America’s Youth Support Red Cross Measles Initiative

Written by Ashleigh Howard, special to RedCross.org

September 5, 2002 — As the American Red Cross focuses attention on a campaign to vaccinate millions of children in Africa from measles, youth from around the country are joining hands to help out. Kids are working together to help save countless lives in their efforts to educate, fundraise and advocate on behalf of the Measles Initiative in Africa.

A mother waits in line to vaccinate her child in Uganda.

“Red Cross chapters from across the country are involving their youth in many ways,” said Julie Irby, of American Red Cross International Services. “Teachers in schools are even incorporating measles into their Africa lessons.”

The Measles Initiative is the American Red Cross’ mission to vaccinate 200 million children against the killer disease in up to 36 African countries. As a result of this campaign, it is estimated that by the year 2005, 1.2 million young people will be saved from horrible suffering and death. The campaign is being carried out in conjunction with the United Nations Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund.

As a major part of the campaign, local Red Cross volunteers move from town to town across African nations, gathering children by going door to door. They explain to mothers what they are doing and invite them to participate in the vaccination. The mothers are usually willing to have their children inoculated. But if a child does not make it to the mass vaccination, workers bring the vaccination to the child’s home.

The tremendous Red Cross effort has inspired young people to help meet the challenge of eradicating measles. One creative project, coordinated primarily by an incredibly motivated 18-year old, Margeaux Gagliano, and a group of friends, was the “Rock to Eradicate,” a battle of the bands from 7 different schools at a local venue in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Cleveland group also arranged for the proceeds of a walk-a-thon at Hunnington beach to be donated to the initiative. Gagliano says, “It was the greatest feeling, everyone was involved and so motivated, because every dollar was a child that could be vaccinated.”

After seeing the success of the rock and walk, Margeaux and her friends decided to host and a cocktail party/silent auction. The small group organized and hosted the event in which over 50 people participated. Attendees enjoyed refreshments and participated in auctions for items donated by local businesses, from plane tickets to basketball signs.

The mission of the Measles Initiative is to vaccinate 200 million children in 36 African countries.

Through their three outstanding fundraisers, the small Cleveland group collected $14,000 for the Measles Initiative. Margeaux strongly encourages other youth to step up and get involved in the initiative. “It’s a lot easier than they think, if you look in the community, there is a lot of support out there, it is just such a worthwhile cause, it takes so little to do so much,” said Margeaux.

Another example of youth helping to fight measles occurred in Orlando, Fla. “The American Red Cross Central Florida chapter had an elementary school that raised $1,000 and the kids signed a Red Cross flag that I took to Kenya and had the kids there sign…they challenged other elementary schools to do the same,” said Irby.

Students from a Los Angeles, Calif. middle school recently had the opportunity to visit Kenya and see the vaccination campaign in action. Before they left, the youth raised $1,500 to benefit the Initiative. Hands made of construction paper were placed on a bulletin board to monitor how much was raised by each grade level. Some students from that school also had a chance to see the vaccination campaign in action on a recent trip to Kenya.

Alysa Campos, one of the eight students that traveled to Kenya and was involved in the fundraising effort, “Measles takes the lives of so many, and it was wonderful to have been apart of this mission that helped to save thousands of lives,” described Campos. “To know that I have helped so many children and giving many a better chance at life, will be something that I will never forget.”

Measles, a disease almost completely unknown by today’s American children, remains a number one fear of mothers in Africa. It is the single leading cause of death among young people there, claiming nearly 14 million children annually, more lives than any other disease, famine or disaster.

Measles is a horrible and deadly disease. It is comparable to HIV in that it takes hold of a children’s immune systems, making them susceptible to innumerable illnesses that thrive in the poor living conditions of many African communities. Additionally, the illness causes a high fever, peeling of the skin and brain damage.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. A child may contract it by simply breathing the same air as an infected person. Crowded marketplaces, classrooms and family homes serve as perfect breeding grounds for the sickness. So if one family member is exposed, it is likely that every child in the household will become ill. Making matters worse, healthcare is often not available, and treatment comes second to the basic necessity of mothers to work and provide food and shelter.

For more information about the measles initiative, please visit the Measles Initiative website.