Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
2, 2011
In This Issue
9 Donor Activities at Home and Abroad
24 UNICEF in the Field 10 Field Visit 15 Partner Profiles Why I Give: Richard Levy 1114 Feature: Six Steps to a Polio-Free World An Insiders Look at a Massive 58 Inside the U.S. Fund Polio Immunization Campaign 16 Inside the U.S. Fund Continued
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Emergencies Update
LIBYA
Hostilities in Libya have created an extremely precarious situation for countless children and families. As of this writing, 822,000 people have fled the country since the crisis began. UNICEF has delivered humanitarian assistance for stranded populations on the Egyptian and Tunisian borders and within Libya itself. At the Salloum crossing on the Libya-Egypt border, UNICEF has provided water, sanitation equipment, and child protection services. At the Shousha transit camp near the Libya-Tunisia border, UNICEF has worked with partners to set up child-friendly spaces, and has deployed psychologists to assist families. Access inside Libya is severely limited, and UNICEF is working to increase its capabilities and presence in the country. UNICEF and its NGO partners have been delivering emergency health kits to serve 60,000 people in Benghazi. UNICEF emergency supplies for between 15,000 and 25,000 people reached the port of Misrata in late April. The items included first aid kits, water purification tablets, and hygiene kits and were distributed to those most in need. This followed an earlier delivery of supplies from a humanitarian cargo ship that docked in Misrata on April 7.
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Days after Japan was devastated by both the most powerful earthquake in its history and a terrifying tsunami, the U. S. Fund for UNICEF started to raise funds to assist children in a country that has, since 1950, been a steadfast and generous donor to UNICEF. The contributions of U.S. Fund supporters have helped UNICEF provide aid for children who have lost parents, homes, neighborhoods, and friends. Among other things, UNICEF has supplied early childhood development kits, advocated for the protection of orphans, and helped establish child-friendly spaces in hard-hit areas. More than 60 UNICEF Mini-Libraries carrying books donated by the public have been established. Several Japanese UNICEF experts deployed elsewhere returned home to work with the Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) in assessing the needs of children and families. The JCU has been directing the distribution of supplies.
To donate to UNICEF emergency relief by region, please visit unicefusa.org/ donate/emergencies.
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and, before he left the country, he had helped to furnish a classroom. Upon his
floor. And while youre at it, try to learn something, anything, a language maybe, something that requires real concentration. Already, more than 13,000 desks with builtin benches have been manufactured and are being delivered to distributed, each of which will allow two or more children to sit comfortably and better focus on their studies. By raising children up, two at a time onto a desk bench, UNICEF and Lawrence ODonnell who spoke at the U.S. Funds Annual Meeting in April are doing their part to give children a head start.
To learn how you can donate a desk for a child in Malawi, please visit unicefusa.org/kind.
return to the U.S., he helped to launch K.I.N.D.: Kids in Need of Desks in partnership with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Its amazing what a difference something as simple as a desk can make. But, as Lawrence ODonnell put it, Try sitting
schools, thanks to generous donors to the K.I.N.D. Fund. In addition to providing desks, K.I.N.D. is creating much-needed employment in Malawi by working with local manufacturers to make the desks. Eventually, at least 46,000 desks will be
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have donated their time and resources, harnessing their unparalleled visibility to raise awareness about child survival issues and inspire their fans to action. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF Sports Partnerships de-
All of our sports partners are a part of a global movement to save childrens lives.
toward UNICEF relief efforts. In addition, the entire MLB family of 30 Clubs, the MLB Network, and MLB.com encouraged
partment works with athletes, teams, and leagues to advocate for children in need, and to mobilize resources to support UNICEFs efforts. All of our sports partners are a part of a global movement to save childrens lives, says U.S. Fund for UNICEF President and CEO Caryl M. Stern. Not only
fans to support the effort. The NBAs Golden State Warriors held a silent auction and hosted U.S. Fund volunteers for in-arena collections, raising a total of $18,000 to help victims in Japan. In response to last years earthquake in Haiti, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the NBA Players Association contributed $1 million for UNICEFs aid efforts, and 20 NBA teams and many individual players made donations. In addition, MLB donated $1 million to support UNICEFs critical work in Haiti, and 11 MLB clubs collected and made contributions. Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Hockey League, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the United States Tennis Association also responded generously to help Haitis people.
d o N o R AC t I v I t I E s At h o M E A N d A b R oA d
UNICEFs Next Generation member Lauren Bush in Guatemala visiting UNICEF nutrition programs that her company, FEED Projects, LLC, helps support through the purchase of the FEED Guatemala bags.
NBA star and UNICEF Spain Ambassador Pau Gasol (c.) at a Los Angeles event with (l.-r.) Ladd Richland, Susan Holliday, Rick Levy, Tim Bruinsma, Thomas Zuber, Jamie Meyer, Caryl M. Stern, Joyce Rey, Anne Kelly, Marisa Zanuck, Carol Levy, and Gary Yale.
Ambassador Meron Reuben, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations; Ron Guttmann, Board member of the Israeli Fund for UNICEF; and Caryl M. Stern display their T-shirts at a Purim reception held by the Israeli Fund for UNICEF .
Jennifer Lopez and Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini at the inaugural Women of Compassion Luncheon in Los Angeles. Ms. Giannini was honored, along with UNICEFs Malawi Representative, Carrie Auer.
Aoife Burke, niece of Midwest Regional Board member Brendan Burke, at Central Christian School in Belize City during a family field visit.
New England Regional Board member David Dodson, shown with women and their children during a field visit to Togo.
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In January, U.S. Fund for UNICEF supporters and staff traveled to Togo for a parent-child field visit. Jim and Jill Cochran and their children Lizzie, Johnny, and Jimmy were among those on the trip. JIM: For nearly two decades, Togo was cut off from development assistance because of its political turmoil and human rights violations. Now, the country is finally starting to recover. JILL: But Togo needs a tremendous amount of help. We visited a school where there wasnt a UNICEF program yet, and it was essentially made of sticks, with a thatched roof. There were six or seven kids crammed onto each bench, sharing a little writing tablet. Because of the lack of trained teachers, one volunteer was teaching students ranging from young children to teenagers, regardless of their level. The children were so eager all they wanted was to learn. JIM: In Togo, school is a great privilege. I was in the Peace Corps there in the 1980s, and taught English and art. There were no books, no pencils or paper, and some of the students had to walk three or more miles to get to school. Its hard to see bright, energetic kids struggling because there are no resources. I decided that, when I could, I would support programs to help them. But I was saddened to see on our recent trip that young children in Togo need more help than ever. JILL: We were there to visit a range of UNICEF programs. We saw schools, protection programs, water and sanitation projects, and much more all programs designed to help children and communities. In the village of Wekele, we met community health workers who were teaching parents about malnutrition, and evaluating children using simple but effective medical aids. The health workers discovered that one child was acutely malnourished, and they started giving supplemental food immediately. JIM: Im convinced that if UNICEF were not in that village and didnt have that program in place, that baby would have died. Early interventions are crucial whether in nutrition or education. Thats why UNICEFs new preschool program in Togo makes so much sense for girls in particular. When I was there 30 years ago, a class of 50 students might have just five girls. Often, girls are kept home to help their mothers. But if we can get girls starting school very young, those girls are more likely to be able to stay and graduate and have better opportunities and the chance for a more prosperous life. JILL: Of course, they all have dreams just like American kids do. Children we spoke with wanted to be teachers, nurses, doctors. One girl wanted to be president. JIM: UNICEF does such a good job of identifying what a countrys needs are and drilling all the way down to the village level to implement programs and confirm that theyre being carried out properly. We have absolute confidence that whether we donate $100 or $100,000, that money is going to be managed well and will have an impact on people at the village level. The revitalization of Togos educational system is probably the most important step toward improving the prospects of future generations there. That is why we decided to pledge our support and enlist others to join us. Investing in Togo is a great way to help these bright, ambitious kids get the opportunities they deserve.
To contribute to UNICEFs preschool program in Togo, please contact Karen Turney at KTurney@unicefusa.org or by calling 713-963-9390, ext. 24.
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n India, a boy struggles to cross a busy street. He uses a handmade crutch to hobble forward, dragging a twisted, useless leg behind him. This is a picture of polio. For most of the 20th century, the word polio spread terror throughout the U.S., where epidemics killed thousands and left tens of thousands permanently paralyzed. But an effective vaccine and mass immunization wiped out the disease in developed countries. And since the start of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (see page 14) in 1988, the number of polio cases worldwide has decreased by over 99 percent. Still, this highly infectious disease for which there is
no cure remains endemic in India, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and continues to re-emerge in outbreaks in other developing countries. Poliovirus has also re-established itself (by jumping borders) in four previously polio-free countries. UNICEF and its partners including Rotary International, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are working to permanently end polio. This is no simple feat it requires enormous immunization campaigns that target tens of millions of children at a time.
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1. Planning a Campaign
Though many children in the developing world receive the polio vaccine as part of their regular health care, immunization campaigns target all children under five in a given country to ensure that none fall through the cracks. UnICEF typically assists governments and partners in overall planning and implementation of campaigns. But huge quantities of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) cannot be made overnight. UnICEF begins discussions with WHOaccredited manufacturers up to two years before a campaign working out quantities, prices, and timelines. Complicating matters, there are four types of OPV, targeting different strains or combinations of strains, so UnICEF must make sure the right vaccine is available. All the planning must have flexibility built in for emergencies. In response to an unexpected polio outbreak in the Republic of Congo in 2010, UnICEF was able to supply the country with the correct OPV within just ten days.
5. The Volunteers
To give a child polio vaccine, a volunteer tips two drops of the vaccine from a vial into the childs mouth. It may not taste great, but its much simpler than having to get (or give) a shot. Polio volunteers receive training, but they dont need to be health workers as do those helping with, say, measles immunization campaigns. Depending on the country, one polio drive can have thousands of volunteers.
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UnICEF and its partners train organizers; organizers train volunteers. On the day (or days) of the campaign, everything is planned down to the last detail. Every volunteer or team knows exactly where they need to go. They know how many children will be in the village or neighborhood theyre traveling to. If theyre taking public transportation, they know when the bus leaves, and they have been given correct bus fare. With so many volunteers fanning out, its essential to keep track of which children have already received their OPV dose that day, so all children have one finger marked with a pen as soon as they swallow their drops.
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6. Reaching Every Child
There are always unexpected hurdles. When UnICEFs jos Vandelaer worked on a countrys campaign a decade ago, rebelcontrolled villages were virtually inaccessible and wary of anything done in cooperation with the government. The solution? Work with non-rebel neighbors to convey the importance of the vaccines and ferry OPV for the rebels children. Soon after, that country was declared polio-free. Though governments play an essential role, its the parents, communities, volunteers, religious leaders, village elders, teachers, and health workers who are the real drivers in campaigns. They are the reason around 55 million children were immunized in nigeria last fall, 10 million this year in Afghanistan, and 8 million in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March. Immunization drives generate tremendous community spirit a nationwide feeling that the entire country is working as one to keep its children safe and sound. With the dedication of all these people and with help from UnICEF and its partners a polio-free world might be just around the corner.
3. Keeping It Cool
While the vaccine is being transported, its usually kept at 20 degrees Celsius (4 degrees Fahrenheit), frozen for stability. Upon arrival in country, the vaccine is checked to ensure that the cold chain hasnt failed. After the OPV is distributed to regional health centers throughout the country, its moved to more conventional refrigeration and the temperature rises to 28 degrees Celsius (3540 Fahrenheit) so that it remains chilled, but becomes liquid for administration to children. When the immunization drive begins, volunteers will transport the vaccine in portable cold-box carriers. Some will travel by car or bus, others might be on foot, in a boat, riding a bicycle or motorcycle, or leading a cold-box laden donkey along a mountain track to a village. Even with all the care taken to maintain the temperature, something can go wrong. So every single vial has a vaccine vial monitor (VVM) a square strip that changes color if the vaccine has experienced extreme temperatures in transit. Each vaccinator is trained to check the VVM before giving the vaccine and will discard vials that have been compromised.
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I wanted them to know that we have the ability to help save not just one life, but many lives and that this is really an incredible gift.
As a young child attending Hebrew school, I learned about Tzedakah an obligation to be charitable to others in need. We would bring coins to class each week to aid those less fortunate. And I remember being taught how even the smallest donations could add up and make a big difference. This idea has stayed with me throughout my life. When I became a father, I wanted to pass down these values to my own children and to have them understand the importance of giving back. I was already supporting several non-profits and charities, but I decided to get involved with a mission that my children could easily relate to on a very basic level. I wanted them to think about other kids who grow up with so much less than they have, children who are at risk of not growing up at all. And most importantly, I wanted them to know that we have the ability to help save not just one life, but many lives and that this ability to give is not just a moral obligation but really is an incredible gift. There should be no argument or controversy or politics about helping vulnerable children in developing countries survive. They are innocents who suffer from circumstances not of their own making. It is the responsibility of all adults to protect and care for them, particularly those with the means to do so. This is why I became interested in UNICEF. The core mission is so basic: saving and improving childrens lives. As I learned more about how UNICEF operates, the influence it has all over the world, and just how important it is to the wellbeing of millions of children and families, I became convinced that UNICEF was the right organization for my family and me to support. UNICEF is so effective because it uses its expertise with governments and NGOs in a way that is synergistic and not competitive. The value added by these types of relationships is far greater than one-plus-one, which is why I believe UNICEF is deserving of peoples respect, dollars, and personal commitment. I saw UNICEF in action during a field visit to Mozambique last year. One of UNICEFs partners was a local NGO that cared for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Without this program, these kids would have nothing and nowhere to go. UNICEF provided guidance and know-how to help the NGO protect these children and improve their lives. UNICEF also helped the Government of Mozambique significantly expand its birth-registration process. Without birth registration, children have no national or political identity and cant access school, health care, and government programs. UNICEFs efforts to get more children registered will have a far-reaching impact on many lives for generations to come. I am grateful for the opportunity to support such programs and Im grateful that my family and I have been able to be part of UNICEFs mission.
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nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. American Airlines and the U.S. Fund are thrilled by the programs success and grateful to all those who volunteered and donated to make its 16th year such a success perhaps you were one of those generous people. Thank you!
P11: P12: UNICEF/NYHQ2010-2766/Olivier Asselin UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0193/Asad Zaidi UNICEF/LAOA2005-5270/ UNICEF/LaoPDR00368/Jim Holmes P13: UNICEF/INDA2010-00513/Gurinder Osan UNICEF/NYHQ2009-2609/Riccardo Gangale UNICEF/NYHQ2010-0417/Kate Holt P14: UNICEF/INDA2011-00108/Graham Crouch UNICEF/NYHQ2010-2789/Olivier Asselin P15: Courtesy of Joe Trofino UNICEF/NYHQ2007-2274/Roger LeMoyne UNICEF/NYHQ2007-2299/Roger LeMoyne P16: U.S. Fund for UNICEF IBC: UNICEF/NYHQ2010-0750/Roger LeMoyne Courtesy of Harriet Natsuyama Envelope: UNICEF/NYHQ2006-2866/Julie Pudlowski
Photo Credits
Cover: UNICEF/NYHQ2006-0403/Giacomo Pirozzi P1: UNICEF/NYHQ2009-1234/Giacomo Pirozzi UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0364/Marta Ramoneda UNICEF Malawi UNICEF/NYHQ2009-1929/Giacomo Pirozzi P2: UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0412/Marta Ramoneda UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0493/Adam Dean UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0430/Adam Dean P3: UNICEF/C.Ivoire/2011/Langue UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0166/Olivier Asselin UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0533/Olivier Asselin P4: UNICEF-DRC UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0585/Olivier Asselin P5: UNICEF Malawi P6:
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dannyKayesociety
When I was a senior in high school, I got a scholarship to go to the university and study science. I was from an immigrant family with little money, and it really changed my life. because of that education, I was able to have fairly well-paying jobs and to accumulate a bit of savings. Now I want to support UNICEFs mission to give children, especially girls, the same chance to thrive.
Im leaving money to UNICEF through my trust because I want to return the gift I was given to the whole world.
Harriet Natsuyama Danny Kaye Society Member
Recognizing Those Who Have Invested in the Future of the Worlds Children
to learn more about how you can create a legacy of life for future generations of children, please contact Karen Metzger toll-free at (866) 486-4233, or visit our website: unicefusa.org/giftplanning.
No child should die of a preventable cause. Every day 22,000 do. We believe that number should be zero.
Believe in zero.
The U.S. Fund for UNICEF has earned 6 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator. Only 3% of charities evaluated by this trusted organization have received its highest ranking for at least 6 straight years. We meet all 20 of the Better Business Bureaus Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability.
U.S. Fund for UNICEF 125 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038 1.800.FOR.KIDS unicefusa.org 2011 U.S. Fund for UNICEF. All rights reserved.