Leave no one behind – photo and video for ethical fundraising
Client: Connexio develop
Dostana Stojanova is 88 years old and has lived alone for over alone for over 25 years. In her old age she needs food, a warm room and medical care.
Photo: Tomislav Georgiev / Connexio develop / Fairpicture
Brief
Fairpicture is the ideal partner for organisations, who have visual communication needs in all various places around the world. Organisations like Connexio develop, a swiss-based association who is rooted in the worldwide Methodist network and organises fundraising campaigns several times a year.
This time Connexio develop reached out to us in order to produce photos and video-footage about their project “Meals on Wheels” in North Macedonia for their Easter campaign 2024 . We matched them up with Tomislav, our visual creator in this region and briefed him so he was ready to go to the project location all by himself and document the daily life of this important work.
Client
Connexio develop
Visual Creator
Tomislav Georgiev
Theme
Old-age poverty and food distribution
Locations
Strumica, North Macedonia
Date
June 2024
Photo: Tomislav Georgiev / Connexio develop / Fairpicture
Context
Strumica is a town in North Macedonia. There is not a single retirement home in the surrounding district, which includes over 70 villages with more than 100,000 inhabitants. This means that old people have to be cared for by their relatives. Those who have no one left often live in indescribable conditions, especially when they need care.
For many years, the Miss Stone Center “Meals on wheels” in Strumica has been a beacon of charity and hope - despite all the challenges that repeatedly arise and demand a great deal of strength from those responsible and employees. The sharp rise in the price of agricultural produce has also increased the cost of the ingredients used to cook meals at the Miss Stone Center every day.
More than 200 elderly and disabled people receive a hot meal with soup, main course and dessert five times a week. But "Meals on Wheels" is more than just a meal service. The daily visits also give the sometimes completely lonely people a chance to talk. If they are ill, a doctor is called or medication is provided. In emergencies, the help also includes clothes, hygiene articles or firewood.
Spasenka Madevska (44), one of the cooks at Miss Stone Center kitchen in Strumica, North Macedonia prepears traditional meal "Musaka"(potatos and meat). In the kitchen of the Miss Stone Center early in the morning around half past three, they start cooking the food, and then they pack it in vehicles and transport it to the homes and beds of the powerless and weak old people. The meal is consist of a soup, a main course, dessert or salad. All of the meals should be ready by 7am, so the cooking starts in 3:40am.
Photo: Tomislav Georgiev / Connexio develop / Fairpicture
Daniel Gjorgjiev (39) caries the finished packages from the kitchen and prepares so deliver food to the beneficiaries of Miss Stone's project.
Photo: Tomislav Georgiev / Connexio develop / Fairpicture
For more than 20 years, the "Miss Stone" Diaconia Centre has been a symbol of hope and compassion. Now it is facing major challenges. Price increases due to the global crisis are having a negative impact on its work. The team is trying its best not to reduce the quality of the food, the number of meals or its services.
Video: Tomislav Georgiev / Connexio develop | Marcel Cello Schumacher / Fairpicture.
For us and our values, Fairpicture is the right and reliable partner for our image and video projects. Thank you for your great job, Tom and Daniel. Many thanks for the excellent cooperation on this project. The photos and also the video material turned out excellent and our goal of telling an authentic and emotional cross-media story worked out wonderfully.
Marcel Cello Schumacher
Marketing | Kommunikation | Fundraising at Connexio develop
Photo: Tomislav Georgiev / Connexio / Fairpicture
Outcome
After just two days of production, Tomislav returned from Strumica, worked on the final selection of his photos and a rough cut for the final campaign video. And all this was done in time for Connexio develop to prepare its crossmedial fundraising campaign online on their website and social-media channels, and offline send out the publications for mailing, so that the campaign could start as planned and be carried out successfully.
The key themes, locations, and people to focus on, were very good planed in order to capture authentic and impactful moments. Overall, I was thrilled by the experience with Connexio and the Miss Stone Center which helped tremendously to create a powerful visual narrative that showcases the important work of the program and its impact on the community in Strumica.
Tomislav Georgiev
Fairpicture Visual Creator
Fundraising publications with the visual material of Tomislav Georgiev
Photo: Tomislav Georgiev / Connexio / Fairpicture
Case studies
June 2023 - Alce Nero and Fairtrade Italy
Visual Communication on empowerment and equity
Alce Nero, a market-leading company for organic farming reached out to Fairpicture to tell a story which speaks of redemption, liberation and fairness and comes with videos and photos.
Learn more about Visual Communication on empowerment and equity
March 2023 - Vivamos Mejor
Reporting & Reducing CO2
Best practice of a new semi-virtual production approach for a report documentation.
Learn more about Reporting & Reducing CO2
June 2026 - Beyond Fossil Fuels
Waiting for connection: local stories on Europe’s grid challenges
Fairpicture's first European multinational production — four local creator teams across the UK, Spain, Germany, and Türkiye documenting the real cost of grid connection failures for people trying to join the energy transition.
Learn more about Waiting for connection: local stories on Europe’s grid challenges