January 18, 2018

Recognition Matters for Maternal & Newborn Health

Originally posted on the CCBRT blog

At the end of last year, CCBRT hosted a ceremony to recognize the top performing maternal and newborn health facilities in Dar es Salaam.

CCBRT’s Maternal and Newborn Healthcare Capacity Building Program coordinates a lot of activities: coaching, mentoring and training of health professionals; delivering life saving equipment and supplies to maternity wards; working with hospital management teams to identify problems and find solutions; and so on. But if you ask Manager and Technical Advisor, Dr. Brenda D’mello, about the program’s most unique feature? “Efforts to recognize the extraordinarily hardworking doctors and nurses on the front-line,” she says.

“In order to measure progress in quality of care, we use a tool called SBMR (Standards-Based Management and Recognition). Our program – particularly the ultrasound initiative – truly puts the ‘R’ in ‘SBMR,’” Dr. Brenda explains.

Indeed, last November CCBRT hosted a ceremony to recognize the top performing maternal and newborn health facilities in Dar es Salaam. The ten facilities that received the highest marks in CCBRT’s composite score – measuring everything from target delivery numbers to inclusion of women with disabilities – were awarded ultrasound machines from the Honorable Regional Commissioner of Dar es Salaam.

This “competition” motivated facilities to improve their services for mothers and babies. As one hospital in-charge stated at the ceremony: “Everyone is working very hard and everyone wants to work as hard as they can. Recognition drives us to move forward and brings us to excellence. As Dr. Brenda always says, ‘even a small thing you can do for a health worker will mean everything to them’.” Dr. Brenda sees recognition of healthcare workers as a crucial component of Respectful Maternity Care, describing it as “care for the caregiver.”

Individual healthcare workers were also recognized for excellence in performance. 81 nurses scored above 80% in performance assessments, meeting recognition criteria. Notably, 26 of these nurses scored 100%! CCBRT’s capacity building team is proud of the sites’ accomplishments and incredible progress in the past seven years. In total, average scores on quality of care assessments have increased from 10% in 2010 to 82% in 2017 – leading to a 40% reduction in maternal deaths and 14% reduction in stillbirths.

January 5, 2018

Sustainability: The bedrock of our 2018 agenda

2017 was a year of challenges. For many of us, the health, wellbeing and fundamental safety of our global community has rarely, if ever, felt so under threat. There is no denying that the challenges we face in achieving our global goals are complicated, and will not be solved overnight.

Yet that hasn’t deterred our team or this community: because 2017 was our biggest year yet.

Thanks to the generosity of our partners and donors we were able to mobilize more than $1.5 million in financial and in-kind resources in 2017 to support the continuation of transformative healthcare programs in Tanzania.

That means we were able to deliver high-quality surgeries and rehabilitative care to more people in vulnerable communities. We trained healthcare workers to save the lives of mothers and newborns, and made investments in equipment and systems needed to deliver quality care to the hundreds of people seeking critical healthcare services at our partner hospital, CCBRT, every day. This number doesn’t include the hours of advice, and hands-on event support our volunteers and friends also gave so generously. Thank you.

As we enter 2018, we are full of hope, ambition, and drive. This year, CCBRT has launched a new, five-year strategy, and their vision for the future is ambitious: for CCBRT to be the leading provider of accessible, specialized health services in Africa.

At Kupona, we’ve long believed in CCBRT’s ability to make this happen. They are already a global leader in disability services, one of the largest providers of obstetric fistula treatment worldwide, and a key partner to the Government of Tanzania in the fight to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes. We have no doubt that, in the not-too-distant future, their vision will become a reality. We’re excited to be a part of the journey, and we hope that you are, too.

To achieve this vision, CCBRT is working to strengthen its financial position, and to reduce dependence on external aid. As the populations of Tanzania, and CCBRT’s home city of Dar es Salaam, continue to grow, demand for CCBRT’s full range of healthcare services shows no sign of abating. With major milestones on the horizon, including the opening of the new CCBRT Clinic this year, and the CCBRT Maternity and Newborn Hospital in 2019, CCBRT will be increasing the number of people it serves by over 40%. Investments to ensure that CCBRT can sustain the quality of its services at scale have never been more important.

As CCBRT makes this shift, our donors and partners have a critical role to play. The transition from a charity model to a sustainable social enterprise model is an evolution, not a revolution. And while CCBRT continues its transformation, donors like you are crucial to ensuring we can deliver quality care to vulnerable people every day. That’s why, this year, we are working harder to make your donations go further.

We are exploring strategic partnerships and solutions to deliver impact for patients – whether it’s launching creative financing structures, deploying innovative capital or building disruptive partnerships to make CCBRT’s vision a reality. Our collaboration with Lavelle Fund for the Blind is a great example. We are seeking partners to join us, not only in making high quality vision care accessible and sustainable, but also in making high quality maternal & newborn healthcare, orthopedics & physical rehabilitation, plastics and reconstructive surgery, and community based rehabilitation services available for generations to come. Our Executive Director will be on the West Coast meeting with prospective donors and partners in February and March, and our External Affairs Director will be in NYC in February. If you’re interested in scheduling a meeting or personal briefing, please send us an email.

This year, we’re also going to give you more opportunities to capitalize on matches and prize funds. In 2017, through our partnership with GlobalGiving, our community unlocked over $3,000 in additional funds through Bonus Days, competitions and matching campaigns, which is the equivalent of 60 additional healthcare workers trained. This year, we want to build on this success, and do even more to amplify your impact. Stay tuned to our emails, social media and this blog for the latest news on available matches and contests.

With renewed conviction, and the momentum of our best year yet propelling us forward, we are determined to achieve bold gains for the people and communities of Tanzania. Will you join us?

Join us by saying “yes” with your recurring or one-time donation, today.

December 22, 2017

A moment to reflect, and say Thank You

As we wrap up another year at Kupona Foundation, we want to say ‘thank you’.

Thank you for standing with us as we provide life changing surgeries and rehabilitative care to thousands of people living in poverty in Tanzania. Thank you for unlocking the potential of children living with correctable conditions like clubfoot or pediatric cataract. Thank you for restoring hope and health to women and girls like Tausi who have lived with obstetric fistula, and others who are rebuilding their lives through entrepreneurship. Thank you for empowering people working on the frontlines of care with the tools and skills they need to save lives, people like Midwife Dorcas.

We support solutions developed in country by local experts because they are the most effective way to realize opportunities and ensure long term impact. Our community based partner, CCBRT, is a leading healthcare provider with over two decades of service to the community and partnership with the Government of Tanzania.

The end of a year always gives us the opportunity to look back on our accomplishments, and to consider how far we still have to go. This year is a particularly timely moment for reflection, as CCBRT comes to the end of a five-year strategic plan, driving towards a Tanzania where people have access to quality disability services as well as safe maternal and newborn healthcare.

As CCBRT evaluates its impact over the last five years, we are able to take stock of the role that you – our Kupona Foundation community – have played. Since 2012, we have built a strong network of over 2,000 donors, advisors and advocates, mobilizing financial and in-kind resources exceeding $4.8 million, all in support of CCBRT’s life changing programs.

CCBRT’s triumphs are your triumphs, and we’re so proud of our collective progress. Your support, and the support of our partners have resulted in:

  • More than 50,000 disability-adjusted life years averted through high quality surgical and rehabilitative interventions
  • More than 5,000 maternal & newborn health workers trained by CCBRT’s expert teams
  • A more than 20% increase in the number of people with visual impairments served at CCBRT Disability Hospital

Of course, there is more work to be done, but today we celebrate the progress made, with an eye towards the future. Stay tuned in January to hear more about what is in store for 2018.

Thank you for your commitment to this life changing work. We would not have been able to achieve these milestones without you.

Help to change a life today! Set up a recurring donation through GlobalGiving, and your first month’s donation will be matched 100%!

December 5, 2017

Life Saving Priorities: Capacity Building

Originally posted on the CCBRT blog

Tanzania is home to seven health professionals per 10,000 population. The World Health Organization recommends 45 per the same number of people. This workforce shortage overwhelms health professionals, leading to poor working conditions, poor quality of care and poor health outcomes. Facing these challenges, how does Kupona’s partner in Tanzania, CCBRT, save lives? By prioritizing capacity building.

Capacity building can take many shapes and forms. It can focus on the needs of CCBRT, like sponsored trainings for doctors to specialize in anesthesiology. It can focus on the needs of partner facilities, like newborn health equipment donated to Temeke Hospital. Or it can focus on the needs of the greater Tanzanian health workforce, like planning for the CCBRT Centre for Excellence in Clinical Education.

Perhaps the greatest example of CCBRT’s efforts in the past five years lies in their Maternal & Newborn Health Capacity Building (MHCB) Program, currently working in 23 sites across Dar es Salaam. MHCB aims to strengthen the skills of health professionals to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies. From 2013 to 2017, this included training, coaching and mentoring of more than 5,000 healthcare workers.

The results for health services? An increase in the use of life saving interventions, like vacuum delivery (used when labor has not progressed adequately), Cesarean section (used when vaginal delivery would risk the life of mother or baby) and Kangaroo Mother Care (used when a baby is born premature).

The results for quality of care? A 720% increase – from 10% to 82% – in quality of care, according to standards-based performance assessments. These measure adherence to standards related to labor, delivery and newborn care, infrastructure, human resources, education, communication and support systems.

And the results for patients? As of 2016, a 40% reduction in maternal deaths and a 14% reduction in stillbirths across facilities – with further reductions expected in 2017.

As one nurse reported, “If I can now save children, it is only because of what I have learned from CCBRT. Before I was not fully aware of what to do, for example, with premature kids, but now it is a pleasure for me to see them grow through Kangaroo Mother Care!”

A new mother of twins echoed this statement: “I was scared, as I had never experienced premature babies. But doctors and nurses advised on taking care of them. I am grateful for their help because, without it, I would have lost them.”

Providers and patients agree: the MHCB model works. The achievements of this program from 2013 to 2017 pave the way for additional activities in the upcoming strategy period, from 2018 to 2022. Following the success of supporting frontline health workers, the next phase of capacity building will support leaders in the regional health system.

November 28, 2017

Supporting Families in Tanzania to Thrive

A guest post by Chloe and Katherine Manchester

The holidays are an extra reminder that family matters most.

And it may seem obvious, but ‘family’ is what’s truly at the heart of ‘family planning’. Not politics or fraught debates. Just family.

Being able to plan if, and when, to have children is a crucial starting block for being able to care for your family in the best way you can. It means, in a life full of uncertainties, that parents have a greater ability to invest in their children’s education and nutrition; that mothers can plan enough time between births so that mother and baby are as healthy as possible; and so that a baby on the way is cause for celebration, not concern, and never burden.

Our father Tim would have done (and did) anything for his family, and he dedicated his career to helping other families around the world build healthier futures. We chose to work together with Kupona Foundation and CCBRT because we knew that doing so would continue his legacy, and give parents in Tanzania the same opportunity to provide for their families.

Tim’s Corner is a small kiosk next to CCBRT Disability Hospital in Dar es Salaam, where patients, their families, and other visitors can speak with a trained nurse about family planning, and access the best contraceptive options to suit their reproductive intentions, in a safe and welcoming space. The average Tanzanian earns less than $3 a day, so making these services accessible to everyone is part of our shared vision of making family planning services more equitable.

The next step is integrating these services into other programs at CCBRT, including the new Maternity and Newborn Hospital, as well as for women recovering from obstetric fistula repair surgery. We also need to make the services as accessible as possible for adolescent men and women. Reaching high risk groups with contraceptive services can be life-saving.

There are many worthy causes deserving of your support this holiday season; we sincerely hope that you will consider giving to Kupona in honor of happy families in a part of the world where poverty poses a daily struggle. Tanzania was our adopted home for more than eight years, and holds a special place in our hearts. We are so thankful for the amazing staff at CCBRT and Kupona who work so hard to champion this cause.

Happy holidays, and thank you for all that you do.

Chloe and Katherine Manchester

November 1, 2017

10 Years of the Mabinti Centre

Originally posted on the CCBRT blog

The Mabinti Centre turns 10 today! To recognize this milestone anniversary, we sat down with Mabinti founder Katia to reflect on the past decade.

The Mabinti Centre grew out of Katia Geurts’ dream: to start an organization to empower women who have suffered from obstetric fistula. With a background in sewing, textile design, and teaching, Katia worked for years in the Sudan, Rwanda, and Kenya teaching crafting and embroidery skills to people living with disabilities, their mothers, and other women. When she and her family moved to Dar es Salaam in 2006 and learned of CCBRT’s fistula program, she approached CCBRT’s management with an idea for a partnership.

On 1 November 2007, the Mabinti Centre opened its doors to its first class of trainees. In the 10 years since then, 100 women recovering from fistula surgery have benefited from the Mabinti Centre’s intensive 12-month course, training in sewing, screen-printing, beading, design, English, and business skills. In addition to training, the women continue their holistic recovery from fistula through group support, life skills, health education (including HIV/AIDS, family planning and nutrition) and wellbeing promotion activities like yoga. By the end of the course, Mabinti graduates have gained the knowledge and skills to enable them to earn their own incomes and build healthier, brighter futures for themselves and their families.

 

“The difference [at the end of the year] is so big compared to when the women start,” Katia says. “The confidence they build is thanks to the Mabinti Centre. It’s not just having [technical] skills – it’s having life skills lessons, like welcoming visitors and meeting new people, that builds this confidence and helps empower them.”

Whether they settle in Dar or return to their homes elsewhere, Mabinti’s graduates spread awareness about what fistula is and how to seek treatment for it. Through their entrepreneurship, they demonstrate that women can have full lives after suffering from fistula. Each week, one of Mabinti’s graduates leads a crochet lesson with women being treated for fistula at CCBRT as part of their holistic care program, providing a positive example to them that there is life after fistula.

Mabinti’s impact also goes beyond its walls in other ways: as a social business, it runs a successful production unit, providing income generating opportunities for graduates to work on an extensive range of accessories and home furnishings. The products’ popularity at fairs, retail locations in Tanzania and for international wholesale orders have led Mabinti to near-double its revenue in the last three years alone – revenue which is reinvested into free, high-quality care for women living with fistula at CCBRT’s Disability Hospital.

Reflecting on this success, Katia says, “[it’s] much bigger than I would have imagined at the beginning. But it has grown by itself. We can continue to get better at a lot of things, but I’m proud of the 10 years that we have been helping women with fistula rebuild their lives.”

Please join us in celebrating 10 years of Mabinti by sending a birthday gift of $10 through our GlobalGiving page.

Want to learn more about the Mabinti Centre’s work or to visit Mabinti in person? Find out more on our fact sheet and Facebook page.

October 23, 2017

Kupona Foundation & Lavelle Fund for the Blind Launch Partnership for Sustainable Vision Care in Tanzania

We are delighted to announce our latest collaboration with Lavelle Fund for the Blind. Over the next 2.5-years the Lavelle Fund will support critical financial and technical investments, enabling the CCBRT team to scale the provision of low cost, high quality services to people living with blindness or visual impairment in Tanzania, and to sustain these critical services for future generations.

Photo credit: Sala Lewis

Blindness and visual impairment in Tanzania

  • In Tanzania, an estimated 1.1 million people are visually impaired and 33,000 are blind.
  • With an average household size of five, at least 4.7 million people are directly affected by blindness and visual impairment in Tanzania.
  • Up to 70% of cases of blindness or visual impairment can be treated or cured with surgery, medical intervention or assistive devices, but access to quality services is limited.
  • CCBRT’s immediate catchment area, Dar es Salaam, is one of the fastest growing urban centers in Africa, and Tanzania’s largest city. Dar es Salaam is on track to become a megacity, with a population of 10 million by 2025.
  • Though poverty rates have declined in recent years, about 12 million Tanzanians still live in extreme poverty, earning less than $0.60 per day.

Without intervention, individuals with preventable or treatable blindness and visual impairment struggle to access vital healthcare services, education or employment opportunities and are often excluded from community life. CCBRT provides high quality, affordable, comprehensive outpatient and surgical care to thousands of people every year to either restore their vision or provide long term support to people with permanent vision loss, enabling them to fully participate in their community. CCBRT is the largest provider of ophthalmology services in Tanzania, and its Disability Hospital in Dar es Salaam is one of only three facilities equipped to provide pediatric ophthalmology services nationwide. More than 60,000 people a year currently rely on CCBRT’s services, and Dar es Salaam’s growth means demand continues to increase.

Photo credit: Sala Lewis

Working together with global experts
Leveraging the advice and expertise of esteemed advisors from the world of social enterprise and sustainable eye care, the goal is to use investments in equipment, staff training, community outreach and facility refurbishment to increase both volume-driven patient revenue and efficiency-driven cost-savings. This will facilitate a 70% increase in the volume of cataract surgeries currently performed at the hospital and double the number of patients that receive care at no charge, while also reducing CCBRT’s dependence on volatile external aid.

The partnership will convene a technical advisory group comprised of three visionary leaders in the field of sustainable eye care. Mr. David Green, a MacArthur Fellow and Ashoka Fellow, helped develop the Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai, India, the largest eye care system in the world and a blueprint for sustainable eye care in the Global South. Dr. Levi Kandeke is a pediatric ophthalmologist and pioneer of sustainable eye care in Burundi, East Africa. Ms. Penny Lyons is Executive Director of Seva Canada Society, an international eye care organization that provides funding and expertise to eye care partners and institutions worldwide.

“CCBRT is not only Tanzania’s largest provider of many core eye care services, it is also one with an exemplary record of service quality,” said Daniel Callahan, Board President at Lavelle Fund for the Blind. “The Lavelle Fund is proud to be supporting CCBRT and its partner Kupona Foundation in their current initiative to drive increased eye care volume, efficiency, affordability, and sustainability at CCBRT Disability Hospital. We’re also delighted to see the contributions of experts like David Green and the team at Seva Canada, as we facilitate knowledge exchange from a range of successful sustainable eye care initiatives across the world.”

This partnership, combining financial resources and ongoing technical support from world-renowned experts, will ensure that CCBRT can reach more people in need of affordable, high quality, specialized services to restore their sight, while investing in organizational sustainability. This partnership is about ensuring that critical, high quality healthcare services are not only available today and tomorrow, but in ten years’ time.

The official press release for this announcement is available here.

October 20, 2017

A Night (and Round) for Health & Hope raises over $50,000

Celebrating the success of our second annual event in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Last week, we were thrilled to host our second local fundraising event in Kupona’s hometown of Saratoga Springs, at Saratoga National Golf Club.

Photo credit: Niki Rossi Photography

Through the support of our sponsors, friends, family and volunteers, A Night (and Round) for Health & Hope was a resounding success, raising over $50,000 to support life changing care for children living with disabilities in Tanzania.

Photo credit: Abbey Kocan

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day as golfers played a round on Saratoga National’s pristine golf course, followed by an evening cocktail reception. Local musicians Leah Woods and Just Nate shared their talent as guests enjoyed Saratoga National’s delicious cocktails and appetizers, and bid on a stunning range of silent auction items.

Photo credit: Niki Rossi Photography

We were excited to bring back (by popular demand) handmade items crafted by women recovering from obstetric fistula at The Mabinti Centre. We were practically sold out within an hour!

Photo credit; Niki Rossi Photography

A huge thank you goes to our generous sponsors, including Ally Sponsors Beebe Financial Services, D.A. Collins, Lancaster Development, Tom & Laurie Longe, Bob & Denise Schwed and Steve & Debby Seaboyer, our Event Sponsors Pet Partners, Saratoga Hospital and Tim & Liz Ostrander, our Partner Sponsors Carpet One and Iron Roost and all of our Friend of Kupona Sponsors. We are also grateful for the amazing staff at Saratoga National Golf Club, our golf committee, Tom Longe and Steve Seaboyer, and our event committee chair Kelly Trendell, for making the event such a success. Thanks also to Niki Rossi Photography for capturing the event, and to Leah and Nate for contributing their time and talent.

During the evening, Kupona’s External Affairs Manager Alexandra Cairns recounted meeting a young boy named Frederick in rural Tanzania. Frederick lives with cerebral palsy, and due to a lack of resources, he used to spend his hours lying in the dark on the dirt floor of his home, almost completely isolated from the world. Then one day, our sister organization in Tanzania provided him with a wheelchair and regular physiotherapy, and Frederick’s life was completely changed. You can see the smile on Frederick’s face and read more of Frederick’s powerful story, here.

Alexandra shares Frederick’s story.
Photo credit: Niki Rossi Photography

Meet Frederick. Photo credit: Benjamin Eagle

The $50,000 raised on Thursday night will help change the lives of 387 children just like Frederick.

Photo credit: Benjamin Eagle

The generosity of our supporters has unlocked access to the healthcare services children like Frederick need to improve their mobility, giving them the opportunity to play with friends in their community and go to school.

We invite you to stay involved with this work. Why? Because it’s your support that is breaking the cycle of poverty for thousands of families in Tanzania. Here’s how you can help:

Help us reach 77 more children with a gift today
We want to change the lives of  77 more children like Frederick. We invite you to join us in reaching this goal and making dreams come true with a gift. It’s your support that can break the cycle of poverty for thousands of families in Tanzania. Help us reach our goal of raising another $10,000.

  • Donate today! A gift of $130 will support a child living with a disability, improve their mobility and give them the chance to learn and play. Reach out to someone who might want to learn more: a friend, colleague, teacher, minister, or neighbor.
  • Check out the photos from the event.
  • Follow us on social media. We’re on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

L-R: Abbey Kocan, Alex Cairns, Sami Bossalini, and Kupona Board member Robert Schwed.
Photo credit: Niki Rossi

We’re so proud to call Saratoga Springs home and so grateful for the incredible generosity and support of this community.  Thank you.

September 25, 2017

Conquering Kilimanjaro, Conquering Fistula

Celebrating the creativity and dedication of our supporters.

Whether they are hosting cocktail receptions in a New York City apartment or a fundraising pasta dinner in a middle school gym; whether they are golfing for good, running half marathons, or purchasing handmade items from The Mabinti Centre, our supporters astound us.

This month, we are so excited to watch our new friend, Sara Safari, climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds and awareness for women living with and recovering from obstetric fistula in Tanzania. Her goal is to raise $19,000, $1 for each foot of Kilimanjaro’s elevation.

An inspirational journey
Sara is an author, engineer, professor, mountaineer, TedEx speaker, recipient of the 2015 Global Citizen Award from the United Nations, and advocate for the empowerment of women and girls.

In 2015, Sara was climbing Mt. Everest to raise funds to empower Nepali girls who were trafficked or forced into marriage. On day 25 of Sara’s climb, Nepal was struck by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Sara survived the quake and the devastating avalanche that followed while clinging to the edge of the treacherous Khumbu Icefall by her harness and anchor.

Today, Sara continues working, and climbing, to empower women and girls. She aims to climb the highest mountains on every continent (The Seven Summits) to raise funds for seven charities working for women’s empowerment. When she completes her climbs in July 2018, she will be the first Iranian in history to conquer The Seven Summits.

Conquering Mt. Kilimanjaro
Kupona Foundation is honored to be Sara’s charity of choice on the African continent as she summits Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, this week.

“Women living with obstetric fistula are often denied the opportunity to live to their fullest potential. Many are cast aside by family members and neighbors, and confined to their homes to avoid the stigma and shame associated with this debilitating childbirth injury. They cannot work, attend community functions, and are often susceptible to infections and disease.  I climb on behalf of all women who don’t have the opportunity to live fully self-expressed lives around the world.” Sara Safari

Thanks to Sara’s incredible commitment, and the contributions of her supporters, we will be able to reach more women living with fistula, supporting their comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation, and their reintegration to their community as they rebuild their lives. The road to recovery is not an easy one, but like Sara’s climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro, their destination is within reach.

We’re excited to conquer fistula together, returning hope, health and empowerment for women in Tanzania.

Are you inspired by Sara’s incredible efforts on behalf of the women we serve? You can support Sara’s CrowdRise project today. You can also follow her journey on Facebook and Instagram.

June 21, 2017

Reflections from Families+Social Good 2017

Last week, we joined UN Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, and partners for the first ever Families +Social Good in London. Celebrities, journalists, nonprofits, NGOs and grassroots activists came together to explore our wishes for every family, everywhere. Here are a few of our highlights from the day.

(L-R): Chrysula Winegar, Alexandra Cairns, and Daphne Metland

‘Health in Your Hands’ panel

We were honored to be a part of the ‘Health in Your Hands’ panel. Our External Affairs Manager, Alexandra Cairns, joined Chrysula Winegar from UN Foundation and Daphne Metland from Baby Center to explore the game changing impact mobile technology is having on the lives of women and girls.

Alex introduced the audience to obstetric fistula, its impact on the lives of women and girls around the world, and shared how mobile money transfer technology has revolutionized access to healthcare for thousands of women since 2009. Women like Ruth have been given the chance for a brighter future thanks to mHealth innovation. Check out a recording of the full panel session here to learn more, and hear Alex share Kupona’s mission and work from minutes 9:32 – 18:06.

Daphne and Alexandra discussing the power of technology to impact women’s health.

Beating the drum for safe surgery

We were so proud of our colleague and friend Dr. Ruben Ayala, Chief Medical Officer of Operation Smile and fellow member of the G4 Alliance, for his passionate plea for compassion and commitment in the fight to increase access to safe surgery across the world. Billions of people do not have access to the quality surgical care they need globally, and every year a lack of access to safe surgery kills more people than malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB combined. Dr. Ruben shared, “We believe that access to safe surgery is an essential component of healthcare and a basic human right.” We couldn’t agree more!

Invest in girls and women, and you can change the world

While the event focused on the entire family unit, it was clear that investments in the health, education, and empowerment of women and girls are the key to strengthening family units and enabling them to thrive. The return on investment in women and girls is huge. As Jamie Drummond, co-founder of the ONE campaign put it, “Not only is it the just thing to do, but it’s the most efficient thing to do.” The power of investing in girls could not have been clearer than in the ‘Propelling Girls Forward’ interview. Sarra Alayan, a Girl Up Teen Advisor, was confident and eloquent on stage as she asked Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen, CEO of Plan International, why empowering young girls is so important. As Albrectsen said, we don’t need to look any further than Sarra herself to see what can happen when girls are given opportunities to realize their potential.

Thank you to UN Foundation and Johnson & Johnson for inviting us to participate in this inspiring event, and for giving us the opportunity to share more of our stories with the world!

Eager to hear more from these amazing discussions? Check out all of the online recordings from the day at familiesplussocialgood.org

 

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