Communication Audit for Carolina for Amani

By Sky Temperato, Baez Sherman, Silas Nuernberger and Kristen Holt

Background

In Swahili, Amani is the word for peace, and that is what Carolina for Amani is trying to

help promote in Kenya. There are over 2.2 million orphans in Kenya. These children struggle

with leading positive lives and gaining an education. Orphaned children in Kenya struggle to

become contributing and positive members of society.

Carolina for Amani is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s chapter of the

Winston-Salem-based Amani Children’s Foundation. It is the only university chapter of The

Amani Children’s Foundation. This foundation, located across the United States in Cleveland,

OH, Indianapolis, IN, and Harrisburg, PA, strives to help children orphaned by HIV or AIDS and

poverty to become contributing members of society. The organization does this by sponsoring

the New Life Home Orphanages. In Kenya, there are six different locations of these orphanages,

and they try to help as many children as they can.

The Amani Children’s Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. Carolina for

Amani and its parent organization, The Amani Children’s Foundation, raise money for the

orphanages through selling handmade Kenyan ceramic kazuri beads and other art and raising

donations. Craftswomen in Nairobi make the kazuri beads and art. The women transfer the beads

to one of Amani Children's Foundation's five locations where they are made into necklaces and

sold online, along with the artwork, on the Amani Children’s Foundation market.

Carolina for Amani on UNC’s campus strives to raise awareness of this social justice

issue in Kenya and raise money for the orphanages. They do this by hosting jewelry sales in the
pit and during university events. They post their message on UNC informational boards and

social media. Currently, they have 198 Instagram followers, 234 Facebook likes, and 158 Twitter

followers. All of these social accounts do not have consistent posting and only post when they

have events.

Carolina for Amani has two co-chairs, Emily Rodgers and Natalie Gauger. The

organization has eight exec members and 20-25 general body members. It holds club meetings

on Wednesday nights to make the necklaces with the beads and plan the events.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

 The landing page on the Campus Y website includes a well-made graphic that is both

memorable and elegant. This graphic grabs the readers’ attention while also calling

attention to the organization.

 The landing page also includes a link to the parent organization, which allows viewers to

discover more about the organization and the products it sells, as well as options to

donate and support the organization.

 Contact information is included on the landing page for readers to learn more or get

involved.

 Plenty of background information on the organization and who it is benefitting.

Weaknesses:

 Social media content is inconsistent. Majority of postings are for internal communication

among the organization’s current members.

  Social media profiles lack general information about the organization, which would allow

other people to understand what Carolina for Amani is.

 The landing page on the Campus Y website is relatively unappealing. It does not include

any photographs and is not interactive, which turns possible donors away.

 The landing page does not include a “Mission Statement.” It has an inconsistent message

and lacks information about what the organization does or when it has events.

 The landing page does not include a general donation link, so the group is losing an

opportunity to make more money.

 The webpage, as well as the parent page, are very outdated and do not include up to date

information or images.

Opportunities:

 A landing page that includes a link to their social media accounts, such as Twitter,

Facebook, and Instagram would not only allow more messages to reach a broader

audience, but would allow the organization’s social media to grow in followers and

impressions.

 A landing page and social media sites incorporating more photos of the children that

Carolina for Amani is helping and the jewelry it’s are selling would draw people in and

increase appeal.

 Social media postings and a landing page that includes specific ways for UNC students to

become involved would encourage more students to engage with the organization.

 Including a calendar and general donation link on the landing page would make it easier

for people to support the organization.

  A mission statement on the landing page would explain Carolina for Amani’s cause

without forcing people to have to search for more information on the parent website.

 Photos of orphans in Kenya that have been directly affected by donations to the

organization, or even a spotlight article on a single child whose life has been positively

impacted by the Amani Foundation will provide an emotional pull for the organization

and will help to personalize it and draw people in.

Threats:

 The Campus Y website limits what or how much Carolina for Amani is able to add to its

landing page and how often the organization is able to update it.

 Carolina for Amani may not have web development tools, software, or access to

WordPress in order to create a more interactive landing page.

 The organization’s two co-chairs are full-time students. Their low availability to

implement events and communications strategies is problematic in raising awareness of

the organization.

 There is not a calendar or an “Upcoming Events” tab on the Campus Y page, so

potentially interested students will not have any idea how to get involved.

Recommendations

 Improve external communication

o Communicate more with organizations on campus and organizations similar to

you.

o Reach out to more UNC students, spreading Carolina for Amani’s message and

raising awareness of its cause.

 Update all social media platforms.

o Create a social media schedule to generate consistency. Encourage organization

members to supply photographs for at least one Instagram post per week, along

with at least five posts on Facebook and Twitter per month.

o Post not only about upcoming meetings, but also general information about the

organization, beads, and pit-sit opportunities.

 Publicize events more often.

 Create a separate Carolina for Amani website. Include the basic background of the

organization, its mission statement, a calendar to show all events, contact information to

become involved, and personal testimonials with the stories of specific children that the

organization is helping on the website to encourage support and engagement.