GAVI / D. Rowe

This journey shows the value of vaccines. Get global leaders to ensure this journey continues by signing the petition in the take action box alongside this article.

Today, 22 million children across the world do not have access to basic vaccines.

GAVI / Rob Beechey

Without immunizations, 1 in 5 children lose their lives to vaccine-preventable diseases before turning 5.

GAVI / Dan Thomas

Think of this another way: THAT’s 20%.

Flickr: Pim Horvers

The answer is simple- increase access to vaccines.

Flickr: Universidad de Navarra

Apart from saving lives, vaccines play a HUGE role in eliminating extreme poverty.

Flickr: Wendkuni

They lower healthcare costs for families and communities.

Flickr: UN Photo / Albert Gonzalez Farran

They improve school attendance rates.

Capt. John Severns / U.S. Air Force

And they improve labor productivity when adults aren’t home sick themselves or caring for their children.

Niel Palmer / CIAT

So how do we make this happen?

UNICEF Ethiopia

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has created a global partnership of public and private organizations that care about increasing global access to vaccines and are committed to seeing this happen.

GAVI ALLIANCE

Already, they have helped immunize 440 million children, saving 6 million lives.

GAVI / Asad Zaida

And they’re not done yet- they now plan to immunize another 300 million by 2020, saving another 5-6 million lives.

GAVI / Olivier Asselin

We have a long road ahead of us, but together we can turn the Vaccine Alliance’s dream into a reality.

GAVI / D. Rowe

Don’t let this journey end here. Stand with Olivia Wilde and sign the petition to get global leaders to increase access to vaccines.

----

Editorial

Defeat Poverty

A visual story of how Global Citizens & vaccines can make a big difference

By Christina Nuñez