Impacta ODS (SDG Impact) - GOAL 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

#SDGAction42897

Description

Intro

SOS Children's Villages, a global federation which works to protect and care for children who have lost parental care, or who stand at risk of losing it, develops in Brazil, since 2016, the Impacta ODS (Impact SDG, in a free translation) project. It focuses on the dissemination of the SDG for Brazilian children, young people and their families through a series of 18 comic books starring Monica's Gang (originally titled Turma da Mônica), a popular Brazilian comic book franchise first published in 1959 and which has been keeping up several generations of children since then.

Objective of the practice

In order to achieve the appropriate fulfillment of SDGs, children, especially those in vulnerable situations, should be at the center of the global public discussion. SOS Children's Villages, an INGO for child protection, believes that the first step in empowering this group over the SDGs theme is to appropriate them in its content. 
 
The project aims to contribute to the dissemination of the 2030 Agenda with Brazilian children and young people and their respective families. The comic book series combines information content on SDGs, prepared jointly by non-profit organizations that either have actively contributed to the definition of 2030 Agenda or are experts in the subject (UN Global Compact, GRI, SOS Children's Villages and CEBDS - Brazilian Business Center for Sustainable Development), with the playful language of Monica's Gang (a popular Brazilian comic book franchise first published in 1959), capable of engaging both children, young people and their parents. 
 
The main challenge for the viability of the project is its financing - which includes everything from the preparation of the script and systematization of the content to the printing and distribution of the material. Initially, a sponsorship model for each issue of the comic book series was made. With this model, the fundraised managed to produce 6 editions viable. 
 
Following this model, however, it was only possible to finance the production of issues that attracted more interest from sponsors and in a lower frequency than desired. 
 
SOS Children’s Villages Brazil decided, therefore, to finance the production of the remaining 12 editions with its own resources. The corporate partners would enter the distribution and dissemination phase of the material. The organization believes that with all the series of comics produced the appeal in the distribution will grow and the incidence will turn more complete and effective.

Partners

The projetct combines an informative content on SDG, prepared jointly by non-profit organizations experts on the 2030 Agenda (UN Global Compact, GRI, SOS Children's Villages and CEBDS), with the playful language of Monica's Gang, made possible by Mauricio de Sousa Institute, the non-profit founded by its creator. The project also counts with the support of companies and private associations that sponsored the production and dissemination of the comic book’s editions (Arcos Dorados, ENEL, Copel, Klabin, EDP, a local scout group, ThyssenKrupp) and of public and private schools that support the dissemination of material to children and young people.

Implementation of the Project/Activity

The project was conceived in partnership with Instituto Mauricio de Sousa as a joint initiative aimed at the dissemination of SDGs to Brazilian children and young people. In order to guarantee excellence in content,SOS Children’s Villages Brazil, contacted other organizations specialized in the theme to contribute with the elaboration of the comic book’s series.

For each issue of the comic book, a briefing on the SDG in question is developed by the specialized organizations (UN Global Compact, GRI, SOS Children's Villages Brazil and CEBDS) so that Mauricio de Sousa Institute can develop the script and the graphic art of the publication. Once done, the material returns to the expert organizations to validate the final content.

Sponsoring companies do not interfere with the script, but may suggest themes (as long as related to the SDG in question) for the comic strip that closes the post. Besides making possible the production of comic books through financial sponsorship, these companies are strategic partners in the distribution of comic books. By including them in actions of engagement with its stakeholders (mainly internal public and surrounding communities), the distribution of comic books is expended, going beyond the public that SOS Children's Villages Brazil can achieve in its direct service activities.

Results/Outputs/Impacts

Since the beginning of the project, in 2016, 78,000 units of comic books have been printed, distributed in 4 Brazilian states.

However, we have the challenge of being able to measure both quantitatively and qualitatively (specifically the latter), the real impact of dissemination reach on the target audience. Although the organization has indicators and methodologies to verify how SDGs are being worked on in its direct care services, this initiative, developed outside the organization's programmatic team, has not yet been able to develop and implement them.

Enabling factors and constraints

The main challenge for the viability of the project is its financing - which includes everything from the preparation of the script and systematization of the content to the printing and distribution of the material. Initially, we made a sponsorship model for each issue of the comic book series. In this model, we managed to make the production of 6 editions viable. Following this model, however, we were only able to finance the production of issues that attracted more interest from sponsors and at a slower pace than desired.

We decided, therefore, to finance the production of the remaining 12 editions with our own resources. The corporate partners would enter the distribution and dissemination phase of the material. We believe that with all the series of comics produced we will have more appeal in the distribution and we will get a more complete and effective incidence.

We also have the challenge of being able to measure both quantitatively and qualitatively (specifically the latter), the real impact of dissemination reach on the target audience. Although the organization has indicators and methodologies to verify how SDGs are being worked on in its direct care services, this initiative, developed outside the organization's programmatic team, has not yet been able to develop and implement them.

Sustainability and replicability

The strategy itself is developed in a particular way: a combination of the content developed by organizations specialized in Agenda 2030 to children's characters widely known in Brazil and who have been growing together with different generations in the last decades, which facilitates the approach with children and their families to the content presented.

SOS Children’s Villages Brazil encourages similar initiatives to be developed in other contexts, respecting local particularities and seeking to identify potential analogous partnerships.

Since last year, we have been supporting other national associations that are members of the SOS Children's Villages federation, from Portuguese-speaking countries, who are interested in replicating the strategy in their countries.

Conclusions

Nevertheless, we can say that this was the first initiative that sought to make the language of the Agenda 2030 more accessible, involving different stakeholders (business, community and civil society organizations). Different challenges were encountered, and some difficulties were encountered in assessing the real impact of the initiative, but lessons learned made SOS Children's Villages Brazil even more concerned with its dissemination strategies. The organization is confident that its direct services meet the goals - having developed specific content accordingly - but you need to consider a qualified application of ODS in all your strategies. 
 
Using the dissemination of the SDGs as a relationship strategy, and potentially fundraising, is very positive because it creates a stronger and united coalition for the achievement of the 2030 agenda. SOS Children's Villages Brazil is proud to be part of this coalition and to have been consulted for the implementation of the agenda in Brazil.

SDGS & Targets