Charity is a big deal in South Africa. The amount that South Africans contribute to charity has increased 9% since 2013. Charity can be performed in a number of different ways. Volunteering one’s time to help others is a form of charity. So too is philanthropy. The most common form by far is individuals raising money, and these funds being pooled, and used by charities to fund their projects. In a international charity event, all of these forms have been united. And the result has been incredible.
The CEO Sleepout is an event held each year. It takes place in multiple cities around the world, including New York, London, and Sydney. On the night of the 18th of June, the annual series of charitable events began in Johannesburg, South Africa. The aim of the event is to encourage businesses and their leaders to look beyond profit as the only measurable positive outcome.
The Johannesburg sleep out was held in aid of Boys & Girls Town, a charity fighting child neglect and abuse. Each event has a fundraising target, and participants ensure that this is met. Each participant is required to donate 100,000 South African rand (around $8000), and individuals are able to donate online to support the cause.
Thursday night’s charity sleep out saw CEOs take to the streets of Johannesburg, and brave the cold to fight child neglect.
The fundraising for the event was entirely interactive. Not only could individuals volunteer and donate money online, they could also choose others to do so. People were able to nominate their colleagues or other people they knew to take part in the sleep out. They could then choose to donate money to that person’s cause, or directly to Girls & Boys Town, the beneficiary charity. The abuse and neglect of children is a serious problem in South Africa. Girls & Boys Town was established in 1958 to seriously combat this.
Sponsored by South Africa’s 702 radio station and Sun International leisure group, this was the first year the event has been held in South Africa. It has proven successful. Over 240 CEOs took part, and raised almost 23 million rand, all of which will better arm Boys and Girls Town to fight the issues facing South Africa’s children. 2015 may have seen the inaugural Johannesburg sleep out, but, judging by its success, it is unlikely to be the last.
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