2020 Annual report Highlights
Written by Madelyn Anderson, Marketing and communications coordinator
Obstacles and Opportunities
2020 was a year full of obstacles for many around the world, not the least of which being the devastating COVID-19 virus. Saving Moses encountered the many challenges faced by any organization operating amid a pandemic, as well as challenges from new and renewed conflicts emerging around the world. This all, of course, resulting in the changing needs of the precious babies we work to save.
Despite what it may have felt like in the more difficult moments this past year, 2020 was a year for opportunities to overcome these challenges, just as much as it was a year of encountering them.
We can proudly share that in the face of the unprecedented and unrelenting need we encountered, Saving Moses (and you!) saved 9,652 babies in 2020!
Not Just a Number
While it is great to look at totals, at Saving Moses we always take care to remember the individual babies and toddlers those numbers represent. It’s not just 9,652 saved. It’s 9,652 precious little ones like Zeferina.
Zeferina is two years old and lives in Angola. When we met her, she experienced persistent body pain, fevers, and fatigue that kept her sleeping most of the time. Her parents took her to the nearest medical clinic where the doctors gave her medication to relieve her symptoms and sent her home. Her parents soon realized this was not a permanent fix and went back to the hospital. Doctors misdiagnosed her twice, and her symptoms grew worse each day.
Fortunately, someone who had been to our clinic in the past told Zeferina’s parents that these were symptoms of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and could only be treated at our Malnutrition Clinic.
After just two weeks of drinking our therapeutic milk, Zeferina experienced drastic physical improvement. She fully recovered and was successfully discharged. Her mother told us,
“I lack words to correctly express my gratitude for all the the support that you gave to us with the free milk!”
This is what we must remember when we talk about numbers. It’s not just over 9,600 babies saved. It’s 9,652 more sweet smiles, cute giggles, sticky hands, and soft snuggles in the world today.
Impact Assessment According to Program:
- BirthAid saw 3,021 babies born safely in conflict areas in Syria and Afghanistan.
- Saving Moses also provided education and training on how to have safe births and healthy babies to 1,800 local community leaders, empowering them to in turn educate those around them. This training impacted over 14,000 families in 2020 alone.
- 5,603 babies have been cured of SAM (Severe Acute Malnutrition) through our Malnutrition Feeding program.
- Despite increased conflict and violent attacks on civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we are continuing to operate our Malnutrition Feeding program, even as many aid workers on the ground have been forced to evacuate.
- 388 babies and toddlers found refuge at our NightCare centers from the horrors of the sex industry. That’s an overwhelming 16,762 safe nights away from abuse and trauma.
- NightCare doesn’t just provide a brief respite from the horrors of the sex industry. Our NightCare program provides healing and hope through trauma-informed care, nutritious meals, age-appropriate lessons, and abuse prevention education, all lovingly offered by consistent caregivers.
Additionally, our wonderful leaders and teams on the ground pivoted to respond to the needs of our little ones in the face of the pandemic:
- 1,000 care boxes were distributed from our NightCare centers in response to COVID-19.
- In Angola, Saving Moses provided take-home rations to prevent babies suffering from malnutrition during mandated lockdowns.
- In Iraq, we provided much-needed essentials for babies in refugee camps.
We also continued our pandemic relief efforts into 2021, as India experienced a devastating 2nd wave:
- Saving Moses, with your help, provided 2 life-saving infant breathing machines to a rural ICU in response to the collapse of India’s healthcare system.
- 1 medical center has been established to address the needs of expectant mothers and their babies, who lack access to proper care due to the massive influx of COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the country.
None of this would have been possible if not for the ongoing support of our donors – 5,688 generous friends like you made 2020 our best year yet. Thank you!
To learn more and view our full annual report, please click here
