Key Club raises vaccine money to fight, cure several diseases across the globe.

By Maya Macgregor
Staff Writer

Many people have been taught to help those less fourtunate. Now, students can begin by donating money to the United Nations Children’s Fund to aid women and children in developing countries get vaccinated.
Costa’s Key Club partnered with UNICEF to encourage teens to raise money for vaccinations for those in third-world countries. In October, Key Club placed UNICEF boxes in classrooms where students could donate to UNICEF’s Project Eliminate.
“The origins of the project date back to years ago, when UNICEF helped cure the world of smallpox,” Key Club President senior Drew Dates said. “Now, no human will suffer from this disease.”
One of Project Eliminate’s main goals is to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. The disease results from unsanitary deliveries and umbilical cord care practices that can be prevented through a tetanus vaccination.
“MNT kills mothers and their babies every nine minutes because they are unable to get injectioned,” Dates said. “To eliminate MNT, 100 million mothers and their babies must be immunized.”
Key Club’s goal is to raise $1,000 for UNICEF’s project.UNICEF ultimately hopes to collect $110 million to fund items such as vaccines, syringes, safe storage, transportation and skilled staff to give mothers the immunizations.
“Project Eliminate will reach the poorest, most neglected mothers and babies with vaccines and health care,” Dates said.
Since 1999, UNICEF and its partners have immunized 90 million women in 50 countries and have eradicated MNT in 18 countries.
“It saves the lives of mothers and children and has helped countries eliminate MNT with a vaccine,” Key Club Treasurer senior Adriana Ortiz said.
In the future, Key Club hopes to further its charitable endeavors to raise money for those who are in need.
“I like helping because it’s great to know that you can help such a large organization just by doing some small things,” Ortiz said.