Step 2: Develop your Idea

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We believe in the power of young people to make a difference and we need your help. We are challenging you think big and share your most creative ideas to help us save African elephants.

Now that you have a better understanding of the issues affecting African elephants, it is time to start brainstorming. Think about all the successful campaigns that have left an impression on you. Was it a 6 second video challenge, like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? A type of photo challenge, like Go Pro’s pic of the day? A month long challenge, like breast cancer awareness month, where people wore pink for 30 days straight?  Or maybe it wasn’t even a challenge, but rather an event, a logo, a song, a game or a story blog that helped you understand a certain cause? Famous events like Cycling for a Cure  and the Color Run have made a large impact on people everywhere and have raised a lot of money for charities. As well as events, logos and products such as the Live Strong arm bands and “I Heart Boobies” bracelets have spread awareness all over the world. Furthermore, people sharing their stories on Snapchat, blogs, Instagram or Facebook can be extremely impactful. All of these strategies to promote awareness are the foundations for a successful movement.

Let’s keep brainstorming and think, about other types of solutions. What about a new conservation project or science project that could help save African elephants? Science ideas can often be complicated, but they can also be simple. For example in 2013, philanthropist Paul G. Allen, along with a number of conservation partners, asked how many savanna elephants are there and how do we know if their population is declining? Turns out, there had not been a pan-African census of elephants in over 40 years, so their idea was to go count the elephants! They called this The Great Elephant Census and by flying small planes all across Africa, they were able to collect accurate data on elephant populations to help scientists, governments and NGO’s make better decisions. Another great example is Dr. Lucy King, who noticed that elephants don’t like being around bees. She had the idea to create a whole fence made out of beehives to help keep elephants out of places they should not go. And, her idea worked!

Your best idea could be a new study, a new technology, awareness campaign or maybe even a great question that we should be asking about elephants! So take some time and develop your biggest idea to save African elephants!