Boston Media House Students Raise R6,500 and 209 Cans for Hearts of Hope Orphanage

• Six PR3 students at Boston Media House launched a two-month fundraising campaign for Hearts of Hope, a Wendywood-based home for 52 orphaned children
• The Hearts2Hope initiative ran across the Sandton and Arcadia campuses and drew support from several corporate sponsors, including SPAR Group and Comic Con Africa
• The campaign concluded with a Spring Day Play Date on campus, where eight children from Hearts of Hope attended alongside students and staff

GAUTENG — Six third-year Public Relations students at Boston Media House turned a university assignment into a fully-fledged community campaign, raising R6,500 in cash and collecting 209 cans of food for Hearts of Hope, a Wendywood-based organisation that provides a home for 52 orphaned and vulnerable children.

The Hearts2Hope campaign, which ran across the Sandton and Arcadia campuses over two months, was completed by the PR3 Class of 2026, wrapping up on 9 September 2026.

How the campaign came together

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What began as a group assignment evolved into a cause the students drove with their own initiative and networks. Activities included campus activations, social media outreach, and a hand-painted "Can of Hope" donation drum that encouraged students to contribute non-perishable goods and enter a raffle with prizes from campaign sponsors.

Corporate backing played a significant role in amplifying the results. SPAR Group donated cans of food and goodie bags presented at the final handover event. Comic Con Africa, Steri Stumpie, Empire Entertainment, Unleaded 95, Sealand Gear, Be Beautiful, Nails on 11th and L'tido Podcast also contributed prizes and support throughout the campaign.

Spring Day celebration closes the campaign

The initiative concluded with a Spring Day Play Date, during which eight children from Hearts of Hope visited the Boston Media House campus. The event featured music, dancing, face painting, ice cream and childhood games, bringing students and their beneficiaries together for the first time.

Deborah Van Dongen, CEO of Hearts of Hope, attended the event and expressed the organisation's gratitude for every can donated and for all who participated in the raffle to help raise awareness of the work the charity carries out.

For the students, the experience offered practical insight into how Public Relations skills can extend beyond the classroom. The campaign demonstrated that creativity and communication, when directed toward a meaningful cause, can produce measurable results in the real world.

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To support Hearts of Hope, visit www.heartsofhope.org.za or follow @PR3_2026 on Instagram to see more from the Hearts2Hope campaign.

More on South Africans giving back

• Briefly News recently reported on a Northern Cape single mother's emotional plea for help covering her daughter's matric dance costs.
• The Maskandi fraternity rallied together to finish a late musician's unfinished family home.
• Elsewhere, a conservationist ran 194km carrying a 30kg fishing net to raise funds for an injured sea turtle's recovery.

Source: Briefly News