Aid Organisations Come Together to Form the 'Aid Alliance' and Reignite the Power of Helping

International aid organisations in the UK are teaming up to launch a major campaign showcasing the positive impact international aid has within countries most in need. The campaign is the first time the international development sector is speaking to the public as one.

Forming the ‘Aid Alliance’ are organisations including Care, Save the Children and ActionAid, who worked with insight, strategy and ideas studio The Good Side to help to reignite belief in the power of ‘helping’ and the progress happening everyday thanks to international aid.

Britain has always played a vital role in international aid, and research by The Good Side revealed the nation’s habits when it comes to donating, with 75% preferring to donate privately and only 14% wanting to be recognised for their donation. 41% of Brits have donated to charity within the last year, showing that the spirit of generosity and the determination to help others will endure, even when times are tough.

However, with the government’s international aid allocation decreasing and international institutions facing ongoing challenges over trust and transparency, the Aid Alliance has been created to tackle growing misperceptions about aid effectiveness and to rebuild trust in the sector.

Simon Capper, head of performance and insight at WaterAid said: “Support for the Aid sector is in decline – both in funding and broader engagement. Many members of the public want to make a contribution towards positive change in the world, but they are starting to doubt that this is achievable through support of international institutions, and they are losing the belief that they, personally, can make a difference.

“We want this campaign to reignite the belief that it is possible for all of us to make a difference. We are making progress every day, thanks to the helpers; from donors to aid workers, vocal supporters to taxpayers.”

The Good Side collaborated with a team of expert agency partners to deliver each part of the We The Helpers campaign, which puts a spotlight on the importance of aid. The campaign will launch with a 60s film, developed by multi-disciplined agency The&Partnership, which highlights human stories of aid workers as a reminder of the power of helping and the impact international aid is making.

Media strategy, planning and buying was handled by The Kite Factory and PR specialists Four Communications are supporting the nationwide launch.

Creative agency HarrimanSteel developed the We The Helpers brand identity, including all elements of the website design and functionality. The website steps beyond simple headlines, to give in depth information and share facts about how aid is helping.

Visit the website here.

Saul Parker, founder, The Good Side: “Britain has always played a vital role in international aid, but government cuts, negative media coverage and operational challenges in the sector have led to a loss of faith and a reduction in donations. But progress is happening, and by showing directly how aid is helping, we hope to inspire more people to help when and where they can. Through deep cultural insight and audience-led creative development, we have landed on a fresh, new approach to communicating the positive human stories of aid and progress, to reignite a belief that we can make a difference to the lives of others.”

Thanks to international aid organisations, millions more people have access to education and clean water and more than one billion people are no longer living in poverty, polio has almost been eradicated and in the last 15 years the proportion of children dying before their 5th birthday has dropped from 32% to less than 4% today.

Kirsty McNeill, Save the Children's executive director of policy, advocacy and campaign, says: “We don’t want to show off about all the ways we’re helping, but we do want to make a difference and the really good news is that we are. We are making progress, together, every single day thanks to the helpers. Whether you’ve responded to an appeal, sponsored a friend to do an event, dropped something off at a charity shop, taken a campaign action or just pay your taxes, know that you’re one of the helpers who is saving and changing lives through aid.”

Toby Allen, ECD at The&Partnership: “We were delighted to help on this brief. In reframing aid and championing the people behind it, we hope to change the conversation around aid. The Helpers are a source of hope for us all.”

The campaign will run nationwide across digital media and PR and will be supported by all partner aid channels.

To find out more about the ‘We The Helpers’ campaign and to watch the video visit the website here.