“Our purpose in submitting the film was to have all these brilliant minds together to further research and unlock the mysteries of Nodding Syndrome. I want to thank everyone at your brilliant company that created such a masterpiece to share!” — Dr. Suzanne Gazda, Co-Founder of Hope for Humans | Client:
Purpose:
Award: | Hope for Humans To call attention to the devastating impact of Nodding Syndrome in Northern Uganda. Some 7,000 children now have the disease, while the cause and cure remain unknown. The film won the grand prize at the Neuro Film Festival, a contest that helps raise awareness about brain and nervous system diseases. This year’s competition included 80 films. Winning the grand prize landed the film (and the disease) center stage in front of the world-class audience of neurologists attending the American Academy of Neurology 2013 Annual Meeting last Friday in San Diego. | The children are ordinary boys and girls, going to school, playing games with their family and friends. One day without warning a drowsiness comes over their eyes; such is their sudden fatigue that they can fall from their feet—into a ditch, into a fire—and not have the strength or presence of mind to pull themselves out. These are the horrors of Nodding Syndrome (NS), a rare neurological disease wreaking havoc in the geographically isolated region between Northern Uganda and South Sudan. Hope for Humans is on the ground marshaling support for the affected children and for the parents, who must eke out a living while literally holding their children up.
“It has totally messed up my livelihood,” says one Ugandan woman who has lost five children to NS. “I don’t even get sleep, I don’t go to the garden (to farm). It’s difficult to cook since I have to carry them sometimes, and I don’t have anyone else to cook for me.”
The cause of NS is currently unknown, as is the cure. Hope for Humans aims to rectify that, while delivering much needed love, support and medicine to the communities in need.
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“I know this child is going to be negative. This child is going to live.”
–– Constance Mudenda, Implementation and Mobilization Coordinator at an AIDS clinic in Zambia
| Client:
Purpose:
| (RED)
To communicate the life-saving impact that ARV treatment has in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. To date, (RED) has raised over $200 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
| Sometimes the toughest sorrows and setbacks inspire us to carry on and achieve great things. Constance Mudenda lost three children to HIV/AIDS before testing and treatment for the virus were widely available in Zambia. After enduring the enormous loss of her children, a clinic arrived in her area and Connie tested positive for HIV. Thankfully, she was enrolled in the clinic and had access to continual anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment. Connie committed to her regimen and as she saw her own health improve, she became a peer educator, “giving hope to the hopeless.” As Connie says, “If my children had lived, I don’t think I would have the time to give encouragement to anyone because I wouldn’t have the experience, I wouldn’t have the strength to give to a person.”
Last year, Connie became pregnant for the fourth time, and thanks to the availability of ARVs and to her steadfast adherence to the medication, Connie delivered a beautiful, healthy, HIV negative baby girl. I, and the entire Micro-Documentaries team, greatly enjoyed meeting Connie through her story on film and extend her our sincerest congratulations!
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“Everyone in my family takes care of the baby by following the messages.”
— Asha Rani, Mother of two and Aponjon subscriber
Mothers in developing countries often struggle to get the best information for raising their children. Internet access is inconsistent, hospitals overcrowded, doctors expensive. In Bangladesh, Asha Rani felt in the dark when raising her first son. She didn’t know about the importance of breastfeeding up until six months, for instance, or about other immunization tips, which led her son to frequent illness once he was a toddler. Now she gets regular messages through her phone from Aponjon, a service that supplies mothers in Bangladesh with important information and best practices for raising their children. The Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action (MAMA) provides Aponjon and other similar services to more than 20 million moms around the world.
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“It was a new world for us. It was a different language. We were completely lost.” —Gladis Alarcon, Legal Services for Children client
There’s no place like home. Except, that is, for immigrants trying to reestablish a sense of self, community, and purpose amidst an entirely changed landscape. For them, home can be as disorienting and uncomfortable as the journeys that led them there. Gladis Alarcon shares her story of immigrating to America from El Salvador and discusses the key role that legal representation played in helping her find her foothold and thrive in her new life.
"The most important thing you're going to learn at school is to be kind."
Ellen Pritchard Dodge, Educational Director
Educator Ellen Pritchard Dodge teaches social emotional development to help children learn to manage their feelings. Most educators agree that kids need the time and tools to learn how to get along, but many teachers feel too stressed to explore the possibilities. Dodge uses Kimochi toys as a way to boost patience, generosity and inclusiveness among students. She hopes that one day Kimochis can be a tool that increases the kindness footprint of our world.
"All of us can learn more by making more, whether we're kids or adults."
Michelle Hlubinka, Education Director, Make and Maker Faire
The Maker Faire is an annual, weekend-long event that celebrates invention and the do-it-yourself mindset. Exhibits run the gamut from talking robots to earthquake-proof popsicle homes. Passionate maker Michelle Hlubinka discusses the importance of such events and how, in the face of schools shutting down places for making, there’s a need to rekindle the creative spirit in children around the U.S. and beyond.
“The writer reduces and the illustrator expands.” - Amy Novesky, children’s book author
Amy Novesky shares how she finds inspiration and brings her children’s books to life. In our world, which can feel frenetic at times, Novesky sees the ongoing value of books to slow time down and help us be present. She likes to focus her own work around real experiences of real people like Frida Kahlo's visit to San Francisco and Georgia O’Keeffe's time in Hawaii.
"Hokule'a is our tool to remember." Nainoa Thompson, Master Navigator, Hokule'a
The crew of the legendary Hokule'a requests a blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for their worldwide journey. Their traditional canoe will create a symbolic lei as it sails around our island Earth without modern navigation tools in an effort to remember what we have forgotten — our oneness with nature and with each other.
"The word Aloha is very easy, but implementing the real meaning of Aloha is not easy." His Holiness the Dalai Lama
His Holiness the Dalai Lama visits Hawaii to celebrate the many connections between Buddhist compassion and the Hawaiian spirit of Aloha. In a global world grappling with many complex, interdependent, and dire challenges, both of these peaceful philosophies remind us to approach fellow human beings and the planet with empathy and a warm and hopeful spirit.
“We are just a big human family, that is the reality.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Eight thousand high school and college students are treated to a talk with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In it, he stresses the importance of interconnectedness, compassion, and empathy. Educating the mind is important, but so to is educating the heart so that we can use our skills and wisdom in a constructive way for society.
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