charities

division 30 south suns

PREFERRED

PROJECT ELIMINATE

With The Eliminate Project, Kiwanis International and UNICEF have joined forces to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. This deadly disease steals the lives of nearly 60,000 innocent babies and a significant number of women each year. The effects of the disease are excruciating — tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and extreme sensitivity to light and touch.

To eliminate MNT from the Earth, more than 100 million mothers and their future babies must be immunized. This requires vaccines, syringes, safe storage, transportation, thousands of skilled staff and more. It will take US $110 million — and the dedicated work of UNICEF and every member of the Kiwanis family.

In 34 countries around the world, maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) can quickly turn the joy of childbirth into tragedy. MNT kills one baby every nine minutes. Its effects are excruciating — tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and extreme sensitivity to light and touch. There is little hope of survival. Tetanus not only kills newborns, but also their mothers too. MNT is caused when tetanus spores, found in soil everywhere, come into contact with open cuts during childbirth. The disease strikes the poorest of the poor, the geographically hard to reach and those without health care.

Maternal and neonatal tetanus represents a very high proportion of the total tetanus disease burden due mainly to inadequate immunization services, limited or absent clean delivery services and improper post-partum cord care. The majority of mothers and newborns dying of tetanus live in Africa and Southern and East Asia, generally in areas where women are poor, have little access to health care, and have little information about safe delivery practices.

Don't let all this information bring you down! With the help of Key Clubbers' donations all over the world, Ethiopia has recently eliminated MNT and now only 17 countries remain affected by this deadly disease. Let's finish strong and eliminate MNT together!

PEDIATRIC TRAUMA PROGRAM

Not may know that unintentional injury is the #1 killer of children age 14 and under in the U.S. and unintentional injury kills more children every year than any other cause - including disease, homicide and suicide! 90% of these unintentional injuries can be prevented!

Recognizing the serious need for education and training in the areas of pediatric trauma and injury prevention, the Kiwanis Cal-Nev-Ha Foundation established the Pediatric Trauma Program (PTP) in 1994. Our mission is to develop local projects, which will reduce the number of children in our district who are killed or injured by trauma. Utilizing the knowledge and expertise of our partner hospitals, the Foundation identifies projects the Kiwanis family can undertake to address the issue of Pediatric Trauma within their own communities. The Foundation's partnership with childrens hospitals in Oakland, San Diego, Loma Linda, Madera, Honolulu and Reno connect the Kiwanis family to the issue of Pediatric Trauma.

The Kiwanis Cal-Nev-Ha Foundation works closely with our partner hospitals to provide funding to train pediatric doctors, nurses and first responders, to purchase much-needed pediatric medical equipment and to create or expand community outreach programs. All of this is only possible due to the generous support of our clubs and members. Donations earmarked for PTP are spent in three major areas: grants to our partner hospitals; grants to Kiwanis and Service Leadership Program clubs; and PTP safety items which are available for purchase by the Kiwanis family at a subsidized cost.

Your club can help prevent unintentional injuries in your community by sponsoring a service project on topics such as, Bicycle Safety, Bicycle Safety Helmets, Booster Seats, Child Abuse Prevention, Child Passenger Safety, Child Safety, Child Safety Seats, Children's Miracle Network, Fire Prevention, First Aid and CPR, Home Safety, Immunizations, Injury Prevention, Pediatric Trauma, Playground Safety, Poison Prevention, Safety Belts, Shaken Baby Syndrome, Smoking Awareness and Water Safety.

UNICEF, the only organization of the United Nations dedicated exclusively to children, works with other United Nations bodies, governments and non-governmental organizations to assist in children’s needs through community-based services in primary health care, basic education, and safe water and sanitation in more than 150 developing countries.

UNICEF shares the Kiwanis family’s global commitment to children and has provided its extensive resources and leadership to assist in the Worldwide Service Project to virtually eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) from the globe. Since 1994, Key Club has been Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF and over the years has raised nearly US $5 million for iodine deficiency programs worldwide and HIV and AIDS programs in Kenya and Swaziland. Now it’s helping The Eliminate Project.

The Kiwanis family, in partnership with UNICEF, is working to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus through The Eliminate Project. Find out how you and your club can help save or protect millions of women and babies. Learn how to take part in fundraising and advocacy efforts. Keep up with the elimination of MNT and get inspiration from others. Go to www.TheEliminateProject.org.