#ISurvivedEbola

Inclusive Media and Survivor-Centered Action: Combating Stigma and Sharing Health Solutions

Topic: Preventing Disease Spread
Location: West Africa

Through the voices of survivors, #ISurvivedEbola turned fear into hope and misinformation into actionable health knowledge.

https://vimeo.com/316601389

#ISurvivedEbola Campaign Trailer

Real Stories for Real Impact

Rising Impact launched the #ISurvivedEbola campaign to amplify the voices of survivors as trusted community role models. By sharing their experiences of resilience, recovery, and courage, survivors helped dispel stigma, rebuild trust, and promote critical behaviors to curb the virus’s spread.

Listening to the survivor stories gave me courage. I now understand how to protect myself and my family.

— Aisha*, program participant
*Name changed for privacy

Josephine

After surviving Ebola in 2014, Josephine uses her story to reduce stigma and help patients feel valued.

Learn about Josephine’s story

Learn More

Learn about Josephine’s Story

Ebola survivors like Josephine demonstrate the power of lived experiences to create understanding and inspire systemic change.

Multi-Platform Storytelling to Save Lives

Content

Radio Drama
PSA Videos
Radio spots

Conversation

Social media
Call-in Shows

Action

Training Guides
Community Theater
Physical Improvements to Health Centers

The #ISurvivedEbola campaign made a lasting difference to end the epidemic:

9.5

Million video views

22%

of audiences changed their attitudes about Ebola and survivors

18%

increase in knowledge on Ebola

15%

of people increased prevention behaviors

14%

in trust in the Ministry of Health.

Collaboration for Community Transformation

In partnership with Vulcan Productions, UNICEF, the CDC, and local organizations, Rising Impact produced and disseminated survivor-centered content to ensure accessibility and cultural relevance. The campaign leveraged local languages and platforms, including mobile broadcast vans, to reach even the most remote communities.

In 2014, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa devastated communities in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, claiming over 11,000 lives. Fear, stigma, and mistrust of health systems and information compounded the crisis, making it difficult for affected communities to adopt life-saving prevention measures.