As we speak, millions of Norwegians are struggling to endure in a place so nipple-torturingly cold, each day's survival is considered a blessing. Luckily, well-meaning do-gooders across Africa are coming together to help—by shipping their radiators to the Scandinavian wasteland. Well, not really. Radi-Aid is actually a cleverly named spoof on the many African aid programs that often come out at Christmas time, when pop stars feel obliged to do their yearly charity work. Created by the Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assistance Fund, the Radi-Aid parody charity is an effort to get people talking about the positive developments in Africa and not just the media’s portrayal of an entire continent stricken by poverty and disease. "Imagine if every person in Africa saw the 'Africa for Norway' video, and this was the only information they ever got about Norway," the organizers write on the campaign site. "What would they think about Norway?" I don’t know if satire is the best way to create a more well-rounded view on a place as geographically broad and complex as Africa, but it’s certainly a great way to get attention. So far, the clip has racked up more than 1.5 million views. Hope there's room in Lillestrøm for all those radiators.
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