Cambodian Children’s Fund
Inspiring change in Cambodia.
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Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF) is on a mission to end poverty in one of the most at-risk communities in Cambodia. Founded by former Hollywood executive Scott Neeson, the charity’s donor base primarily consisted of Scott’s high-profile, celebrity network. While this business plan had proven to be successful, it wasn’t sustainable. CCF knew they needed to increase their audience of recurring donors. A new site was the best way to do that.
Empathy only goes so far.
To fully understand the depth of CCF’s work and the complexity of the community they serve, we headed to Phnom Penh, Cambodia to experience it firsthand. Over the course of six days, our five-person team met with the managers, directors, teachers, and volunteers to learn the ins and outs of the charity and make sense of its 60+ programs.
Then, we stepped foot in the community.
Walking carefully over the former landfill, the smell of burning plastic hung in the air, rusting shacks shaded families big and small, and bright blue school uniforms swayed on clotheslines above the filth. And yet, the kids who wrapped themselves around our legs met us with the warmest smiles and the biggest laughs. They took our hands, and beaming with pride, showed us where they played, where they lived, and where they learned.
Touching down in Portland once again, it took a long time to process what we’d experienced. All we knew was that we had to tell CCF’s story with as much truth, honesty, and dignity as possible.
Balancing need and hope.
We got started by carving out CCF’s unique tone, voice, and messaging hierarchy. Our goal was to create a voice that would walk the line between need and hope—one that could put words to a history of genocide, tell a founder’s story, and inspire an entirely new audience to take part in the change.
Making sense of the model.
Our next step was to take a good, hard look at the CCF model. Ending poverty is no small task, and it was clear that CCF had been grappling with the complexities of explaining how they approach it for a long time. To simplify things, we took CCF’s 60+ programs and resorted them into categories inspired by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The result? Four solutions dedicated to addressing the complicated issues of poverty.
Made possible by the talented team at Owen Jones.
Team
Creative Direction by Josh Schield. Art direction by Lisa Oliver. Design by Jess Lyons, Rachel Avallone, and Kylie LaCour. Illustrations by Jess Lyons and Rachel Avallone. Copywriting by yours truly.
Year
2020