Alight, formerly known as the American Refugee Committee, is proud to announce the global launch of the IN OUR HANDS campaign. Developed in conjunction with leading nonprofit design studio, IDEO.org, the campaign aims to unite people during a time of social distancing while also sharing bite-sized, positive messaging derived from World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines as a means to simply and effectively offer uplifting messages. Alight is joining forces with influencers, community leaders and partners around the world to help raise awareness and demonstrate how together, hand-in-hand, we can help slow the staggering rate at which COVID-19 continues to spread.

"We work closely with refugees in camps and settlements who don't have the systems in place to be protected from the coronavirus and also haven't necessarily received much information about the virus," says Alight's East Africa Representative Bernad Ochieng Ojwang. "So, as we've been working to prepare the communities of refugees and displaced people we serve every day for COVID-19, we knew we also wanted to create a campaign that could both reach other remote and marginalized communities with information and unite the global community against this global pandemic."

"Designers are looking to apply their creativity and craft to COVID-19 related efforts in this moment where their skills are most needed. We are optimistic that these messages can really shift behaviors and prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in vulnerable communities in East Africa and around the world," says Jocelyn Wyatt, CEO of IDEO.org.

The campaign centers around influencers coming together to express love and solidarity with all of those doing their part to stop the spread of COVID-19 using #InOurHands. They are writing messages of love and solidarity on the palms of their hands, sharing it and encouraging others to do the same, with the hope to send love to more than 28.7 million people worldwide.

Influencers from all over the world are already participating and posting across their social channels, including international musician, K'naan, along with Natalia Tewa, Millard Ayo, Idris Sultan, Harmonize TZ, Benjamin Fernandes, George Kagwe, Aar Maanta and Ayaan Mohallim.

To learn more about the IN OUR HANDS campaign, please visit @we.are.alight on Instagram or @WeAreAlight on Facebook, and to show your support, please visit www.wearealight.org/covid19response. [1]

ABOUT ALIGHT
Established in 1978 by founder Neal Ball, Alight, formerly known as American Refugee Committee, provides health care, clean water, shelter, protection and economic opportunities to more than 3.5 million people in 17 countries each year. Alight believes in the incredible creativity, potential, and ingenuity of the displaced and works to shine a light on their humanity, the tremendous amount of good that's already happening and the possibilities to do more. The organization exists to see and help every person make meaningful change in the world – from displaced and marginalized communities in Africa, Asia and the Americas to...anyone, anywhere. Learn more about Alight at www.wearealight.org [2].