Mulroney suits up for UNICEF Halloween campaign

Mere weeks after pulling off his Canadian Idol mask, CTV's Ben Mulroney is getting ready to pull on a new one -- as the face of UNICEF's Trick or Treat campaign.

It will be the eTalk host's second year as a spokesperson for UNICEF's long-standing Halloween campaign. The job consists mainly of using his well-known visage to bring attention to the campaign through public appearances and education, spreading the word that kids and adults alike are sought to help out in the fundraising effort.

Mulroney got on board last year to be a voice for the program's new concept, which left the ubiquitous Halloween-night change collection boxes behind for an extended period of fundraising instead.

Including the "Dare to Wear a Costume" campaign for the workplace and an online fundraising component, the program now stretches over the course of the month.

"We got rid of the boxes for dozens of reasons," Mulroney told CTV.ca. "The boxes weren't working anymore, they were played out... It was a brand new thing for the first time in over 30 years. Canadians responded to it."

Running since 1955, the Trick or Treat campaign has raised more than $94 million and has been many young Canadians' first exposure to charitable giving and the specter of global poverty.

This year, proceeds will go to the Schools for Africa, a joint effort between UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Hamburg Society for the Promotion of Democracy and International Law.

Funds raised go to the construction of schools in Malawi and Rwanda, and will provide educational materials for and teacher training to improve the quality of education to keep children in school longer.

According to UNICEF, about 400,000 Rwandan children don't have access to education, while in Malawi, fewer than 50 per cent of students reach grade five.

Mulroney had the opportunity to see the program's work for himself last year on a trip to Malawi and says the experience firmly solidified the importance of UNICEF's work.

"Malawi's one of the poorest countries in the world," he said. "It's also a democratic country, which was one of the reasons we went there. The work ... had a good chance of continuing after we left.

"I don't know that (a visit to Africa is) in the cards for this year, but there's going to be a lot of radio and getting my face out there to constantly reminding kids that it's never too late to sign up."