Following the Africa for Norway spoof single, the Rusty Radiator awards point the finger at the most damaging fundraising campaigns. This is Africa reports

Remember Radi-Aid: Africa For Norway, the advert in which the plight of children freezing in Norway’s harsh winters prompts African students to launch a campaign to ship radiators to Norway? “Frostbite kills too,” was the message.

By turning the tables, it beautifully parodied how western charities often portray Africans in advertising.

It was the brainchild of The Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund, the organisation behind the Rusty Radiator award, which held its second annual ceremony this week.



The awards were set up for the “fundraising video with the worst use of stereotypes” – their point being that “this kind of portrayal is not only unfair to the persons portrayed in the campaign, but also hinders long-term development and the fight against poverty.”

The award – as decided by the public through social media – was given to Feed A Child, a South African aid organisation whose advert featured a wealthy white woman feeding a black child “like a dog”.

Produced by Ogilvy and Mather, one of the world’s biggest advertising companies, it sparked a major controversy when it aired in July. The company withdrew the advert and apologised to those who perceived it as racist.

The founder and CEO of Feed A Child, Alza Rautenbach, went on television to apologise. “Like a child, I don’t see race or politics,” she said. “The only thing that is important to me is to make a difference in a child’s life and to make sure that that child is fed on a daily basis.”

Really? In post-apartheid South Africa? As black people everywhere (and anyone else who is aware of white privilege) know, the consequences of artificially created racial hierarchies are very real.

Claiming colour-blindness is a way for the systematically privileged (white) person to say they couldn’t possibly be racist themselves, and to avoid acknowledging their own racial power and the privileges accorded them because they are white. It allows the individual to remain blind to the systems of oppression and inequality that makes white privilege possible and “invisible”.

Anyway, also in the running for the Rusty Radiator award were:



Hunger Stops Here by Concern Worldwide

Comments from the jury: “What mother would put their suffering kid in the middle of the sun and just sit there? You would never put an American kid in an ad like this, because there’s too much dignity given to the privacy of the children. It promotes every stereotype about malnutrition, and tries to encourage giving and donation out of guilt. It’s like they found them by the roadside just waiting to die.”

What Does Poverty Look Like? by the Christian Children’s Fund of Canada

Comments from the jury:“‘Do you know what poverty looks like’ – does it look like a person? Who talks about a human being like that?”; “poverty porn, white saviour complex, over-simplification to the causes of poverty to the missing $1 silver bullet solution to poverty”; “everything that’s wrong with fundraising”; “I am amazed that this would run at any TV-station in the world.”

At the other end of the scale there was also a Golden Radiator award for the most creative and engaging fundraising video, recognising charity campaign that step away from common stereotypes. The winner was Save the Children for their video which put a British child in the shoes of a young refugee living in Syria.

Join the debate

What do you think of the jury’s choices? Can you think of other howlers that deserve a Rusty Radiator award? Which videos would you give the Golden crown? Or maybe the problem is that the concept of charity fundraising is fundamentally flawed? Add your thoughts in the comments below or tell us what you think on Twitter @GuardianAfrica.