The objective of the UNICEF USA and Endeavor partnership is to bring the lifesaving work that UNICEF does to a new and diverse audience. We are constantly thinking about ways to bring the mission of UNICEF to Endeavor clients who will subsequently bring it to their audiences. Most importantly, our goal is to find an organic integration. This year we challenged each other to find a voice to advocate for children and grow with us as an organization. We wanted to take that voice and use it to raise awareness for the world's children. It was important to both parties that this voice felt a deep and genuine connection to UNICEF.
Halima Aden was born in 1997 at Kakuma Refugee Camp, a remote region in northwestern Kenya. Her family settled in Kakuma after fleeing the Somalian Civil War. During the first seven years of her life she and her family received support from humanitarian organizations like UNICEF, from education to malaria treatments and so much in between, she remembers UNICEF being there throughout her entire childhood.
Fast forward to August 2017 and Halima is the breakout model of the year. She donned the cover of CR Fashion Book and Allure Magazine and was the first woman to do it while wearing a hijab. She was quickly signed to IMG Models, who made the introduction of Halima to their partners, UNICEF USA. Following their first meeting Halima and UNICEF USA hit the ground running. In one years' time Halima traveled to Mexico to learn about the work UNICEF was doing for migrant children, she was a fierce advocate for the organization on her rapidly growing social media platforms and she went to Washington D.C. to speak at the UNICEF USA Annual Meeting.
The relationship continued to grow and culminated when Halima traveled back to Kakuma, the place she was born, with UNICEF USA and UNHCR. She participated in the first ever TedX Talk held at a refugee camp and shared her empowering story with thousands of people. Her time in Kakuma was captured by a Teen Vogue documentarian who told her life's story in a moving 14 minute feature. The film was released in conjunction with her July Teen Vogue cover which celebrated Halima being the definition of America. What Halima didn't know is that UNICEF USA had a surprise planned at the end of this emotional and powerful visit. UUSA made Halima a UNICEF Ambassador to commemorate her incredible dedication to the organization and her unparallel commitment to children around the world.
The announcement was officially made through her Teen Vogue cover story and was quickly followed by an in-studio appearance for CBS This Morning. She had a busy July where she spearheaded an email fundraiser for UUSA, banked an NBC Nightly News piece about her relationship with the organization all while planning for the year ahead.
Over the past 12 months Halima has used her influential platform to make a difference and raise awareness for children in all corners of the world and she doesn't intend to stop until all of their voices have been heard.
This collaboration exceeded UNICEF's wildest expectations. Halima being a previous beneficiary of UNICEF's work made her becoming the newest UNICEF Ambassador a full circle experience. She says that becoming a UNICEF Ambassador is her proudest accomplishment to date and the work that she cares about most deeply. Since June 2018, Halima created over 600 million impressions for UNICEF USA through her various social platforms and media appearances. Because of Endeavor's keen eye for 'model citizens', they, along with IMG Models, have entered a beautiful partnership with UNICEF that continues to grow and raise awareness and funds for children around the world.
