Top-selling artists, The Weeknd and French Montana, are leading the efforts to raise awareness around maternal and children’s health, and their donations are creating change for people in Uganda.
The “Starboy” singer was first inspired by French Montana’s work with Global Citizen and Mama Hope earlier this year when they pledged $100,000 to help the Suubi Health Center, a rural medical facility.
Only a few months later, The Weeknd matched Montana's donation.
“The Suubi Health Center is in the Eastern part of Uganda, one of the poorest and most populated regions in the country,” Denis Mukisa, the son of Suubi’s founder, told Mama Hope. “The Luuka District, where we live, has a population of 260,000 people but no hospital, no premature health services, and no ambulance except Suubi’s.”
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The Weeknd’s donation gave Suubi enough funds to complete construction of the maternity clinic’s first floor. The upgrade will make health care services a reality for thousands, and increase the clinic’s serving capacity from 56,000 people to 260,000.
Meanwhile, Montana’s donation helped pay for ambulances, premature incubators, cribs, and a blood bank for the entire community, according to Mama Hope.
After learning more about Suubi’s work and the particular challenges new mothers and babies face, Montana launched an online, social campaign, #Unforgettable, similar to the 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
The dance challenge is a call to action to raise awareness for the needs of the clinic and has already been taken on by Drake, Diddy, DJ Khaled, and Swizz Beatz.
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“I feel like there is something really big in store for us,” Mukisa said. “The connections made by Global Citizen, Mama Hope, and French Montana’s campaign could potentially turn a new page.”
You, too, can make a difference. To join the ranks of French Montana and The Weeknd, visit Mama Hope to help make maternal, neonatal, and child health care a priority.