WaterAid’s thoughtful thief

Independent creative agency Don't Panic and the UK’s dedicated water charity, WaterAid, have collaborated to launch this sweet spot directed by Anonymous Content’s Elena Petitti di Roreto. 

Shot in Zomba, Malawi, the 60-second hero film takes an alternative approach to fundraising by highlighting the positive impact of donations, instead of the need for them.

As the film opens, a community gathers around a tap installed by WaterAid, to celebrate the pouring of their village’s first cup of clean water. When the speaker sets down the cup, a young girl sneaks through the crowd to steal it. 

Resisting the temptation to drink it herself, she carefully carries it to her elderly grandmother’s house. In a moving closing scene, she offers her grandma the village's first sip of safe water - the simple yet sacred commodity which will allow their community to thrive.