It’s a devastating time for global health organizations. Professionals who provide urgent medical care to people around the world—children suffering from malnutrition, families that need bed nets to prevent malaria, researchers searching for better ways to treat neglected tropical diseases—they’ve all been stopped in their tracks by the recent U.S. Government stop-work order and aid freeze.
Developments on this issue are moving at a dizzying pace. By the time you read this blog, the situation may be very different from when I wrote it. That’s the world we’re in right now. But one thing’s for sure, the stop-work order will have a deadly impact. More people around the world will get sick and die. If you want to dig into the specifics, read the Global Health Council’s report on the potential impacts of this policy disaster.
Against this grim backdrop, global health organizations need private donor funds more than ever. That’s why I’m happy to introduce you to the new campaign by Minerva’s client ALIMA. They do exceptional work in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond to keep kids and their families alive and healthy. They also run creative and compelling campaigns to educate folks about their work and generate support.
ALIMA’s recent “Ode to Strangers” campaign is a great example. The campaign is built around the experience of motherhood. Millions of mothers around the world face life-threatening challenges from inadequate healthcare, extreme poverty, and lack of access to maternal care—putting both their lives and their newborns at risk. Nearly 70% of the world’s maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and 75% of those deaths are tied to preventable childbirth complications like hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and respiratory infection.
The Ode to Strangers campaign spotlights moms in four corners of the world who share moments of crisis when a stranger’s actions changed the course of their lives. Ode to Strangers was created by award-winning marketing agency Nazar Works, which hopes the series will prompt everyday people to tap into their power to change even one person’s life. The series was directed and produced by Malu Lara, illustrated by Rohan Eason, animated by Motionauts, and includes original music composition and sound design from MassiveMusic. Together, these creatives developed a multimedia experience that’s captivating and inspiring.
I encourage you to check out the entire campaign, especially “The Helper Overseas,” the story of a mom in the west African country of Cameroon who delivered triplets far from the nearest hospital. A good Samaritan contacted ALIMA for help, and the mother and her newborn babies were transported to a nearby health center for immediate medical care. Under ALIMA’s care, two of the triplets thrived against the odds. It’s a remarkable story that exemplifies how ALIMA helps women deliver healthy babies and experience the joys of childbirth that every mother deserves.
I urge you to support ALIMA’s work and the efforts of other global health organizations that deserve our support. The Ode to Strangers campaign is rooted in stories of transformative kindness—something we all sorely need.
