Inspired, grateful, and determined

As the IGN team discussed topics for this blog, many of us reflected on how inspired we had been by a couple of recent interactions – an in-person meeting of our National Coordinators (NCs) in South Asia, and a webinar with our core team and NCs in the Middle East and North Africa and Eastern and Southern Africa regions.

These meetings showed us that in a world with several conflicts, economic uncertainty, and shifts in development assistance, it is worth remembering that a lot of good work continues, with little publicity or glamour.  They reinforced the crucial role of our NCs, who provide constant vigilance and oversight, help with advocacy to keep iodine deficiency on the government agenda, and work to address technical issues with the help of IGN and other partners.

We are inspired by their work, which is unpaid and often unrecognized, but which they pursue with dedication and commitment.

Along with this feeling of inspiration, this week also left us thankful for the many supporters who highlight our work and make it visible.  In it’s recent blog, The Life You Can Save explained to its donors how the Rapid Response Fund they have set up with Founders Pledge is helping IGN.   The blog notes: “IGN’s story reveals a troubling paradox: the more successful a global health intervention becomes, the more invisible and vulnerable it grows. Salt iodization has worked so well that entire generations have grown up without seeing the devastating effects of iodine deficiency disorders. This very success makes the intervention easy to take for granted—and even easier to cut when budgets get tight.”

Like our NCs, Founders Pledge and The Life You Can Save are helping us to remain vigilant and support countries who need our help.  In their own words, their grant to IGN represents something invaluable – the difference between sustained progress and regression, between protecting children’s futures and watching decades of achievements slip away.

And we need to be uplifted:  In a note to IGN’s core team this week, our Regional Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Dr. Izzeldin Hussein, reported on the work he and the NCs continue to do following the webinar.  “Understandably, the current situation has significantly impacted progress in salt iodization and the broader efforts to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Emergency priorities have taken precedence, causing delays in implementation and limiting our ability to engage effectively with policymakers and partners. Despite these setbacks, we are continuing our communication efforts in order to keep the momentum alive and ensure that channels remain open for when conditions improve—hopefully in the near future.”

Inspired by this commitment and support, we at IGN are determined to protect children’s futures – with your help.