TikTok Joins The Reach Campaign as a Media Partner, Inspiring the Middle East Community to Take Part In Effort to End River Blindness
Abu Dhabi – TikTok has joined The Reach Campaign as the latest media partner, bolstering efforts of the Ramadan Challenge, and committing to donate $2 for every video created on the app, to a maximum of $100,000. Starting April 28th, the leading destination for short – form mobile videos has officially joined the Reach Ramadan Challenge, allowing users to create videos using special interactive Reach stickers, and will continue to donate until May 25th, joining the month-long Ramadan campaign’s goal of protecting 1 million people from river blindness during the holy month.Users on the application are given the choice of three special ‘Reach Campaign’ stickers, allowing them to interact with the campaign and submit videos that will count towards TikTok donations. The stickers include an interactive ‘Victory Sign’ challenge, in which users can re-create the campaign’s signature sign, a newly introduced ‘AR Pen’ to the region, which allows for interactive 3D drawing, and the ‘Hand Gesture’, which photographs the users as they imitate hand gestures on screen and was customized for this challenge. Members of the TikTok community can also donate to the cause directly through links on the campaign’s in-app landing page.
In addition to the interactive element of the campaign, TikTok will run in-app advertisements shedding light on river blindness, and has encouraged several high-profile public figures to take part in the challenge. During the first week, social media stars Max of Arabia, Khalid and Salama Al Ameri, Abas, and Mona Sheikh all created #ReachTheEnd videos, tagging friends and members of the community. On TikTok, the campaign currently boasts over 198 million views and a total of over 25,000 published videos. Celebrities from across the MENA region are also coming together to support the cause including; Somaya Elkhashab, Yara, and Randa Elbehairy to name a few.
Commenting on TikTok joining The Reach Campaign as a media partner, TikTok MENA stated: “We are extremely proud to have partnered up with The Reach Campaign in their fight against river blindness during the Holy Month of Ramadan. As the leading short-form video platform, we are always looking for different ways to support communities around the region by enabling meaningful connections, and raising awareness around important causes. We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response the #ReachTheEnd in-app initiative has had so far and look forward to seeing more TikTok users continue to support the campaign with their creative and inspiring short videos.”
Commenting on the partnership with TikTok, Nassar Abdul Raouf Al Mubarak, Managing Director of the Reach Campaign said: “We are excited to launch a new element to the campaign in collaboration with an innovative partner such as TikTok. Allowing the community to be participate creatively while helping reach the end of river blindness has truly inspired users to join our campaign. We are honored to see the inventive ways people continue to show their support from the comfort of their own homes.”
In addition to the TikTok short-form videos, the month-long Reach Ramadan campaign follows a simple 3-step challenge: the community is encouraged to donate by texting GIVE to 2424 or online at reachtheend.org, posting a selfie holding a ‘V for victory over river blindness’ sign over their eyes, and finally challenging friends and family by tagging them across social media platforms. Community members are encouraged to use their creativity across social media platforms.
TikTok joins founding partners Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Etihad Airlines, and Lulu Group; strategic partner Emirates Red Crescent; supporting partners ADMM/Yas Marina Circuit, Aldar Properties PJSC, Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, Flash Entertainment, Miral, and UAE Exchange; and Media Partner Abu Dhabi Media.
The Reach Campaign, a first-of-its-kind fundraising initiative to end the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) river blindness, launched earlier this year in the UAE. In partnership with forward-thinking individuals, brands and corporations, The Reach Campaign takes an innovative approach to raising money to end the disease, while also educating the public about river blindness through strategic, targeted advocacy efforts.
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. It has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.
About The Reach Campaign
The Reach Campaign is an initiative to end river blindness. Over 200 million people worldwide require treatment for this disease, one of the leading causes of preventable blindness. Like many neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), river blindness disproportionately affects the world’s most vulnerable people, trapping their families in cycles of poverty. Proceeds from the campaign will go to the Reaching the Last Mile Fund (RLMF), which delivers prevention and treatment across 7 countries in Africa and the Middle East through the End Fund. RLMF is a 10-year, $100 million USD initiative launched in 2017 by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and several supporters.
In February 2020 the Campaign launched across the UAE with the theme “Give 2, Save 2”. The theme was inspired by the power of a small act – just 2 AED can provide the medicine and treatment to protect one person from river blindness, lymphatic filariasis and several other co-endemic diseases for the entire year.
The REACH Campaign has been made possible by the generous support of its corporate and brand supporters, including strategic partner Emirates Red Crescent; founding partners Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Etihad Airlines, and Lulu Group; and supporting partners ADMM/Yas Marina Circuit, Aldar Properties PJSC, Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, Flash Entertainment, Miral, and UAE Exchange.
More information can be found at www.reachtheend.org and across social media @reachtheendorg.