Children’s book supports the World Medical Fund

Marketers that volunteer through Pimp My Cause contribute their talent to good causes in a huge variety of ways. And sometimes the depth of the relationships that they build together surprises us.

In 2013 we introduced Faiz Kermani, a marketer with a unique background in medical research, to the World Medical Fund (WMF), a charity that runs mobile health clinics that treat children in remote parts of Malawi. WMF was looking for help with their marketing and communications strategy and Faiz was happy to get involved to see how he could best support their work.

Three years on Faiz has supported the charity in many ways and is now an official board member. And he is now using his passion for writing children’s books to help raise money for WMF’s important work.

Nazlie Chan-Wing-Yen, Project Coordinator for WMF, said “Faiz has been and is a great asset to WMF as he understands the medical side of our work as well as our marketing needs and it was so exciting when he came up with the idea of the book to raise funds”.

Faiz has written several children’s books with humorous themes such as The Frog in the Skyscraper and The Frog Who Loved Mathematics. His latest publication The Frog Who was Blue went on sale on the 28th of January. It can be purchased through Amazon or Troubador Publishing and proceeds from the book sales will go to fund WMF.



Faiz said, “We hope that the book can raise the profile of WMF, since the charity’s life-saving work relies entirely on donations,” comments Faiz. “WMF’s focus is on the region’s poorest and most vulnerable children, including AIDS orphans.”

This book project will support the ongoing work of WMF, which treats 25,000 children each year. Their mobile clinic brings medical staff and supplies to the remotest parts of Africa and delivers life-saving medical care. Thousands of children are alive today as a direct result of the treatment they provide.

One example of their programmes is their work with children affected by AIDS. In 2005 antiretroviral medicine became available free of charge in Malawi for everyone infected with the AIDS virus, however children under 13 years of age were excluded.



Nazlie said, “We couldn’t stand by and watch innocent children suffer the painful and undignified death that is the final outcome of AIDS so began our own programme, buying the antiretroviral medicine at an annual cost of $500 per child. But many of the children are orphans and it was difficult to ensure they attended every month for essential ongoing clinical appraisals and the prescription of their medicine.

“So we opened the Thandizo centre, which is unlike any other medical centre. It is a playground and a sports centre, with games, toys and even a TV. These are diversions for children that simply do not exist in Nkhotakota. Our problem is no longer persuading children to attend every month; but persuading them to go home at the end of their day! And since 2007 we are now receiving the antiretroviral medicine free of charge.”

Marketing help needed
If you are inspired to contribute to WMF’s incredible work, they are currently looking for help with telling their story.

Nazlie said, “We deal with children, tropical diseases and AIDS, but it’s not always easy to sell ourselves as an organization and to find the right ways to express the extent of our work. We would love to hear from marketers fancying the challenge of helping us to more clearly share what we do in order to engage more supporters.”

If you would like to work with WMF please email Anna Mullenneaux, Chief Matchmaker at Pimp My Cause, at [email protected].