Six Boston Media House students have turned a university assignment into community action, raising R6,500 and collecting 209 cans of food for vulnerable children.
The third-year Public Relations students created Hearts2Hope, a two-month campaign supporting Hearts of Hope, a Wendywood-based organisation providing a home and family environment for 52 orphaned and vulnerable children.
Running across Boston Media House’s Sandton and Arcadia campuses, the campaign gave the students an opportunity to put their communications and public relations skills into practice while supporting a community organisation.
Campus activations, social media, fundraising and a hand-painted “Can of Hope” donation drum were used to encourage students and the wider community to contribute.
A raffle offering sponsored prizes provided another way for people to participate.
What began as an academic assignment developed into a passion project for the six final-year students, who combined their skills, networks and resources to generate both awareness and practical support.
By the end of the campaign, they had raised R6,500 and collected 209 cans of food for Hearts of Hope.
The initiative also attracted support from businesses and organisations.
SPAR Group contributed food cans and goodie bags for the final handover, while Comic Con Africa, Steri Stumpie, Empire Entertainment, Unleaded 95, Sealand Gear, Be Beautiful, Nails on 11th and L’tido Podcast supported the campaign through contributions and prizes.
Hearts2Hope concluded with a Spring Day Play Date, where eight children from Hearts of Hope joined the students on campus for music, dancing, face painting, ice cream and games.
Hearts of Hope CEO Deborah Van Dongen thanked the students and everyone who contributed food or participated in the fundraising raffle.
For the students, the campaign also transformed classroom learning into practical experience.
They were able to apply communication, campaign planning, stakeholder engagement, social media and fundraising skills to a real organisation with a real community need.
The project demonstrated how skills developed through higher education can extend beyond academic assessment and be used to mobilise people around social causes.
For Hearts of Hope, the result was additional funding, food and greater awareness of its work supporting vulnerable children.
For the Boston Media House students, Hearts2Hope provided a practical lesson in how effective communication can turn an assignment into measurable social impact.
