One Hundred Thousand Newborn Babies in Africa, Asia and Latin America to Receive Caps for Warmth

WESTPORT, Conn. (June 12, 2009) — Newborn babies in Africa, Asia and Latin America will soon be sporting colorful little handmade caps to keep them warm during the first critical hours and days after birth, thanks to thousands of caring Americans.

Save the Children caps off its 9-month national grassroots initiative called Knit One, Save One, as nearly all of the 100,000 caps crafted by 12,000 U.S. knitters and crocheters from all 50 states arrived this month in El Salvador, Malawi, Nepal and Nicaragua. 

A newborn wearing a cap knitted for Save the Children by actress Katherine Heigl

The caps, along with advice on newborn care, will be given to pregnant women and new mothers and their newborns in Save the Children's health programs over the next year. 

"Save the Children is grateful to the thousands of Knit One, Save One participants. Each little cap sends a heartfelt message that Americans care about the health and survival of the world's babies," said Mary Beth Powers, head of Save the Children's Survive to 5 campaign. "Now, we need to continue to show that support by encouraging our leaders in Washington, D.C. to back efforts to improve newborn and child survival in developing countries."

Lobbying for Babies

Many of the contributed caps were accompanied by personal notes, 8,000 in all, to President Obama encouraging him to do his part to help newborns survive. 

In April, several groups of cap makers convened in Washington, D.C. for Save the Children's annual Advocacy Day to promote bolstering U.S. investment in global health programs through the Newborn, Child and Mother Survival Act of 2009. Some brought along a sample of handmade caps to illustrate to their elected officials the simple measures babies need to improve their health and survival. 

During the event, Knit One, Save One participants presented a scrapbook with letters and photos from cap makers throughout the country to White House staff. The remaining cap maker letters to President Obama were delivered to the White House.

"Saving babies' lives is really important and I was glad to go all the way to Washington, D.C. to be part of this campaign," said 8-year-old Makenna, an elementary student from Friendswood, Texas, who traveled to the nation's capital to speak for moms and babies in developing countries. Makenna's elementary school contributed 650 caps to the project.

Ethiopia Babies Receive First Caps

The first few caps from Knit One, Save One were delivered this past March by knitter and labor and delivery nurse Vicki Akin of Las Vegas, Nevada to mothers and babies in Ethiopia. While there, Vicki visited hospitals, health clinics and homes to see how low-cost proven health measures work. 

"Babies are the same all across the world," said Vicki after visiting a health clinic in rural Ethiopia. "Each baby deserves to have a healthy start." 

Knit One, Save One

Knit One, Save One is part of Save the Children's Survive to 5 campaign to reduce the more than 9 million preventable and treatable deaths among children under age 5 globally. Forty percent of these deaths occur among babies not even a month old.

Save the Children is the leading, independent organization that creates lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. Save the Children USA is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, a global network of 27 independent Save the Children organizations working to ensure the well-being and protection of children in more than 120 countries. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.