Transform a cultural icon of Pakistani childhood – the Kite – into a communication vehicle to reunite missing children with their families.

Over 4,000 kites were printed with details of missing children and the Roshni Helpline number. They were distributed on the festival of Basant – a traditional day when kites are flown by young and old to mark the start of spring.

The sky was filled with our message which was able to travel with the wind. These unique kites became a coveted item throughout the lower SEC neighbourhood and the city thereby redefining ‘missing children’ posters that are usually ignored.

Our message, along with the details of the missing children, was printed on the traditional shapes of Pakistani kites. Kites have long been a cultural symbol in Pakistan but this was the first time they were being used as a media vehicle to share a message with the public.

Each kite was designed using typically Pakistani elements and cost-effective local materials. The kites themselves were constructed with the special paper that is used by local Pakistani kite makers. While most kites in the market contain basic colours and barely any patterns, the designs we created were made to stand out on a day filled with kites at every corner.

Over 4000 of these Kites of Hope were printed and flown on the festival of Basant, spreading the message as far as the wind could take it.

One child - Shahmir - was reunited with his family within a week of the event. Though each kite cost only Rs.50 (US$ 0.50), the media picked up the topic and made it prime-time news.

6 news channels, 5 radio shows and various press outlets shared the message and called attention to the plight of these families.

The combined earned media totalled over 1 million Rupees and resulted in 3 more families reaching out to the Roshni Helpline to report their missing child.

More importantly, a conversation began in Pakistan to change the laws and legislation to help the process of finding missing children. Several hi-ranking police officials came forward and offered their help to put up the pictures of missing children at various police stations throughout Karachi. Kites of Hope became the first step in bringing attention to a long-ignored problem.