We are used to seeing celebrities offering their star power as a way to highlight attention for good causes, but often their efforts seem impersonal. Well, Highveld Stereo in South Africa has managed to give new meaning to helping listeners out and as a result has become the most popular radio station in South Africa.

The innovative effort was launched about five years ago by Highveld Stereo's most popular DJ, Jeremy Mansfield, in the form of a unique program to help struggling individuals and families over the Christmas period, called the "Christmas Wish List". What was unexpected about the program is that Mansfield's morning show is titled the "Rude Awakening", and is renowned for Mansfield's below the belt humor and his willingness to take a slap at anything. Most people tune into the show for a good laugh, and the controversial nature of the show shot him to fame in South Africa. So everyone was surprised when Mansfield launched the tear jerking program. The truth is that he is a big teddy bear of a man, and despite his brash humor, deep down inside he has a heart of gold.

Over December listeners are encouraged to email and fax the station recommending people to receive a special Christmas wish. This provided listeners with the opportunity to get involved in the program, and to help point out people who are having a particularly rough time, or have a special need; including people with serious illness or disability, in dire financial difficulties, or people who had recently had a death in the family. The amount of responses was amazing, and the extent of need was heart wrenching. Mansfield then selected some of the most needy cases and called them up on air to discuss what they had been through. None of the recipients knew ahead of time what was happening, and while Jeremy had them on the line, he called up executives from major South African corporations with the capacity to help, and put them on the spot by asking them to meet the recipient's particular need. As a result he was able to provide disabled people with things like wheelchairs, or people with major illness with pro bono surgery, special care or other help, and the list goes on and on.

What is amazing about the program is how individual it is, and because everything is handled on the air, all the listeners get to participate in the experience. The December show has grown so popular that now executives phone in to offer help, rather than having to be called, and they have become more and more generous with their help (although the publicity helps motivate their charity). The thing is that listeners are hooked, and every morning leading up to Christmas you can find people gathered around the radio to listen to the Wish List. The show is a real tear jerker, and it is impossible not to cry when you hear the response of recipients of help, and participle in the incredible stories. You can always tell who is listening in their because you can see then wiping their faces furiously to stop tears running down their cheeks. It is amazing how powerful and emotional the show is, and it leaves everyone with a good feeling. And it has become a way for everyone to participate in some Christmas goodwill.

Highveld offers a number of unique customer experiences, but nothing has been as gripping as the Wish List. Everyone now tunes in to be part of the experience, and Highveld's popularity is soaring. Not only are South Africans in South Africa tuning in, but South Africans all across the world use the internet to listen to the event. Highveld's advertising revenue has sky rocketed and has become not only the biggest radio station in South Arica, but has developed into a major entertainment company. It is awesome because not only does it show that people care, but shows that when they are able to be part of that experience it becomes a much more powerful and compelling experience.