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World Vision joins the Million Moms Challenge with ABC News & UN Foundation

  • 09.22.11
  • Category: World Vision Artists News

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World Vision joins the Million Moms Challenge with ABC News & UN Foundation

First-of-its-kind campaign to connect millions of Americans with millions of moms in developing countries across the globe

 

New York, NY (September 19, 2011) – Today, World Vision is joining ABC News and the United Nations Foundation in the recently-launched Million Moms Challenge. This first-of-its kind initiative will connect millions of Americans with millions of moms in developing countries around the world to engage on the critical issues of pregnancy, childbirth and children's health -- moms here helping moms worldwide.

The Million Moms Challenge will build a vibrant community that connects moms across the globe by using the latest social media strategies together with world-class broadcast and digital news platforms to shine a light on the extraordinary challenges faced by mothers and babies in the developing world.

Stories based on compelling characters and innovative solutions will be featured on ABC News’ broadcasts including “Good Morning America,” “World News with Diane Sawyer,” “Nightline,” and “20/20,”  as well as other ABC News platforms including ABCNews.com and ABC News Radio.  The initiative will lead up to a one-hour prime time special on maternal health anchored by Diane Sawyer on December 16, 2011.  

“There is so much we can do together – so many simple ways for us all to link arms to make sure every mother and child has a chance to lead a healthy life,” said ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer.

The Million Moms Challenge will focus on things mothers care about: the right nutrition to support their pregnancies, skilled attendants to assist in safe deliveries of newborns, and vaccines that allow children to survive to celebrate their first birthdays and beyond.

“I just returned from a trip to Kenya where I saw first-hand the incredible ways that small things can have big impacts on the lives of mothers and their children,” said Cynthia Breilh, national director for World Vision’s Women of Vision volunteer program.  “As a mother and a registered nurse, my heart breaks when I meet a mother who has needlessly lost a child to a preventable disease.  But we have one of the most powerful weapons in the world in this fight against poverty – our voices!  I am proud to join ABC News in this campaign as they help unite us, and our voices, for change.”

As part of the initiative, a dedicated website (www.millionmomschallenge.com) will provide a live, interactive forum for some of the nation’s top mom bloggers to share their stories and ideas through blogs and video posts in real-time with moms and midwives in the developing world. Viewers who want to know more and get involved will find ways large and small to make a difference in their own communities and around the world. The Million Moms Challenge wants a million Americans to join the movement by signing up on the Challenge’s website and /or on Facebook.

“You don’t have to be a mom to help a mom,” said Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UN Foundation.  “A healthier tomorrow for our world starts with healthy moms and babies today. The Million Moms Challenge gives us the chance to make history by sharing stories, ideas and sparking a global conversation that will help the United Nations build a global partnership for healthy lives,” she added.

In addition to World Vision, the Million Moms Challenge partners include African Medical and Research Foundation, CARE, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, GAVI Alliance, mothers2mothers, ONE Campaign, Partners in Health, Riders for Health, Save the Children, UN Foundation’s campaign, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, and White Ribbon Alliance.

The Million Moms Challenge is a joint effort of ABC News and the UN Foundation, in conjunction with corporate partners Johnson & Johnson and BabyCenter. BabyCenter will encourage its 10 million moms in the US and 14 million moms overseas to join the Million Moms Challenge. For the first 100,000 people who sign on to the Million Moms Challenge, Johnson & Johnson will donate $100,000 to some of the biggest NGO partners helping moms and babies overseas.

The Million Moms Challenge is part of an ABC News year-long global health series “Be the Change: Save a Life,” which is sponsored in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

For more information about the Million Moms Challenge visit www.millionmomschallenge.com. To get involved in the conversation about healthy moms and babies around the world, follow @AMillionMoms on Twitter and use the hash-tag #MillionMomsChallenge.  You can also like Million Moms on Facebook at facebook.com/millionmomschallenge.  You can also learn more by visiting: www.worldvision.org/millionmoms.