Hero Skhokho fights child abuse

BRAND South Africa is launching a campaign this week in support of Universal Children’s Day.

The campaign, called The ABCs of Abuse, uses a superhero character named Captain Skhokho, who encourages speaking out against abuse.

As the official custodian of the nation brand, Brand South Africa promotes social activism to get citizens to advocate against social ills such as child abuse. The campaign aims to lift the spirit of the nation by inspiring all South Africans to contribute to positive change.

Every year on November 20, the world commemorates Universal Children’s Day. It offers an inspirational entry point to promote and celebrate children’s rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for them.

It’s hoped that on this Universal Children’s Day, South Africans will be inspired to promote children’s rights.

Brand South Africa’s campaign aims to increase awareness and mobilise all sectors of society to nurture and protect its children in order to build a better future for them, says Brand South Africa’s GM for marketing, Sithembile Ntombela.

“Captain Skhokho encourages children to tell on the abuser and to speak out when in need of help.

“The future of the country is in the hands of our children and it is entirely up to civil society,” she said.

“Their rights are enshrined in the constitution, and as a society, it is our duty to uphold and protect these rights for our children.

“As Nelson Mandela once said: ‘There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children’,” adds Ntombela.

Brand South Africa has called on citizens to participate in the campaign, pledge and share their insights about what this day means to them and how they are playing their part in protecting children. (Visit www.brandsouthafrica.com.)