FAQ

What is the primary objective of the campaign?

Rotary International’s No 1 Strategic Goal is to rid the world of Polio.  99% of the job is done but the last 1% is still a formidable challenge. The Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign will help Rotarians in Africa keep their eye on the “ball”. It is also vitally important for Rotarians to remain focused to raise the balance of the funds needed to match the $355million in challenging grants received from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Rotary is “This Close” to achieving its goal.

Why a “Kick Polio Out of Africa” campaign?

It seemed logical that with the biggest sporting event in the world being held for the first time on the continent of Africa that Rotarians should harness the energy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and use the medium of soccer and youth – most vulnerable to the virus – to promote the efforts of Rotary and its global partners in its final thrust to “Kick Polio Out of Africa” and the world.

What do you hope to achieve?

Create public awareness and membership opportunities for Rotary in Africa. A further positive spin-off is to build cohesion in Africa through collaborative teamwork and improved communication. As a ROTA initiative, the campaign is aligned to these specific goals..

When and where will the campaign be launched?

The Kick Polio Out of Africa awareness campaign will be launched on February 23 with the iconic landmark lighting event at the V&A Waterfront (amphitheatre) in Cape Town. A soccer ball signed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu will be “kicked-off” by a famous soccer player as part of the global EPN iconic landmark lighting campaign. The ball, symbolic of the Polio virus, will travel from Cape Town, South Africa, through 22 Polio-affected countries in Africa, exiting through Cairo. This is the biggest collaborative awareness campaign undertaken by Rotary in Africa.

Who will be driving the campaign?

The initiative is being driven by the Reach Out to Africa (ROTA) committee. The Project Coordinator is June Webber, a member of the ROTA (Southern Region) committee corpcon@global.co.za. National PolioPlus Committee Chairs (NPPCs) will coordinate activities – organising media events (ideally football related) – sign the ball and send it onwards.

How long will the project take?

The time frame is four months – approximately five days is allocated to each country.

Who are your sponsors?

The primary sponsor for this campaign is DHL Express.

GraphicWerx Advertising & Design kindly provided the campaign logo.