Ebola can be beaten. When community members come together with health workers, work together, that’s when this disease can be stopped.
— Bruce Aylward, WHO
About the Film
In the fall of 2014, Ebola was spreading widely and rapidly in West Africa, fueled in part by fear, misinformation, and distrust among communities. Staff from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), MSF/Doctors Without Borders, and other NGO’s present in West Africa reported that communities were grossly misinformed about the disease. It was clear that ordinary people in the region needed more and better information that could dispel rumors and myths, and help break the chain of Ebola infection.
Encouraged by the success of The Story of Cholera, Global Health Media Project set out to produce another animated educational film—The Story of Ebola—in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, UNICEF, and Yoni Goodman.
The story features a young girl whose grandfather dies from Ebola and puts the rest of her family at risk. The film makes visible the invisible Ebola germs to help people see and understand how Ebola spreads and how to protect themselves. Critical messages are woven through the story so that people better understand Ebola, see themselves within the context of an outbreak, and see how to act in ways that can keep themselves safe from the disease and protect their communities.
Although the situation in West Africa has improved dramatically, the Ebola crisis continues to threaten communities in that region. This film is intended to be part of ongoing educational and awareness efforts that are critical in eradicating this disease.
Acknowledgments and Film Credits
Director: Yoni Goodman
Producer: Deborah Van Dyke
Story: Deborah Van Dyke
Executive producer: Peter Cardellichio
Associate producers: Mark Binder, Simon Lawson
Art director: Uri Inks
Animators: Yoni Goodman, Sefi Gayego, Elie Klimis
Vfx and post production: Yoni Goodman
English narration: Ayesha Casely-Hayford
Recorded at: Just Voices, London, UK
Recording technician: Peter Warnock
Music, sound FX, and mix: Uri Kalian – Sweetsound
Content reviewers: Ombretta Baggio, IFRC; Jonathan Shadid, UNICEF; Alif Iman Nurlambang, IFRC; Amanda McClelland, IFRC
Special thanks to the staff and volunteers of the National Red Cross Societies of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea who have inspired, guided, and supported the development of this film with their tireless work and passionate commitment to the people in need.
This film was produced with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, UNICEF, mPowering Frontline Health Workers, and individual donations from Deborah Rose and friends from the Mad River Valley, Vermont – and beyond.
