Change people's lives at home and around the world
June 2009
1,500 volunteer Church members helped publicize the measles campaign in Togo.
When the Ivory Coast set out to immunize 3.2 million children under five years of age, they hoped to achieve a 50 percent success rate. They were thrilled when 95 percent were vaccinated. Similar success was found in Benin, where all 1.2 million children were vaccinated.
Part of the success was due to LDS Humanitarian short-term specialists DeMoine and Joyce Findlay. In the Ivory Coast, 5,000 laminated badges, 5,000 hats, 144 megaphones, and 50,000 flyers were distributed. In Benin, in addition to flyers and badges, the Church helped produce radio spots in four languages.
Two Primary children record a song as a part of a radio jingle to promote the measles campaign.
Vaccination sites were set up in many locations in each country depending on community needs. They could be found in health centers, schools, village chief’s homes and under mango trees.
“We were thrilled with the participation of the members and to have been able to be part of this experience,” said Elder Findlay. “It’s strengthened the testimonies of many and brought more visibility to the Church.”
“In 2005, humanitarian doctors found water-caused health problems in Kersa Illala,” said Brett Bass, Director of Humanitarian Services. “They asked us for help in getting a clean water system. So we provided the materials and expertise to drill a well and provide six watering stations.”
The scene on the southern shore of the Dominican Republic was right out of a travel brochure: azure waters, palm tree-lined paths, and puffy cotton clouds against a bright blue sky. But this wasn’t a cruise ship, it was a U.S. Navy hospital ship—the USNS Comfort. Its 800 “passengers” are on a four-month expedition to bring badly needed medical care to seven different countries in the Caribbean, South America, and Central America.