Sharing, liking, or commenting on this post donates one life-saving vaccine
to a child around the world. Please read on for the full story.
One of the most wonderful things about social media is that it gives every single one of us a voice. One of the challenges however, is that sometimes it's easy to stop at so-called awareness; we may discuss topics and causes we're passionate about but that doesn't always translate into tangible action.
I get it. We're all busy, and we're all guilty of this from time to time.
That's why I've been so thrilled to be a part of the Shot@Life annual Blogust blog relay every year since its inception. It's a brilliant campaign that turns the passion s many of us feel for saving children's lives and eradicating preventable disease into action that matters.
This is a really personal issue for me. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Ethiopia with ONE.org and a truly remarkable group of women. We toured health clinics, visited schools, spoke with aid workers and farmers, spoke to parents, let children commandeer our iPhones and take pictures of themselves, danced with kids in the street to Justin Bieber.
After a life-changing week, one of the most profound takeaways that has stayed with me is how much we take for granted here -- but not in the way you might expect.
I had always bought into the idea that all mothers want the same things for our children, all around the world. I was proven way, way wrong.
Ethiopian mothers waiting with their babies for vaccinations and health care at a local clinic
Ask an American mom what she wants for her kids sometime. You'll probably get some version of I want them to be happy. Ask an Ethiopian mom what she wants for her kids, and you're more likely to hear things like food or an education. Or most difficult: I want her to live to be five. It's heartwrenching. To think we can't hope for happiness in our children -- let alone success, finding true love, going to a great college, working in a fulfilling career, having children of their own, and all the other things we we want for them -- without them first surviving to adulthood. The great thing about Blogust is, you can actually make that happen. Yes, you. If you comment on this post, share this post, like this post, repost this quote to any of your social media channels with the hashtag #blogust, then every single one of those actions translates to one vaccine donated to a child around the world by Shot@Life and The UN Foundation. That's up to 50,000 children you will be helping by doing something that takes you literally a second or two. 50,000 mothers' daughters and sons. 50,000 humans with the potential to grow up and do amazing things.Live in such a way that if someone spoke badly of you, no one would believe it One share = one vaccine
This has always been one of my favorite quotes. I can think of so many women who this brings to mind, many of them participating in Blogust too, like Asha Dornfest, Jyl Patee, Tracey Clark. We are all imperfect of course, but when I have this thought in my head, it always gives me something better to strive for. One of the other quotes I've also always loved is, maybe you can't change the world, but you can help one person and that changes their world. That's just what the Blogust campaign gives us each a chance to do. So please, leave a comment here, share this post, like it, pin it, gram it, Tweet it, and whatever other 21st century social media verb you can think of. Then visit the other Shot@Liife Blogust blogs and social media accounts -- there's a new quote posted by a new writer each day, all month long -- and do the same. I know you're busy. But if you've gotten this far in this post (and thank you!), then another five seconds to click a button is a drop in the bucket. It's so worth it.Gabby Blair of Design Mom visiting Ethiopia with the ONE moms
all photos © Liz Gumbinner
