Celebrity fundraising campaign for Keep a Child Alive reaches $1m target

Fundraising | Rebecca Jeffrey | 9 Dec 2010

The Digital Life Sacrifice fundraising campaign organised by celebrities has raised $1m for Aids charity Keep a Child Alive.

The campaign saw a group of celebrities pledge not to use twitter and facebook from December 1 until the fundraising target for for the charity co-founded by Alicia Keys was met.

The social media boycott started on World Aids Day ended after just eight days.

Usher, Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake were among the group who were counting on raising the cash through the philanthropy of their online fans and followers.

However, by Monday the 6th they had only reached half of their target and so in true celebrity style they sought out a little help from a friend in the form of pharmaceutical executive billionaire Stewart Rahr.

The celebs convinced the businessman to donate the remaining $500,000 thus meeting their target and ensuring the rapid return of the group to facebook and the twittersphere.

Usher had in fact come back from the dead to tweet before the target was met, adding fuel to the suspicion that the group had been disappointed by the public response to the campaign.

Nonetheless Alicia Keys tweeted, “Weeee diddddddd itttttt!!!!! Thank you sooooooo much for your support and for CARING about whats going on in the world!!!!”

Who's Who: Rebecca Jeffrey

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