Film: One Child Matters
A Story of Hope Shared with Thousands
The Story
One Child Matters partnered with James River Church to create a film for the 2016 Designed for Life Women’s Conference-an event drawing over 10,000 women. Their goal was clear: move hearts toward child sponsorship by sharing the real-life stories of children impacted by their ministry in Ethiopia.
We chose to follow two young girls and their mothers, allowing them to share their own experiences of hardship, resilience, and hope. Rather than using narration, the story unfolded in their own words, giving the audience a window into their daily lives-both before and after receiving help through One Child Matters.
The final moment revealed a clear transformation: education, support, and renewed dignity. We closed the film with a compelling invitation to take action by sponsoring a child.
The Strategy
Key Story Decisions:
• Two voices, one theme: Featuring two girls helped show a broader impact, while their shared experience kept the message unified and powerful.
• Dignity over dramatization: Every shot and interview was framed to protect the girls’ dignity and celebrate their strength- not just their struggles.
• Structure with emotional build:
• Conflict: Life before receiving support: poverty, hardship, and limited access to education.
• Journey: A glimpse into daily life and their families' hopes.
• Resolution: How sponsorship through One Child Matters brought real, lasting change.
The structure allowed viewers to emotionally connect, imagine themselves in the story, and respond.
The Outcome
The film premiered on the main stage and immediately resonated with the audience. For the first time in the event’s history, all sponsorship packets were gone before the weekend was over.
Hundreds of new sponsorships were started-and lives were changed, both for the children and the women who said yes to being part of their story.
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