By MATT MALE
TO HELP eradicate measles, Lions clubs are hoping to raise $60 million.
Local district governor for Lions Club Ian Gration from Cranbourne is selling badges to raise money to help vaccinate 120 million children against measles.
Mr Gration has sold about 2000 One Shot One Life Measles badges in the last eight weeks, mainly to other Lions clubs which, in turn, will sell them.
“It is my own goal that I set myself to sell 20,000 badges to raise $100,000,” he said.
There is also a larger goal, set by Lions Clubs International, to raise $60 million.
“It’s not a matter of if, but when; Bill Gates has offered to match dollar for dollar what we raise,” Mr Gration said.
The GAVI Matching fund, financially supported by the UK’s Department for International Development and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has confirmed it will match 100 per cent of all donations.
International organisation Gavi will then provide $1 shots to 120 million children worldwide, in the hope it will eradicate measles.
“Currently, if one child has measles and they interact with 100 other children who aren’t vaccinated, 90 of them will get measles,” Mr Gration said.
“In Australia, your kid gets measles and they’re home for about 14 days. In third world countries, it can lead to things like blindness. It results in ongoing illness for the rest of their life.”
Mr Gration is planning to sell the badges at markets across Kooweerup, Tooradin and Berwick over the coming weeks.
The project began this year and will go through until July 2018. A badge is $5. For more information, contact Ian Gration on 0419 894 974.
