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(Grand Rapids, MI, January 19,
2006) –WGVU’s ambitious
partnership with several local organizations in the
national Rx for Child Survival campaign
has been selected as one of five case study sites for
the project. Created by WGBH/Boston and Vulcan Productions,
Inc., the campaign aims to raise awareness about the
triumphs and challenges of global health and encourage
contributions to prevent some of the 6 million unnecessary
child deaths that occur around the world each year. As
the project approaches the halfway point, the grantor
has contracted with the Harvard Family Research Project
at Harvard University to evaluate the campaign.
Grand Rapids was selected, along with
Atlanta, Charlotte, Seattle and Puerto Rico. In addition
to collecting event data, Harvard will conduct a telephone
interview with a station representative about the coalition
and participation in the campaign, telephone interviews
with at least three community partners in the coalition,
and a site visit to one of the local coalition’s events. Case
studies will chronicle the implementation of outreach
work in these five communities, including an assessment
of the value of public television in promoting global
health awareness, and an assessment of best practices
for future impact campaigns.
WGVU serves as the local convener of a coalition of
community organizations including:
- Grand Rapids Rotary East
- Grand Valley State University – College
of Health Professions
- Grand Valley State University – Kirkhof
College of Nursing
- Grand Valley State University – Office
of Multicultural Affairs
- Grand Valley State University – Barbara
H. Padnos International Center
- Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth:
Kids & Cops
- International Aid
- Muskegon Community Health Project
- The World Affairs Council – Western
Michigan
- WGVU Public Broadcasting
November 1 - 3, 2005, WGVU aired Rx
for Survival —A
Global Health Challenge, a six part series about
the challenges and triumphs of health here in America
and around the world. Starting last August, the
local campaign, From Surviving to Thriving has taken
the film’s messages to the local community in
a series of events ranging from WGVU’s annual
KidsDay at the Zoo to a Dental Health Fair in Muskegon
and Grand Valley State University’s Intercultural
Festival. The coalition’s goal is to have
an event every month, including several speakers and
a local kick-off for the project’s international
component – a reading exchange program between
children in West Michigan and those in Nicaragua.
A two-hour version of the original
program is tentatively scheduled to air April 12 on WGVU
TV. More information
on the project partners and events, as well as on the PBS
program and the national campaign can be found at wgvu.org. |
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