Due to the nature of my full time work (journalist) I have been privileged to meet affluent and well respected members of society who never get that first hand appraisal from the people they serve.
On a broader spectrum - at a certain point in our lives, we have all been sick, visited clinics and treated by caring nurses but never bothered to thank on our way out.
We have all gone shopping and got served by smiling till operators or cashiers that we shrugged at after standing in long queues for eternity.
But one thing for sure, we are all unique in one way or another! Hey, when you are good at something, its easy to take it for granted.
Samsung Electronics Africa has launched a bold new initiative across the continent called ‘What If I Can’, with the vision to show consumers how even taking small steps in their everyday lives can contribute towards making bigger changes for those around them.
The concept behind ‘What If I Can’ is based on the power of the human step and to convey this message, Samsung collaborated with UK-based Pavegen to lay a 68-tile walkway in Sandton City in Johannesburg. The main passage of this mall receives over two million footsteps each month and these consumers are encouraged to walk across these tiles, which have the ability to capture kinetic motion and store this as energy.
The walkway also has an interactive data screen displaying a leaderboard of real-time footstep data, which shows how South Africa compares with other countries taking part in the challenge. At the end of the initiative, which runs from March until the end of May, the country that generates the highest number of steps will earn a Samsung Solar Powered Internet School for a deserving community.
To enhance the impact of this initiative, Samsung will donate a further 1000 steps for
every step that a consumer takes. During the first 20 days of the initiative, over 400 million steps have already been accumulated, with Samsung marking this milestone by installing a Solar Power Generator at the new Tech Hub being established at the Sunrise Secondary School in Diepsloot.
"We are proud to use the ‘What If I Can’ initiative to raise awareness of the power of innovative technology to overcome region-specific problems. Through this concept, we are not only empowering communities to become healthier, better educated and effectively connected, we are also enabling citizens to make a real difference in the lives of others," said Dr Michelle Potgieter, director of corporate marketing and communications at Samsung Electronics SA.
On a broader spectrum - at a certain point in our lives, we have all been sick, visited clinics and treated by caring nurses but never bothered to thank on our way out.
We have all gone shopping and got served by smiling till operators or cashiers that we shrugged at after standing in long queues for eternity.
But one thing for sure, we are all unique in one way or another! Hey, when you are good at something, its easy to take it for granted.
Samsung Electronics Africa has launched a bold new initiative across the continent called ‘What If I Can’, with the vision to show consumers how even taking small steps in their everyday lives can contribute towards making bigger changes for those around them.
The concept behind ‘What If I Can’ is based on the power of the human step and to convey this message, Samsung collaborated with UK-based Pavegen to lay a 68-tile walkway in Sandton City in Johannesburg. The main passage of this mall receives over two million footsteps each month and these consumers are encouraged to walk across these tiles, which have the ability to capture kinetic motion and store this as energy.
The walkway also has an interactive data screen displaying a leaderboard of real-time footstep data, which shows how South Africa compares with other countries taking part in the challenge. At the end of the initiative, which runs from March until the end of May, the country that generates the highest number of steps will earn a Samsung Solar Powered Internet School for a deserving community.
To enhance the impact of this initiative, Samsung will donate a further 1000 steps for
every step that a consumer takes. During the first 20 days of the initiative, over 400 million steps have already been accumulated, with Samsung marking this milestone by installing a Solar Power Generator at the new Tech Hub being established at the Sunrise Secondary School in Diepsloot.
"We are proud to use the ‘What If I Can’ initiative to raise awareness of the power of innovative technology to overcome region-specific problems. Through this concept, we are not only empowering communities to become healthier, better educated and effectively connected, we are also enabling citizens to make a real difference in the lives of others," said Dr Michelle Potgieter, director of corporate marketing and communications at Samsung Electronics SA.
