To Market We Go | Life Is Short. Make A Difference.
Six Words
Life Is Short. Make A Difference. Powerful, simple, succinct, motivating, true. These are the six words that keep OneKid OneWorld beating. OKOW is a client and I wanted share with you what they do and how they use digital marketing to tell their story by interviewing co-founder Josh Bycel.
OneKid OneWorld provides a foundation for education in impoverished communities throughout Kenya and Central America by giving children from primary school up through secondary school the opportunity for a better and brighter future. We go into schools in very rural areas that are barely surviving and we get them what they need to, not only, survive another day…but our work also gives communities hope for a brighter future. - Founders Tracy McCubbin & Josh Bycel
Q & A With Josh
As the founder of OneKid OneWorld, what was the impetus for forming this organization?
My parents had been in the Peace Corps in Uganda before I was born and I spent my childhood watching slide shows and hearing stories about their time in Africa. It was truly transformational for them…so I think I had it in my blood. I also wanted to start something small that I knew would be very targeted and be able to have an impact at a grassroots community level.
OKOW focuses on Kenya and Central America. How do the needs of the children in these countries differ or are they very similar?
They are similar in some ways and then vastly different in many other instances. They both have a great need for infrastructure…new classrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, libraries, etc. They also both need help getting things like books, desks, sports equipment and school supplies. In Kenya, access to clean, fresh water is a huge issue…so that is why we build water catchment systems and partner with water organizations. Also, Kenya has had to deal with the devastating effects of the HIV and AIDS crisis…especially in Western Kenya, on the shores of Lake Victoria. In Central America, these are not as big of an issue. What we deal with there is getting and keeping kids in school. Making sure that an education is important in each household.
In both Kenya and Central America, making sure girls have access to the same education as boys is one of our biggest and most important priorities.
What is the Global Youth Program and why is it so important?
We are called OneKid OneWorld for a reason. One of our main goals is to teach kids in the US that the world is more interconnected now that it has ever been. What happens in countries thousands of miles away from America will affect their lives at some point. It is up to them to stand up and make a difference. This message, this motto, has never been more important than right now.
What has been your most memorable trip over the years?
That is an impossible question to answer. It’s like asking me which of my kids I love more. Every trip is different, every trip takes on a life of their own and becomes what they were always meant to be. I guess I would say the trips I have been able to do with my family. My wife, my mom and dad, my brother-in-law, uncle and nephew. Those were special. And I can’t wait to take my kids in a few years.
What are the different ways in which people can help OKOW?
First and foremost, it’s always about money. We are a very lean organization. No one takes a salary. My partner Tracy McCubbin and I have done all of this as volunteers. What makes OKOW stand out is that over 90% of every dollar you donate or raise goes directly to our projects. More dollars mean we can do more projects. Another way (hopefully in 2021 and beyond) is to come on a volunteer trip with us! We do family and adult trips. They are a fun, safe way to make a real, tangible, on the ground difference in the lives of children!
Your website is very bright and cheerful in its color scheme, tone and imagery. Can you explain what you were hoping to achieve with this design?
We wanted it to be a great marketing tool for OneKid. We wanted it to tell a story. Our story. This is our front porch. This is usually the first thing people see when they see OneKid. The more personal and real you can get…we have found the more donations and volunteers you can attract. We also wanted it to embody the spirit of OneKid. The unwavering belief that we can change the world…one school at a time.
How have you used social media to amplify the mission of OKOW?
Social media is a great way to reach a broader audience and do it quickly. We also use our social media to, once again, tell our story. That is what we are really doing…trying to explain to people, most of whom get asked for money all the time, why they should give to us.
You also use email newsletters to reach your audience. You exude a friendly and relatable tone with them, is that by design?
Yes, absolutely. We don’t want them to boring and staid. That is our voice and it’s important that it comes through in everything we do. Once again, it’s all part of telling the story of OneKid OneWorld.
You have made brilliant use of video throughout the website, how do you think this medium impacts getting your message across?
It’s been our biggest success. There is no better way to get a visceral reaction from people than pictures and video. I feel like I have said this too many times already but there is no better way to tell our story than through the voices of our volunteers and the kids and communities we serve
With travel at a virtual stand still, how are you able to help children out at this time?
We have had to pivot some of our projects but these communities have been hard hit not only by COVID-19 but also loss of jobs and lack of access to food. We are trying to support our schools and communities by paying for food, access to water and medical attention. We do still have several projects we are working on…because we hire local people, this is a chance for them to find work during this terrible time.
What do you hope to achieve in the next few years with OKOW?
That is an interesting question right now. If you had asked in February, the answer would have been to keep growing OneKid at a slow and steady pace. One school at a time. Never taking on more than we could finish. Possibly expanding into other areas in Central America and Kenya. Now, we don’t know at this moment. We may decide to shift some of our work to inside the United States...with school supplies and school lunch programs. Our goal has always been to go into a school and get them what they need to survive another day…and that is needed all around the world now more than ever.
Storytelling
As Josh drove home, OKOW is all about telling their story. They rely on donations and volunteers. The way to get money and people is through messaging. They have a clear brand statement and purposeful tone that is reflected in all the places potential donors can be reached - website, social media, email newsletters. Their use of video is really the best tool in their arsenal to draw people in. You watch beautiful children from around the world and you can’t help but fall in love and want to make a difference. Check out their latest, Anthem and Mission videos.
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Image: OneKid OneWorld