Since 2003, Oaktree has emerged as one of the most dynamic and groundbreaking development and aid organisations in Australia. Our volunteers are provocative, dedicated and determined.
We have more than 73,000 members, have spoken directly to well over 500,000 individuals about extreme poverty, and achieved an incredible media reach of over 100 million. Here is a snap shot of our most successful initiatives:
United Nations Millennium Development Goals Award (2010)
The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Awards are awarded by the United Nations for “significant and even miraculous accomplishments in the fight to end extreme poverty and suffering”. In September 2010 Oaktree took out the “Youth Leadership and Action” category, recognising Oaktree as one of the most dynamic and effective youth organisations focussed on poverty in the world. Oaktree accepted the award in New York as a part of its presence at the UN General Assembly. Other recipients included the President of Malawi for his leadership on food security in Africa.
Live Below the Line (2010)
Together with our partners at the Global Poverty Project, we created Live Below the Line. An experiential fundraiser which saw thousands of Australians eat on just $2 a day (international extreme poverty line) for 5 days. In its first year over 2000 people participated, raising an incredible $520,000. They had over 240,000 conversations with friends & family about extreme poverty and we reached 10 million via the media.
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY Roadtrip (2010)
Oaktree’s headline campaign for 2010, the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY Roadtrip, took place across a week, from the 8th – 15th of May. It was the largest youth-run event organised in Australia ever, with 1000 young people involved.
In just 7 days over 17 million people heard our message through the media, 47,091 people signed the Act to End Poverty, and in just 45 minutes we met with 143 political representatives, with the Act to End Poverty later being introduced to both houses of Parliament.
Click here to read the full impact report.
Click here to read the Australian Youth Forum report.
Messages for Kevin Rudd (2010)
Two Oaktree representatives Pip Edmiston and Natha Middlemass delivered 760 personal messages from Oaktree supporters to Kevin Rudd at a Community Cabinet meeting in Perth in June. The messages expressed support for increasing foreign aid, and the campaign toMAKEPOVERTYHISTORY.
Then Former Prime Minster, Mr Rudd spoke of the impact of the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY 2010 Roadtrip in bringing the campaign to the community.
End Child Slavery (2008)
In 2008 Oaktree ran the End Child Slavery campaign. The campaign raised awareness of the 8.4 million children who are denied an education because they are forced to work as slaves and culminated on May 16th 2008, with the Global Night Shift – a series of concerts held around the country.
Thousands of people campaigned around the country, calling on major chocolate and coffee companies to ensure their production lines were completely slave free.
In 2009, Cadbury announced that its Diary Milk line would become Fair Trade, a major victory for the campaign. We delivered 500 thank you notes from campaign participants and supporters to Cadbury’s factory in Hobart.
MTV Free Your Mind Award (2007)
In 2007, we were presented with the prestigious MTV “Free Your Mind” award. The award recognises incredible effort and achievement in advancing global causes. This trophy was awarded to the Oaktree Foundation at the MTV Music Awards to then CEO Hugh Evans.
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY ZEROSEVEN Roadtrip (2007)
The MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY ZEROSEVEN Roadtrip was held to coincide with the 07/07/07 midway point to the MDGs, mobilising Australia to strive for our nation’s aid target of 0.7% GNI by 2015.
For 7 days, 700 Ambassadors road tripped through 17 cities and regional electorates across Australia to Sydney. They spoke to over 50,000 Australians directly and reached a media audience of over 11,000,000 people.
As a result of the Roadtrip in 2007, Kevin Rudd to promised to give 0.5% GNI to foreign aid by 2015 at our culmination event at the Sydney Harbour Opera House.
Read the full impact report here.
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY Concert (2006)
The largest ever youth run concert in Australian history saw 15,000 people in Melbourne unite with an all star cast of artists like Bono, Pearl Jam, John Butler Trio, Evermore, Jet, Sarah Blasko, Paul Kelly. The event catapulted the cause into the public consciousness, and was broadcast live on Channel 10 and a DVD of the event was distributed to 300,000 via our partners at the Herald Sun.
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