Aid Africa’s Children Leads Classroom at WBEZ’s 2012 Global Activism Expo

We were honored to be selected among 24 Chicago area global activists to lead a “break-out classroom” at WBEZ's 2012 Global Activism Expo. This is WBEZ’s largest event of the year. Our topic was about "Helping Babies Breathe: How a Simple Medical Intervention is Reducing Infant Mortality."

"Helping Babies Breathe is a program initiative by the American Academy of Pediatrics to teach neonatal resusitation for resource-limited areas." This is ideal program to teach in Africa since often our medical mission are held in areas without electricity or running water. The infant mortality rate is the number of babies dying before reaching one year of age, per 1000 live births. According to a 2011 World Bank report, “South Africa’s infant mortality rate is 41 per 1000 live births, in comparison to the USA’s rate of 7 per 1000 live births. As of 2010, Tanzania’s infant mortality rate was 70 per 1000 live births” Recently, Aid Africa's Children's mission trip to Tanzania taught over 100 caregivers and medical professionals how this simple medical treatment can save babies lives.

Aid Africa's Children’s (AAC) booth at the WBEZ Global Activism Expo offered an opportunity to learn about our crisis intervention and education programs. Future and current global activists had the opportunity to learn about our medical mission trips and how we offer free medication and medical treatment. We demonstrated the “Helping Babies Breathe” procedure showing how a simple medical intervention reduces infant mortality. Visitors also wanted to know learn more about the schools and water wells (boreholes) that AAC built in Africa. Food donations were collected for $1.25 for our Soul Sparkle’s program where AIDS orphans raise their young siblings.