Speaking Books Newsletter October 2017

World Polio Day

We Are This Close

When Rotary launched its worldwide mission to eradicate Polio in 1988 there were some 350,000 cases, and 125 polio endemic countries.

• By 2014, 2.5 Billion children had been immunized in 122 Countries
• By 2014, Polio Cases reduced 99.9% World Wide
• By 2017, thanks to Rotary’s mission and the $2.2 billion in funding to date, only 11 cases of Polio have been reported this Year
• By 2018, World Polio Day will recognize 30 years of Rotary Commitment and Funding to rid the World of Polio – Every day brings us closer to zero – What a phenomenal achievement and benefit to the world!

The Rotary Club of Hilton Head SC

An initiative that was first promoted and introduced by the Rotary Club of Hilton Head and then supported and funded by Rotary International’s Polio Plus Partners, Sir Emeka Offor in Nigeria, and UNICEF, the Speaking Book for Polio Education was created specifically to inform populations at risk about the absolute importance of vaccination

Click on Image to listen in Dari

Delivered just in time for World Polio Day, Rotary Polio Plus Partners funded 7000 Speaking Books “Grandpa Knows Best; A Story of Polio” with 16 pages of easy to understand text, illustrations and a sound track recorded in Dari and Pashto are being distributed by UNICEF health workers as well as Rotary volunteers to reach the most vulnerable population with critical life saving messages

Mohammad Ishaq, Chair National Polio Plus Committee, Afghanistan:
“As far as there is no electricity and other entertaining facilities like TV etc for the kids in Rural areas, this is something strange and magic for them. They love it. The books quality and especially sound is extraordinary and it attracts the attention of the kids especially in the rural areas of the country.”

This latest delivery of Speaking Books funded by Rotary and partners in support of the End Polio Now campaign follows on from the great success of the distribution of 5000 to Pakistan, A Story of Health, and a further 15,000 “Yes to Health, No to Polio” for Nigeria. With each Speaking Book reaching multiple users, UNICEF estimate they will be seen, heard and understood by well over a million+ low literacy and vulnerable people

For further information, please contact;
Brian Julius bj@speakingbooks.com
1-843-298-1017