Imagine what it is like to have to walk the equivalent of a Marathon to reach the most basic things such as water. That's the routine for the women in Guiné-Bissau. Lidl, a supermarket chain in Portugal decided to do something to change this. First we invited a village leader from Guiné-Bissau to participate in Portugal's biggest marathon, by doing so, show her routine to the world. After the Marathon, Maria's quest continued at every LIDL where one could donate to a fund to build artesian water wells in Guiné. PR was used first to generate interest from the media and opinion makers in Portugal. This way, the Portuguese people better understood the hardships of Guiné by the day the Marathon arrived. During the duration of the whole Project, PR kept the project's momentum and created substantial growth in donations.As a result from Project Viva, fifteen artesian water wells are going to be built in Guiné. And they will help to lengthen the lives of thousands. As a PR Campaign, Project Viva helped solidify LIDL's position as a company that always puts people first and showed a genuine and strong act of solidarity. 

We created a Project (VIVA) where we brought from Guiné, a village leader to participate in Lisbon's biggest Marathon. By doing so, show the world her routine and hardships of her daily marathons in Guiné. With Project VIVA, Lidl aimed to do something that would forever shorten these distances.

That same day of the marathon, across all Portugal, a campaign to collect funds to build artesian water wells in Guiné started in over 200 Lidl supermarkets. Direct Marketing played an important role as it served well to display detailed information to the media and general public.

We had as a goal, the building of 5 artesian water wells to serve thousands in Guiné. But due to the Portuguese people's generosity and response to the campaign 15 wells are going to be built that will help thousands. And more importantly, shorten these distances and put and end to the marathons.For Lidl, Project Viva proved to be more than a social endeavor, but an act of solidarity that will forever change a world that OUR world had no idea existed.As a PR campaign, it helped build Lidl's relationship with its consumers. For with Project Viva, Lidl once again proved to be a company that always puts people first. And today there's nothing more important to the consumer than a company that really does things and not just says them. More than a PR success, Project Viva changed lives in Guiné. And will certainly give the public an ever increasing view of Lidl as corporation that cares for everything it does.

Maria Buinen, the village leader from Guiné left her country for the first time in 42 years and on December 6th, she showed Portugal her routine. By participating in the marathon with an empty bottle of water grasped to her chest, Maria showed the world her life and that of thousands just like her.

In Guiné-Bissau in Africa, women have to walk the equivalent of a marathon to reach the most basic things such as water, 42km, 195 meters. A routine that is not a sport with Olympic history, but one that is a means to live. Lidl, a German supermarket with over 200 stores in Portugal decided to do something to change this, and forever shorten these women's distances.PR was essential to establish Project Viva in the Media. For it was PR that set the stage for the people in Portugal to start to understand the problems in Guiné.PR was essential to establish Project Viva in the Media. For it was PR that set the stage for the people in Portugal to start to understand the problems in Guiné.