Mia Farrow traveled to Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo in February 2012 to promote polio eradication efforts and review other UNICEF programs. She met with polio-affected children, religious leaders to increase immunization rates, and partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Farrow visited vaccination sites, conflict-affected communities, and leaders. She participated in polio vaccination campaigns in Chad where the virus still circulates and malnutrition threatens children. Farrow also visited rehabilitation centers caring for children paralyzed by polio.

1. From 12 to 22 February 2012, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow travelled to Chad and
the Democratic Republic of the Congo to promote expanded polio eradication efforts and to
review other UNICEF-supported programmes. Ms. Farrow met with children affected by polio;
with religious leaders to help raise critical support for increased immunization coverage; and
with partner representatives from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative – a public-private
partnership led by governments and spearheaded by the World Health Organization
(WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and
UNICEF.
Her visits follow an important milestone towards eradicating the highly infectious disease: In
January, India – one of just four polio-endemic countries remaining in the world – for the first
time reported a full year with no new polio cases. (Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan are the
other three endemic countries.) Ms. Farrow also visited vaccination and other project sites; and
with children and families affected by ongoing conflict; community, traditional and local leaders;
and senior government; donor and partner officials.
In Chad, circulation of an imported wild poliovirus has persisted for over a year, and
malnutrition remains one of the biggest threats to children’s survival and development. Ms.
Farrow participated in the launch of the nationwide polio immunization campaign in
N’Djamena, the capital, and also visited health, rehabilitation and therapeutic feeding centres, a
cold-chain centre, displacement camps, and a UNICEF supply warehouse.

2. On 16 February, UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador Mia Farrow gives a girl a
dose of oral polio vaccine at an
immunization site in the Gueljem
neighbourhood of the town of
Moundou in Logone Region. The
vaccinations have been organized by
CELIAF, a national women’s civil
society organization network. Ms.
Farrow’s T-shirt bears the UNICEF logo.
Image UNI122006: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0062/Asselin

3. On 16 February, UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador Mia Farrow gives a boy a
dose of oral polio vaccine, at an
immunization site in the Gueljem
neighbourhood of the town of
Moundou in Logone Region. The
vaccinations have been organized by
CELIAF, a national women’s civil
society organization network. Ms.
Farrow’s T-shirt bears the UNICEF logo.
Image UNI122007: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0063/Asselin

4. On 16 February, UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador Mia Farrow chats with
health workers at the health centre in
the town of Moundou in Logone
Region. The workers are administering
oral polio vaccines to children at the
centre. Ms. Farrow’s T-shirt bears the
UNICEF logo.
Image UNI122008: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0064/Asselin

5. On 16 February, UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador Mia Farrow meets with
women and their children at the
health centre in the town of Moundou
in Logone Region. Oral polio vaccines
are being administered to children at
the centre. Ms. Farrow’s T-shirt bears
the UNICEF logo.
Image UNI122009: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0065/Asselin

6. On 16 February, UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador Mia Farrow chats with 7-
year-old Massi Hassan, whose leg
brace is being adjusted by a health
worker, at the Notre-Dame de Paix
rehabilitation centre in the town of
Moundou in Logone Region. Massi has
been paralyzed by polio. The centre
provides custom-made
braces, crutches and other treatment
for children with physical
disabilities, with support from
international doctors who visit the
health facility several times each year.
Ms. Farrow’s T-shirt bears the UNICEF
logo.
Image UNI122010: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0066/Asselin

7. On 16 February, 6-year-old
Ephraim, his crutches beside him and a
cast on his leg, sits on a bed at the
Notre-Dame de Paix rehabilitation
centre in the town of Moundou in
Logone Region. Ephraim, who has
been paralyzed by polio, has just had
surgery to recover some of the
mobility in his leg. The centre provides
custom-made braces, crutches and
other treatment for children with
physical disabilities, with support from
international doctors who visit the
health facility several times each year.
Image UNI122011: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0067/Asselin

8. On 16 February, 6-year-old Terrance
Denerobo, who has been paralyzed by
polio, fixes his shoe while a health
worker adjusts his leg braces, at the
Notre-Dame de Paix rehabilitation
centre in the town of Moundou in
Logone Region. The centre provides
custom-made braces, crutches and
other treatment for children with
physical disabilities, with support from
international doctors who visit the
health facility several times each year
Image UNI122012: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0068/Asselin

9. On 16 February, 4-year-old Abakar
Mahamat, who has been paralyzed by
polio, watches as a health worker
adjusts his leg brace, at the Notre-
Dame de Paix rehabilitation centre in
the town of Moundou in Logone
Region. The centre provides custom-
made braces, crutches and other
treatment for children with physical
disabilities, with support from
international doctors who visit the
health facility several times each year.
Image UNI122013: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0069/Asselin

10. On 17 February, UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador Mia Farrow prepares to
give a baby a dose of oral polio
vaccine, during the launch of the
UNICEF-supported nationwide polio
immunization campaign, in
N’Djamena, the capital. Her T-shirt
bears the campaign’s slogan in
French, English and Arabic.
Image UNI122024: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0071/Asselin

11. On 17 February, UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador Mia Farrow chats with
Chadian Minister of Public Health
Mamouth Nahor N’Gawara during the
launch of the UNICEF-supported
nationwide polio immunization
campaign, in N’Djamena, the capital.
Ms. Farrow’s T-shirt bears the
campaign’s slogan in French, English
and Arabic, as well as the logos of the
campaign’s partners, including UNICEF.
Image UNI122025: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0073/Asselin

12. On 17 February, a vaccination team
member gives a child a dose of oral
polio vaccine, during the launch of the
nationwide polio immunization
campaign, in N’Djamena, the capital.
Her vest bears the logos of the
campaign’s partners, including UNICEF.
Image UNI122026: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0070/Asselin

13. On 17 February, a child receives two
drops of oral polio vaccine during the
launch of the UNICEF-supported
nationwide polio immunization
campaign, in N’Djamena, the capital.
Two drops of oral polio vaccine are
needed per child in each of several
vaccination rounds to ensure complete
immunity against the disease.
Image UNI122027: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0072/Asselin

14. On 19 February, UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador Mia Farrow chats with
Malusi Husseini, who is in a
wheelchair, at the health centre in
Kasambondo Village in Katanga
Province. Ms. Husseini contracted
polio at age five and is paralyzed in
both legs.
Image UNI122141: © UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0075/Asselin