introducing bobi in the community
On the 20th April 2011, Dee launched BOBI in the the community, a social collaboration formed on the premise that there is not problem so great, that it can't be solved through 'creative strategic engagement'.
Three key focus areas for BOBI in the community:
1) Facilitating strategic solutions for big social challenges.
2) Business and brand strategic mentorship for entrepreneurs.
3) Empowering the youth to create their ideal future through strategy & creativity.
Three key focus areas for BOBI in the community:
1) Facilitating strategic solutions for big social challenges.
2) Business and brand strategic mentorship for entrepreneurs.
3) Empowering the youth to create their ideal future through strategy & creativity.
Social collaboration projects to date
2018 - Launch of Courage Child Protection NPC & the Show of Courage
In 2018, during Child Protection Week, I registered Courage as a stand alone not for profit company or NPC. The launched event was an art exhibition that included both large and small works of art which were either sold or auctioned on the night. All proceeds from the evening went towards the purchasing of Courage Toolkits for child protection organisations that I continue to engage with using the Courage Child Protection & Empowerment process and philosophy. For more information please see www.couragechildprotection.com
2017 - RIP Abandoned babies
For Child Protection Week 2017 we created the 'RIP Abandoned Baby Campaign' to raise awareness about the plight of abandoned babies. Recent stats from the Johannesburg morgues indicated that only 1 in 3 abandoned babies live. A study conducted by the South African Research Council in 2016 found that a child was most likely to be murdered in South Africa in the first 6 days of their life due to child abandonment. Posters were co-branded with our CYCC/Baby Home and Places of Safety partners. and placed in high traffic areas near the baby safes and homes to offer clear directions to where they are situated. A few posters were also placed on previous sites of abandonments. Our aim was to make desperate mothers/parents experiencing crisis pregnancies aware of the organisations who could assist them at this difficult time. We also wanted to stimulate national conversation and debate about issues of baby abandonment. The creative concept references the remembrance crosses one often sees next to South African roads, marking the spot where a loved one passed away, presumably due to a vehicle accident.
2016 - Nelson Mandela Day Care Crib
In 2016 we created the Choose to Care 'Care Crib' for Nelson Mandela’s, as a way to create awareness and support around mothers and young teens experiencing a crisis pregnancy. The Care Crib was inspired by the Finnish Baby Box, a box filled with clothing and baby accessories, in the hopes that it would help prevent child abandonment cases and encourage the mother to bond with her child as she will be provided with the basic necessities to help her in the first few weeks of her babies life. The cardboard crib was designed and sponsored by Mpact and filled by various corporate companies for their contribution towards Mandela Day 2016 on the 18th July. Each Care Crib given out was accompanied by a distribution form so that we could keep stats on where and who our boxes had helped and send a report to our sponsors.
2015 - 16 Days of Activism Child Abandonment Campaign
To highlight the issue of child abandonment we made and 'abandoned over 1500 baby dolls at key community hubs during 2015’s 16 Days of Activism week. Each doll contained in a paper packet with an information flyer that detailed that the baby doll had been abandoned and the challenge of abandonment and late abortion in South Africa. It highlighted the importance of not getting angry with, or blaming, the mother as she is often a victim of poverty, rape and trauma, and four key areas where people can get involved and take action. Key abandonment hubs included popular shopping malls, universities and media houses. The campaign generated R4 million in free PR for the Choose to Care helpline and won an Assegai direct marketing award.
2015 - Choose to Care Crisis Pregnancy Campaign
I have been wanting to launch a crisis pregnancy campaign ever since I saw the picture of a newborn baby who had been abandoned and died in Soweto, in The Times newspaper in 2010. June 18th, 2015 finally saw this wish becoming a reality. In partnership with the National Adoption Coalition of SA and our wonderful communication partners, Lesoba Difference, Mediology, TS Communications and the MXiT team, we launched Choose to Care, a campaign aimed at changing attitudes from the shaming and blaming of women experiencing a crisis pregnancy, to one of care and compassion. In just 1 month, our MXit App has more than 15 000 members and we have fielded over 500 direct queries from young women experiencing a crisis pregnancy. See our print ads below and listen to a discussion I had on Channel Africa Now about the campaign:
May 2015 - Piloting & Launching Courage Child Protection
After speaking at the Nordic Adoption Council's Conference in 2013 on my research and community engagement efforts, I was approached by Adoption Sentrum Sweden and NACSA to develop a globally relevant community engagement programme aimed at addressing all child protection challenges. The project was started in June 2014, and launched in May 2015 for Child Protection Week. The full programme is available for downloading at www.couragechildprotection.com, however, a simple electronic version is available for downloading below.
| courage_electronic_toolkit.pdf |
May 2014 - Sharing insights with the National Adoption Coalition for Child Protection Week
| db_research_pres_short.ppt |
2014 - New Research on Child Abandonment in South Africa
Following a dream I have had for years, I finally registered to do my Masters in Anthropology full time in 2013, through course work and a thesis. The subject of my thesis was trying to understand child abandonment and adoption in the context of African ancestral beliefs in contemporary urban Johannesburg, South Africa. My field work was conducted primarily in Alexandra, Soweto and Tembisa Townships around Johannesburg and took place from March 2013 to February 2014. I finally handed my thesis in in March, and have just been awarded my Masters Degree with distinction. We will be using the insights from the research in the National Adoption Coalition to inform a new campaign aimed at unplanned and crisis pregnancy, to expand on our community engagement programme and as input to our conference planned for the end of the year, around finding a more culturally relevant approach to adoption in SA. My thesis is below should you like to read it.
| sad_bad_&_mad_-_exploring_child_abandonment_in_sa_dee_blackie_masters_thesis_2014.pdf |
2013 - New Addoption TV Ad
Thanks to all of the usual suspects for all your hard work in making this new TV ad happen, especially Pam and Annemie for guiding the process forward, and a number of new members to the NACSA team, Frieze Films for the creative treatment and
production of the TV advert (Liz you are a star!), Old Shanghai Firecracker Factory (Gary, what would we do without you) for their
brilliant creative conceptualisation and production of the TV and radio
campaign, Mediology for their long-term support to negotiate
media space and Dell Computer for their R50 000 sponsorship of hard
costs.
2011 - Imagine Being Love Campaign
In partnership with the AVSA team, the launch of the Imagine Being Love adoption national awareness campaign. The focus of the campaign is to raise awareness for the nearly 2 million orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children in South Africa and the need to find the permanent loving homes and families.
The 360 degree campaign uses TV, film, print, outdoor, radio and PR to reach a broad South African target market, our partners have contributed all of their time on a pro-bono basis and the campaign in now valued at over R10 million!
The exceptional AVSA team is made up of the following partners:
Rainmaker Consulting - Programme strategy, development and management.
Lesoba Difference - Strategic and creative campaign development.
Mediology - Media strategy, planning, negotiations and placement.
Theresa Setas - PR and publicity generation.
Ornico - Media tracking.
Xfacta - Print production support.
The 360 degree campaign uses TV, film, print, outdoor, radio and PR to reach a broad South African target market, our partners have contributed all of their time on a pro-bono basis and the campaign in now valued at over R10 million!
The exceptional AVSA team is made up of the following partners:
Rainmaker Consulting - Programme strategy, development and management.
Lesoba Difference - Strategic and creative campaign development.
Mediology - Media strategy, planning, negotiations and placement.
Theresa Setas - PR and publicity generation.
Ornico - Media tracking.
Xfacta - Print production support.
2011 - Imagine Being Love TV Commercial
My very dear friend Nkhensani Nkosi, of Stoned Cherrie, offered to appear on our TV commercial as an ambassador for the Imagine Being Love adoption awareness campaign.
The commercial has been flighted extensively in South Africa on TV, in Cinema and on commuter buses.
The commercial has been flighted extensively in South Africa on TV, in Cinema and on commuter buses.
2011 - Adoption assistance centre
In partnership with the AVSA team, the launch of a National Adoption Assistance Centre, with a 24 hour 0800 line and a website for all queries pertaining to adoption and crisis pregnancy in South Africa. To date we have addressed more than 600 direct queries relating to adoption (90%) and crisis pregnancy (10%). Our call centre partner is O'Keef & Swart who have sponsored a dedicated office and call centre team, and Ten 2 One designed and manage our website.
Visit: http://www.adoption.org.za/
Visit: http://www.adoption.org.za/
2011 - Seeds of Africa
In partnership with the Seeds of Africa executive team, Dee trained 50 grass-roots entrepreneurs in business and brand strategy, assisting them to develop a vision for their brands, and to understand good business practice:
1) Run a GOOD business (in both management and sustainability principles)
2) Know your market (an introduction to market insight)
3) Position yourself well (using Infinite Possibility as both a vision and empowerment tool)4) Engage constantly (the importance of customer, community, investor and employee engagement)
Visit: http://www.seedsofafrica.co.za/
1) Run a GOOD business (in both management and sustainability principles)
2) Know your market (an introduction to market insight)
3) Position yourself well (using Infinite Possibility as both a vision and empowerment tool)4) Engage constantly (the importance of customer, community, investor and employee engagement)
Visit: http://www.seedsofafrica.co.za/
2011 - National Adoption Coalition of SA
In partnership with the heads of a number of national adoption organisations, Dee facilitated a 2 day workshop that led to the formation of a National Adoption Coalition for South Africa. Dee still works extensively with the NAC as a strategic consultant, facilitator and project manager.
Visit: http://www.adoptioncoalitionsa.org/
Visit: http://www.adoptioncoalitionsa.org/
2010 - Jo'burg Child Welfare Infinite Possibility Workshops
During the Jo'burg Child Welfare Centenary year, we thought it important to ensure that all employees of JCW have an opportunity to engage with the new vision of the organisation, and become the 'Hope Connection', in each of their communities. With this in mind, Dee conducted 7 workshops with over 200 JCW employees at their various homes around the city, using her Infinite Possibility personal empowerment methodology.
This was a truly life changing experience for Dee and the participants in the workshop and led to the formation of the BOBI in the Community initiative.
This was a truly life changing experience for Dee and the participants in the workshop and led to the formation of the BOBI in the Community initiative.
2010 - Adoption Voice SA
Dee joined the team of Adoption Voice South Africa, a group of committed adoption and communication specialists who aim to raise awareness for the more than 2 million orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children of South Africa.
2010 - The Mhakazi Trust
In partnership with the trust's founder, Dr Lulu Gwagwa, the development of a brand vision and identity for the Mhakazi Trust for the Kromhoek Community, on the border of the Easter Cape and KwaZulu Natal.
Visit: http://www.epafrica.com/index.php/african-speakers-bureau/speakers/88-lulu-gwagwa
Visit: http://www.epafrica.com/index.php/african-speakers-bureau/speakers/88-lulu-gwagwa
2009 - The Mountain Club of South Africa
The Mountain Club of South Africa was formed in 1891, making it one of South Africa's first environmental protection organsations. We developed a new vision for the organisation, and applied this to a detailed implementation plan for the club.
Visit: http://cen.mcsa.org.za
Visit: http://cen.mcsa.org.za
2009 - Shwe Shwe Kids
The development of a business and brand strategy for the Shwe Shwe Kids project, a pre-school media and entertainment brand based on the Shwe Shwe Poppies Soweto Community Project.
Visit: http://www.shweshwepoppis.com
Visit: http://www.shweshwepoppis.com
2008 - Jo'burg Child Welfare
The development of a centenary vision for Jo'burg Child Welfare, the oldest child welfare organisation in South Africa. This process was supported by the development of a donor and beneficiary segmentation, product portfolio strategy and communication strategy development. Dee continues to support Jo'burg Child Welfare on a number of fund raising efforts.
Visit: http://www.jhbchildwelfare.org.za/
Visit: http://www.jhbchildwelfare.org.za/
2008 - Community Policing Forum
The development of a new brand vision for the Community Policing Forum, in collaboration with two community/police partnerships from Parkview & Soweto.
2008 - South Africa The Good News
The facilitation of a strategic innovation and visioning workshop for South Africa The Good News, in partnership with its founder and CEO, Steuart Pennington, and its agency MorrisJones. The aim of SA The Good News is to get people from all over the world to celebrate the successes of this amazing country, by focussing on its positive news and achievements on a weekly basis and through a range of coffee table books.
Visit: http://www.sagoodnews.co.za
Visit: http://www.sagoodnews.co.za
2008 - Action for a safe South Africa
In partnership with the CSIR, and MorrisJones, the development of a brand vision strategy for 'Action for a Safe South Africa'. The aim of this initiative was to change how all South African's to think, act and spend in their response to crime and violence, from reactive and punitive, to proactive and positive.
Visit: http://www.safesouthafrica.org.za
Visit: http://www.safesouthafrica.org.za
2008 - Homecoming Revolution
In partnership with their CEO and founding agency, MorrisJones, the development of a communication strategy and campaign for the Homecoming Revolutions 2007 UK Road Show. The aim of Homecoming Revolution is to try and convince all displaced South African's to return home to South Africa, following our first democratic elections of 1994.
Visit: http://www.homecomingrevolution.co.za
Visit: http://www.homecomingrevolution.co.za
2008 - Children in the Wilderness
In partnership with the the Wilderness Safaris team, the development of the Children in the Wilderness business and brand strategy including a donor and beneficiary segmentation, product portfolio strategy and a vision strategy that supported the overall Wilderness Safari's offering.
Visit: http://www.childreninthewilderness.com
Visit: http://www.childreninthewilderness.com
2007 - Brands & Branding On-line
The development of a new brand vision and identity for the Brands & Branding On-line offering, with the aim of providing marketers and branders with an on-line information resource and library of South Africa's brand history.
Visit: http://www.brandsandbranding-online.co.za
Visit: http://www.brandsandbranding-online.co.za
2006 - Platinum Ring
In partnership with its founder, and many of the young men she was helping, the development of a business and brand vision and identity for Platinum Ring, a charity aimed at supporting and developing the young men of South Africa, who had been neglected during and after the apartheid struggle... in the words of one of the young men in my workshop, "they said fight now, education later, but now they have forgotten us!"
1997 - Amelia's children
After reading about Amelia Poswa in a magazine article, Dee embarked on a fundraising effort for her children's home in Mfuleni just outside Cape Town.
Dee managed to get a donation of a years supply of Peanut Butter from Black Cat, one of her clients at Ogilvy & Mather at the time, she also raised funds for Amelia to get a designer dress for a gala awards dinner she was invited to, and created a legacy model to represent her home and work, that was buried in a time capsule for the event.
Visit: http://www.theameliaproject.com
Dee managed to get a donation of a years supply of Peanut Butter from Black Cat, one of her clients at Ogilvy & Mather at the time, she also raised funds for Amelia to get a designer dress for a gala awards dinner she was invited to, and created a legacy model to represent her home and work, that was buried in a time capsule for the event.
Visit: http://www.theameliaproject.com
