Norwegian Agency Highlights the Best and Worst of Aid Fundraising Videos

Now this is bold and awesome: the Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assistance Fund (SAIH) has created a video parodying aid films and a website recognizing the worst and best international development fundraising videos. They call out organizations by name and critique each video.

The four most offensive, stereotypical videos won SAIH's Rusty Radiator Award. The ChildFund International video reminded me so much of their Sally Struthers commercials from the 1980s and 1990s (back when they were Christian Children's Fund) that I looked for the oldies on YouTube. Sure enough, ChildFund's fundraising video format has barely changed in the last 20 years, down to the faces of sad-looking children and the simplified answer to all these children's problems – just a few cents a day.

The four most amazing videos won the Golden Radiator Award. My favorite is Water is Life's 4-Year-Old's Bucket List, about a 4-year-old Kenyan boy's life and dreams. It's inspiring and funny and uplifting while still addressing a problem faced by children like the Kenyan boy. I loved seeing this video for the first time earlier this year and watching it again now.

By the way, if you don't know what the radiator refers to then watch this Africa for Norway video, also by SAIH.

Below is the SAIH video parodying aid films.