What it takes to change lives

On June 17th, Kupona Director James Mann hosted his annual Cocktail Reception in New York City to support our work to improve maternal and newborn healthcare in Tanzania.

Alexandra Cairns (Kupona staff) greets Advisory Board member, Elena Rubinov

We were delighted to welcome such a diverse and distinguished group of guests, including long-time supporters and new friends, representatives of UNFPA, the Diaspora Council of Tanzanians in America, and Safe Surgery 2020, as well as individuals who have been following our work for many years. We were also joined by members of Kupona’s Advisory Board, friends, family, and former colleagues from CCBRT.

A video message from CCBRT’s CEO, Erwin Telemans

Welcoming guests, James emphasized how cost effective investments in maternal and newborn healthcare can be. A video message from Erwin Telemans, CEO of CCBRT, gave guests a tour of the CCBRT Disability Hospital, setting the scene for the range of impairments that can be prevented and treated with access to high quality maternal and newborn healthcare. Kupona’s Executive Director, Abbey Kocan, reiterated the ‘ripple effect’ of an investment in our program – saving the life of a mother, the primary caregiver, means her entire family is likely to be healthier, better educated and more prosperous. She closed with a call to action, asking guests to join us. “We know the solutions; we just need to mobilize to implement them.”

$16,000 will fund 30 safe deliveries for expectant mothers and their newborns. On-the-job training for healthcare workers will simultaneously improve the existing medical infrastructure, embedding high quality care in the healthcare system for future generations.

James Mann (far left) welcomes guests.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our host, Mr. Mann for generously covering the event costs and matching donations made during the evening, and to all who showed their support before, during and after the event. Your contributions help us continue to strengthen the healthcare system and provide care to thousands of women and newborns every year. Thank you.

More photos from the event are now live on our Facebook page. You can also receive updates by signing up to receive our mailing list.