INTRODUCTION TO BECOMING BETTER ANCESTORS™: 9 LESSONS TO CHANGE THE WORLD
This sets the stage for the importance of our Becoming Better Ancestors™. The introduction features key leaders outlining current and future threats to global health and our world. It argues that although the threats facing the world are considerable and seem insurmountable, there is reason for hope. The future is dependent on the discoveries we make, how well we plan—taking account of everyone, even those yet unborn—how well we use our resources, and what we do to deliver the results. The lessons learned from the eradication of smallpox gave us the tools—the 9 Lessons—now, we must put them to use.
PART 0.1
In this part, Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International, introduces the 9 lessons learned from smallpox eradication and how they can affect future threats to our world. We begin to frame the conversation by asking some questions, like what public health threats do you worry about? How might those threats affect your life and what can you do to make changes?
FEATURING
Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International
PART 0.2
In this part, we introduce Dr. Bill Foege and his role in smallpox eradication. This part also introduces the concept of becoming a better ancestor, how we can learn from past public health crises, and how the nine lessons can be applied to your life outside of public health.
FEATURING
Dr. Bill Foege, Senior Advisor, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
PART 0.3
Dr. Angela Hilmers, Melinda French Gates, and Dr. Matshidiso Moeti discuss what can be learned from global health experts’ stories and how mentors can be invaluable for all of us.
FEATURING
Dr. Angela Hilmers, Director of Strategic and Technical Initiatives, TEPHINET, The Task Force for Global Health
Melinda French Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa
PART 0.4
In this part, Dr. Foege discusses some of his mentors and how strong leadership and continuous learning helped create actions to eradicate smallpox.
FEATURING
Dr. Bill Foege, Senior Advisor, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Becoming Better Ancestors teaches 9 core lessons from the eradication of smallpox that anyone can use to change the world in small ways and in very, very big ways.
These ideas are so simple that some people might think they are so obvious that everyone already knows them. But simple measures are often ignored with disastrous consequences.
Together these nine lessons suggest an approach to developing, applying, and improving the ways in which we approach large-scale health problems.
Using a checklist of key learnings from these lessons can help develop a plan for solving the problem you want to focus on.
These nine lessons are only the beginning. More lessons may be added over time; perhaps by you.
Introduction:
THE BIG IDEAS
THIS LESSON WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTORS
Kate Adelung, Nina Alcacio, Brad Allen Bartee, Michael Bartenfeld, Sarah Borgman, Amanda Brayman, Hannah Burris, Amy Carzo, Jeff Chertack, Patricia Conrad, Prarthna Desai, Gabriel Diamond, Laura Dickinson, Veronica Garcia, Eric Hansen, Lynn Heinisch, Mary Hilpertshauser, Mabel Jiri, Graham Justice, Bruce Lowry, Amy Mayberry, Nancy Messonnier, Matthew Morse, Sakuya Oka, Ben Pyne, Sumon Ray, Svetlomir Slavchev, Joel Stanojevich, Emily Staub, Kelly Stewart, Anushka Swalef, Olympia Trumbower, Lisa Valente, Sarah Vernam, Connie Ward-Cameron, Bill Warren, Sean West, Lisa Wiley, and Sydney Yang
Images and Videos provided by: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CARE, CDC Public Health Image Library, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, Getty Images, MAP International, Personal Collection of Girija and Larry Brilliant, Personal Collection of Susmita Parashar, The Carter Center, The Task Force for Global Health, and The World Health Organization
OUR FUNDERS
CONRAD N. HILTON FOUNDATION, CDC FOUNDATION, FORD FOUNDATION, GATES VENTURES, ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION, SKOLL FOUNDATION, THE CARTER CENTER, THE TASK FORCE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH
Introduction:
Special Thanks
Click the glossary link to find key terms in this lesson.