I am very honored to be working with the Measles & Rubella Initiative, (a partnership of UNICEF, the UN Foundation, The American Red Cross, CDC and WHO), in their global efforts to eliminate measles and rubella. Measles is still responsible for about 150,000 child deaths every year. Around 430 children die every day. Vaccination is safe, effective and inexpensive, and costs only a dollar a child. I traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2012 and India in 2013, to visit communities and families and children affected by measles. These were extraordinary, unforgettable experiences. I feel extremely privileged to have the opportunity to use illustration to help save lives.
You can find out more about the Measles and Rubella Initiative here:
http://www.measlesrubellainitiative.org/
You can read more about the DRC trip here:
http://www.sophieblackall.blogspot.com/2012/06/day-3-in-bas-congo-part-2.html
And more about what we did in India here:
http://stopmeaslesrubella.org/2013/05/08/sophie-and-olive-draw-their-week-in-india/
And my blog post for the Huffington Post here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sophie-blackall/measles-india_b_3226116.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003