advert Give a Gift to Madiba advert opens with Nelson Mandela’s voice highlighting the plight of child healthcare on the African continent and Mrs Machel ends with call to action and how everyone can donate towards building only on the fifth dedicated children’s hospital in Africa.

Mkhabela thanked the media for their support in helping to make the hospital a reality.

“We are humbled and overwhelmed by the support media have given to this ambitious project that Tata has asked for and we look forward to breaking ground in November this year,” she said. “This hospital will be the realisation of a dream for Madiba, and will benefit all children of Sub-Saharan Africa from when it opens in 2014, and for generations to come.”

The ad will be seen on e.tv and M-Net Channels. SABC TV channels also flighted music video of two songs recorded by local musicians to celebrate Madiba’s Birthday in July.

Radio stings will feature on Capricorn FM, MPower FM, Kaya FM, YFM, as well as Radio 2000 and various SABC radio stations. The print ad was published in City Press for two weeks and on their website, as well as international medical journals published by MedSpec.

Mkhabela concluded: “Just as Madiba is the father of the nation, we invite the whole nation to take part in his legacy. It is important that every one of us, mobilises our peers, religious groups, schools and communities, to contribute to building this, our hospital – a hospital where no child will be turned away because they cannot afford treatment.

To make a donation to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, SMS ‘GIFT’  to  40301 or visit www.nelsonmandelachildrenshospital.org.