Northwest Speaker Series: UNICEF’s Response to the Ebola Crisis

The Northwest Region hosted Dr. Kerida McDonald, Senior Advisor, UNICEF Communication for Development, at their Fall Speaker Series luncheon on November 5^th, 2014 at the San Francisco City Club. The Speaker Series educates the civic and philanthropic community on various areas of UNICEF’s work. Each event focuses on a different topic with a presentation and discussion led by a UNICEF staff member, who’s an expert in the field.

The spread of Ebola in West Africa is a global health crisis. Dr. Kerida McDonald addressed UNICEF’s work around the Ebola crisis using communication and public awareness campaigns. Such a quickly spreading and deadly disease requires a strong effort towards community education and social mobilization. UNICEF’s Communication for Development team is working hard to reach individuals and communities through a variety of channels: school clubs, health and youth centers, mobile AV vans, and the mass media, to name a few. In order to stop the spread of Ebola, UNICEF has estimated the need to reach out and educate 22 million people. Dr. McDonald enlightened the audience about the depth and expertise of UNICEF’s work around the world, particularly in emergency situations.