Iberoamerican Society of Neonatology

I am Augusto Sola, Board certified pediatrician and neonatologist, born in Argentina in 1949. I am father of four and grandad of twelve. I have been focused and purpose driven in improving survival of newborns and their quality of life by advancing excellence in education, without exclusions and without elitism, in many regions of the world. My contributions have inspired many others and saved many lives. My personal motto is “doing me good by doing good to others”. 

I was Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Neonatology at various universities; have published many articles and textbooks; researcher, clinician, mentor and educator. A summary of my professional activities can be found in various links (i.e: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_Sola; http://augustosola.com/en/). I just learnt that I was bestowed The Pioneer Award 2020, Section of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine of the American Academy of Pediatrics, for my innovations and leadership in improving quality of newborn care.  

I am committed to decreasing the number of newborn babies who die unnecessarily due to avoidable and preventable causes in many regions of Latin America. I work for equality and respect in the care provided to newborn infants at risk of dying and to their mothers, in a region where huge disparities exist. I strive for equity in care, giving more to those who need more.

I propose a project in the Ibero-American Society of Neonatology (SIBEN) to provide high quality education without elitism or exclusions to reach perinatal healthcare providers in the region’s most remote corners. I firmly believe that education is the most powerful weapon and the soul to improve the lives of pregnant women and ill newborns.

Increasing survival of newborns affected by diverse conditions, delivering humane and compassionate care to them and to their suffering mothers and providing high quality education distinctly and vastly elevate humanity. 

Our aim: to improve survival of vulnerable Latin-American newborns, especially in areas and centers of the region with the most deficiencies and needs.

Every day 27,000 babies are born in Latin America and more than 110,000 infants die before 28 days of age (neonatal mortality) every year. In the region, 12 newborns die per 1,000 live births, but the disparity between countries and within the same country is dreadful. The lowest rates are 2.5 ‰ - 3.5 ‰ but 8 ‰ newborns die in El Salvador and over 20 ‰ in Bolivia. Yet, statistics are cold numbers. The death of a newborn baby is a sorrow or pain to the heart.

Over 60% of neonatal deaths are due to reducible causes and, therefore, the future for babies is very different when better care is implemented. Complex factors contribute to neonatal deaths, but deficiencies in education are unbearable. They can and must be improved.

No less than 25,000 newborns and mothers, in 135 units in 18 Latin American countries, have been better cared for by educational actions implemented by us in 2019. I am now well positioned to achieve a much larger and broader beneficial impact and improve many more lives.

The main goal is to improve lives of newborns and their mothers, based on principles of equity and ethics, providing high quality education and support for continuous improvement of quality of care in all corners of Latin American countries. The project entails the following:

1. “Neonatal Dialogues”: innovative educational activity described in more detail in a later section.

2. “Clinical Consensus”: original innovative process to develop annual documents to improve standard of care, described in more detail in a later section.

3. “Data-Information-Action” to improve quality of newborns’ care: A) ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS (of deceased newborns) to design action policies to reduce preventable deaths; and B) SIBEN’S NEONATAL NETWORK: 47 Latin-American units confidentially report data electronically of all babies. A detailed analysis is performed in SIBEN’s platform, which is offered at no cost. Information and outcomes of hospitalized babies is periodically provided as a comprehensive morbidity and mortality report, with comparisons, a) for each individual unit’s outcomes over time, and b) with other centers: "benchmarking", to improve performance.

4. Annual Educational Congress (different country each year): over 1,600 participants from all Latin-American countries (3 ½ days).  

5. Donations of essential basic equipment for care of the neediest newborns. 

The project serves mainly ill Latin-American newborns, their mothers and other relatives. The impact on their lives is paramount and vital, by increasing their survival. We work on educating, stimulating and supporting the interdisciplinary tasks of neonatal health professionals (neonatologists, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists, speech pathologists, respiratory therapists), especially in the areas and centers of the region with more deficiencies and needs. We understand their needs by jointly looking at their data and by listening to their requests and needs. The project addresses their needs by sharing and providing high quality education and by donations of basic elements. In this way we impact their lives by empowering them to feel better about the fundamental task they carry out, which immediately happens when a baby, with a similar illness to the one that previously caused a death, now survives. The lives of the professionals are positively influenced as they are "intermediary beneficiaries" between SIBEN and the newborns. They advance their educational level and, by doing so, they improve the quality of care they deliver to ill newborns at risk of dying. Thereby, we impact the lives of many families by improving the quality of care for newborn babies and their mothers. 

Survival of newborns and neonatal human rights are not respected at all times. What do professionals choose to do or not do about this? What are they indifferent to?

The problem not only befalls because of those who, intentionally or not, do things wrong and cause harm, but also due to the indifference of those who do not do anything to solve it. SIBEN brings quality education (academic and human) to health professionals to defend lives, dignity and human rights of sick newborns and their mothers who are so often neglected. We work sensibly for solidarity at all times.

I am a neonatologist. Many years ago, I had a dream.

Having witnessed thousands of times the greatest example of peace and love as exhibited by the mother-newborn infant dyad, I became distraught by so many Latin American babies who die unnecessarily and by their mothers’ suffering, not only because of their babies’ illnesses, but also due to lack of empathy and support by health care professionals. 

The dream was that a pregnant mother, her childbirth and her baby were fully respected in every corner of Latin America, however remote it may be.

In that dream, no one dared to disrupt or abruptly interrupt, even for a few minutes, that wonderful dyad that must always be the example of peace and love. A dream that everyone will defend that dyad at all times, that no one will be an accomplice, with indifference or silence.

A dream that one day all perinatal care centers and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Latin America will be an oasis of quality care for these little babies and for company, empathy and support for desolate mothers.

I had a dream, and I have worked hard through the years to make it happen for many.

I am passionate individual in some regards. I have followed the path of saving newborns lives with all my heart. I know that my passion helps improve the lives of others. This gives me the hope and endurance that I need to continue.

I take this journey contemplating, searching, and scrutinizing passionately, and I will continue to do so until the last breath. With passion, I advance this cause, thinking of others before myself. The results are worth much more than any sacrifice it takes to get there.

I know that without passion it is difficult to bear the difficulties that arose and will arise in this journey. I do learn from the past and treasure many of its moments. However, with a proactive mindset, I am aware that my passion has helped me advance and led me to be creative and persistent in this project.

After many years, I realized that I was profoundly impacted by the death of a little sister born prematurely when I was ten years old. My mother’s tears, sorrow and suffering marked my heart. I think this is the real reason why I am passionate about the project of helping babies and mothers’ lives. 

I am well-positioned to deliver this project for the following reasons:

I am a well-respected and renowned clinical neonatologist.

I am a neonatal educator, having delivered more than 3,500 lectures to research and clinical groups in over 700 cities of Asia, Australia, Canada, Latin America and USA.

I am a researcher, having published more than 130 original articles in peer-reviewed journals, 390 review articles and 10 neonatology textbooks and manuals.

I am a leader. I directed various prestigious neonatal departments in USA and Argentina, where I also initiated and directed neonatal training programs. (“fellowships”). I was President of the Ibero American Society of Neonatology (SIBEN) and led many mayor breakthroughs achieved by this society.

I have been a pioneer in areas that led to improvements in newborn care worldwide. Among them: I identified issues related to oxygen administration and monitoring to prevent blindness in infants who are born preterm and found that sildenafil can save newborn babies’ lives in a condition called persistent pulmonary hypertension. Specifically, in relation to this project, I founded SIBEN, dedicated to continuous quality improvement in neonatal care throughout the Americas.

I have received numerous awards and recognition from pediatric societies and academic institutions from diverse regions of the world.

I am being honored this year by the Section of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine of the American Academy of Pediatrics with The Pioneer Award, that recognizes leaders in neonatal-perinatal medicine and pioneering achievements and contributions of an individual to the health and well-being of newborns and infants.

Through the years I faced several difficulties and misfortunes of very different kinds. This question reminded me of many situations in which I overcame adversity and that I owe to my parents the ability to do so. Not easy to choose just one example to describe it here. As a child, my parents penetrated in me the concept that I should not deny or run away in adverse situations. Adversity is a very good way to learn, they said, sort of a hidden blessing that was eventually going to make me stronger and wiser. They were absolutely right!

An example in my profession occurred when I returned to Argentina from the USA in 1982. I was criticized, slandered, defamed, and even blocked in my practice of caring for sick newborns by the medical elite. The ability to overcome adversity that my parents instilled in me helped me a lot. I peacefully wrote down my thoughts and emotions. I then set focused goals and a clear vision of why I had to move forward. I realized I could influence the future. As a result, instead of letting adversity take control, I took control of it and I successfully worked through it.

Twenty-five years ago, I started my fight against childhood blindness. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the leading cause of blindness, often caused by uncontrolled oxygen administration. Therefore, there are blind children who might not have been so if they had not received unnecessary oxygen.

I have led in research, education and action, with the goal of achieving adequate oxygen management in preterm infants and thus fewer blinded children due to ROP. Leading in research to identify acceptable blood oxygen levels more reliably.

Leading so that doctors and nurses know that extra oxygen can be a poison to these babies’ eyes, and change their behavior and actions accordingly. Leading the scientific community and families honestly, with a clear message.

This intervention is highly cost effective since it is not a question of administering new drugs, but of not giving oxygen when it is not necessary (“less is more”). It has been a mission that required behavioral changes in many professionals, whom I have been able to inspire and motivate with passion, transforming what is known into action. My leadership ability led to a significant decrease in the frequency of severe ROP and blindness in many neonatology units around the world.

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We do good to ourselves by doing good to others, we are not more of the same. We are unique because we incorporate nursing and interdisciplinary work in all programs, making a break in the medical hegemonic model. We comprehensively offer science with conscience, compassion with passion, and intensive care caring intensely, with a humane family centered view.

Innovative project that creates new dimensions of performance with:

“Neonatal Dialogues”: innovative interdisciplinary interactive education in different cities of different countries. Three days each, 8-12 hours/day. Includes visits to the units and identifying care needs.

“Clinical Consensus”: annual innovative documents, not existing otherwise for the region. In each, 40-55 professionals from different countries work collaboratively under my mentorship in critical review of evidence. Recommendations for the improvement of neonatal lives are distributed in the region.

Root Cause Analysis (of deceased newborns in a region). Successfully led to the design of priority action policies to reduce preventable deaths. Never done before in this way.

SIBEN’S Neonatal Network: A platform at no cost for participating neonatal units in Latin America (47 to date). Not previously available in the region. (More described previously).

High-risk Neonatal Follow-up Network. Similar to previous one, but for infants who need special care after discharge. Only one in region.

Annual Educational Congress (different country each year): over 1,600 participants from all Latin-American countries (3 ½ days). Innovative, no other similar in the region. 

 “Education-To-Advance” Platform. Recently initiated. Fascinating results. No similar one for the region.

My project is built on the foundation of kindness, healing, perseverance, equal rights and overcoming adversity. I cannot be prouder of how our project has come together, taking our never faltering ability to adapt, overcome and create important solutions for those who truly need it most: babies at risk of dying and their mothers.

Our theory and practice of change are built off of who we are as people, what we stand for, rooted in our principles and ideals. I am very proud of what we created by innovating, by not being more of the same, by changing, by collaborating to support neonatal health care professionals, newborns and mothers.

This has already had an impact on humanity by improving the most extremely important and valuable short-term outcome that can be measured: Life versus death of newborns in Latin America. The preventable death of one newborn with a new life with unknown potential changes humanity. In a sense, the survival of a newborn is for eternity. Therefore, this extraordinary short-term outcome has long term effects and should occur for many more Latin American newborn infants that today are destined to die.

The most important value of this project is the life of a newborn. We have identified that poor quality of care is one significant problem associated with unnecessary neonatal deaths. We have obtained data and information, done research and published it, articulated assumptions and created an innovative model designating the areas that need to be manipulated for improvements to occur. Fundamentally, high-quality education, without exclusions and elitism in order to improve quality of care in all corners of the region, especially in those with the most deprivation and needs.

There is clearly proven evidence through research and evaluations that our interventions affect a very valuable outcome and that, additionally, it improves lives of healthcare personnel and of mothers of ill newborns.

The different programs in our project are described elsewhere in this application. Their impact has been marvelous. These interventions, which require constant adaptation, now need to reach more lives producing the same impact much more widely.

We currently serve 2,919 Latin American healthcare workers members of SIBEN (1,777 MD’s, 925 RN’s and 217 from other disciplines). In addition, in 2019 we served 3,912 who participated in SIBEN’s educational activities in different cities and countries. Under my leadership, 35,000 newborns and mothers have received benefits from SIBEN's programs, network and root cause analysis in 2019. They have been better cared for by actions implemented in 135 units in 18 countries of the region.

In 2021 we hope to expand the members by at least 10% (3,300) and the participants in high quality educational activities by 20% (4,800). Online education will be used more frequently to reach a greater number of healthcare professionals, optimizing resources. Furthermore, two major innovative courses are starting to be planned. In 5 years, we aim to be serving 4,200 members and 9,000 participants in high quality education. This will tremendously increase the numbers of newborns and mothers served every year. It is difficult to estimate exactly a number, but if all could go as planned, there will be no less than 600,000. Maybe more importantly, official data shows that in Dominican Republic neonatal mortality was reduced by 27% and in Paraguay 12% after programs and field work developed and performed by us. If we had more funds, these improvements in newborn survival could be replicated in other Latin American countries. We helped many newborns to survive, improved many lives of mothers and healthcare professionals, but we can do much more.

In my profession, my short-term goals include helping pregnant women with their fears, anxiety and stress during this horrific COVID-19 pandemia, made worse by the pandemia of discrimination and racism that we are facing.

Looking ahead to next year, my professional goals are ambitious: to collaborate to improve the lives of many more neonatal healthcare professionals, ill newborns and their mothers, than what I have done to date. Within the next five years one goal is of course continuing to generate a better future for more and more of them. Moreover, during the next five years I will complete my goal of solidly establishing SIBEN with the fundamental foundations of efficient and effective teamwork, equity, honesty, ethics, humanism and altruism. In such a way, high quality education, lives of neonatal health care professionals, and compassionate supportive care for newborn babies and mothers will continue to improve year after year.

In my personal life, my goal is sharing more time with my four children and twelve grandchildren and support them in following their own individual path, the one in their hearts, always with respect, solidarity, freedom and democracy.

The largest barrier is that newborns cannot talk. They don’t have a voice to defend themselves as a group about their needs, their pain, their suffering. This is a hurdle that cannot be overcome.

Neonatal care of sick newborns changed in the whole world after the death of Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, President Kennedy’s son, who died hours after birth. The funds destined to neonatal research and newborn care were unprecedented. This led to breakthrough discoveries and initiation of newborn intensive care, changing the neonatal world.

Not enough people listen to sick newborns’ language and few people lobby for them. Consequently, there is no critical mass that represent the newborns’ soul or heart to solidly solve their needs.

Today, more newborn babies die per year of preventable causes than adults have died due to Covid-19. If 1-2 % of the resources that have been used for Covid-19 were destined to improving neonatal clinical programs, the newborns’ homeland will be totally different.

Barriers for next year are listed below. Many are omnipresent, like the one above, others are recurrent, intermittent or unexpected.

• Resistance to innovations and change
• “Egos”
• Communication
• Opposition
• Mediocrity
• Obstructionism
• Envy
• Insufficient funds
• Dishonesty
• Falsehood
• Government bureaucracy
• Political instability
• Unethical, corrupt behavior
• Time
• Current horrific pandemia

Additionally, the following for next five years:

• Efficient, cohesive, reliable teams that assume their responsibility completely and passionately for delivery of humane care
  • Empowerment of future leaders  

In a broad sense, I plan to overcome barriers with what I have called the “three p’s”: patience, persistence and perseverance.

I have a “road map” that I look at every 10-14 days. I evaluate it and reflect on it with self-criticism. I assess the achievements and the unfulfillments. When necessary, I add new impediments to the list and/or remove the ones overcame and make plans and strategies to keep moving forward.

I gauge the situation making an effort to stay constantly focused on the goals, keeping in mind that more important things should not be at the mercy of less important things.

Consulting and considering alternatives, I move to take action. I ask for advice from others and listen carefully to efficiently evaluate possible options, making an effort to identify the best way to introduce achievable solutions in a process characterized by frequent cycles of evaluation and modification.

I am opened to new ideas and suggestions that align with the objectives and goals and commit to change whenever necessary. I listen to novel concepts and proposals and empower others to carry them forward, trying to set a clear course for the future while maintaining realistic goals, recognizing that too much change without a set direction can be disruptive.

Experience, training and education have allowed me to gain endurance or tenacity to overcome adversity and challenges with honesty, dedication and commitment.

I learn new skills and communicate with involved parties to make informed decisions to achieve the defined goals. 

In order to promote and facilitate access to education for neonatal health professionals, SIBEN has agreements in Latin America. This has allowed us to develop on-site training in many corners of different countries, visiting health centers and training them with the resources available in their day to day practice, many times achieving the necessary structural reforms to deliver improved quality care. In the framework of these agreements, donations of equipment and works such as root cause analysis, have also been made in order to reduce preventable neonatal deaths. Among these we have agreements with: Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Paraguay, Ministry of Public Health of the province of Tucumán, Argentina and with the National Health Service of Dominican Republic.

We have also signed an academic exchange, teaching and research agreement with the National Institute of Perinatology of the United Mexican States (INPER).

With Nene Foundation (Barlcelona, Spain) the agreement is geared towards developing projects of teaching, assistance, education and training of human resources, aimed at facilitating adequate care for the newborn with neurological problems in Latin American countries.

Angelito´s Foundation and CAMO´s (Central American Medical Outreach) foundation in Honduras, have requested SIBEN to develop and implement training activities in that country aimed at reducing their high death rate of newborns.

It should be noted that SIBEN funds all of the above, as none of these agreements generate funds for SIBEN, but they substantially improve the lives of newborns.

SIBEN's mission is to improve survival and health conditions of vulnerable newborns. Together with their families they are the key beneficiaries. The intermediate beneficiaries are health professionals. SIBEN improves their educational level to improve quality of newborns care.

We provide value through to two key elements: educational programs and donation of essential medical equipment.

In SIBEN, social entrepreneurship is embedded with the principles of our non-profit organization. Each of our various programs is developed under this premise.

Continuing education activities such as courses, conferences and congresses, as well as the books published, directly impact professionals, updating knowledge in order to improve their lives and that of babies and mothers. All the revenue generated by these programs are reinvested in educational activities.

The members of our organization contribute with an low cost annual membership fee ($20 for RN’s and $40 for MD’s per year) and they receive significant membership benefits.

As a not for profit, public charity organization, we provide medical consulting services, grants and scholarships to young professionals and donations of basic necessary supplies. As mentioned in other section, we have agreements with institutions to perform our services, with no income for us.  We have been able to finance these activities through sponsorship from industry, other organizations and altruistic individual donations.

In order to carry out all these programs, we have the best human resources, an interdisciplinary team of professionals and a small administrative group who carry out their part-time job in a decentralized way in order to reduce costs.

SIBEN's project to improve lives of Latin American newborns, mothers and healthcare professionals began 15 years ago and has been progressively growing in a sustainable way. SIBEN is an efficient organization without bureaucracy. More than 85% of the funds go directly to improving lives.

Sustainable sources of financing come mainly from SIBEN’s Annual Congress, through sponsorship of pharmaceutical industries and registration fees (detailed later). This takes place every year in different Latin American countries.

Annual membership contributions are another source, at very accessible fees, as listed before.

Although the annual Congress is the activity that concentrates the largest number of attendees, during the year other continuing education activities generate some income for the organization.

Another source of income is the sale of books from our own publisher (“EDISIBEN”). During the last years we have expanded sales channels. Previously, we only offered them during our face-to-face activities but now we have incorporated electronic postings at no cost and digital sales and distributors throughout Latin America. This has allowed to expand the profit margin that is then reinvested in the development of new publications to improve the health of newborns.

The organization has received very few grants to develop specific projects. The plan is to expand this in the future.

Finally, we also receive private donations, especially from some members of SIBEN’s Board of Directors.

With the above mentioned financial sources, SIBEN has always been self-financing; it does not depend on subsidies or funds from any government or state.

Historically, the most significant source of funds has been SIBEN’s Annual Educational Congress that we organize in a different country of Latin America each year. Funds are from industry sponsorships and registrations. The expenses to organize and carry on this Congress are listed later. The Annual Congress has served two purposes: education of more than 1,600 Latin American health care professionals for three and a half days and use the funds remaining after expenses to maintain operations and fulfill our mission within a pretty tight budget.  

In the past 12 months, the funds raised for the project were derived from the following sources: 

Source of funds raised

Income in  US dolars

Annual Congress Quito October 2-5 October 2019. (Sponsors and registrations)

381.910

Annual memberships.

41,000

Sell of books published by EDISIBEN

19.250

Donation from Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation, and Competition in Health Care. June 2020

75,000

Individual donations from members of the Board.

11,000

TOTAL FUNDS RAISED

528,160

SIBEN prepares detailed budgets for allocating expenses (shown in another question) in order to be able to fulfill its mission within its economic possibilities. Obviously, with more funds more lives will be improved. 

As mentioned in another section, historically the most significant source of funds has been SIBEN’s Annual Educational Congress, which we organize in a different Latin American country each year. Income has been variable but, on average, around 300-330,000 US dollars. The necessary expenses are about 250,000. The “profit” is used annually to support the project.

The annual membership will generate approximately $35,000-40,000 in 2020.

Individual donations, will be about $ 10,000 for 2020.

The sales of the manuals and books we write and publish will generate approximately $5,000, after expenses.

As of the beginning of this year, we started to explore other avenues.

We have sought a grant from Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation, and Competition in Health Care for $75,000 per year for four years. We were successful and this month of June we received the first $75,000. It will be the same for 2021 through 2023.

We are organizing two polo events to benefit the project, for the summer or fall of 2020 and the winter of 2021. It is estimated the proceedings will be $20,000

Individual and personal donations for 2020 are estimated to be around $10,000.

We have recently applied for an award that varies from 25,000-100,000 dollars, but we will not hear until early or mid 2021.

We are applying for The Elevate Prize, in case of winning that money will be used to expand activities. 

Our estimated expenses in US dollars for 2020 are:

o Administrative support: 44,500
o Telephone and internet bills: 3,000
o Accountant: 10,000
o Banking costs/wire transfers: 1,800
o Materials and supplies: 5,000
o Bonus to AA’s: 5,000
o EDISIBEN editorial expenses and book printing: 14,000
o Software, platforms and technology for education, data, information and research (two SIBEN’s Networks + Web page +” EPA-SIBEN”): 54,015
o Donations (medical equipment): 16,000
o Travel and lodging expenses for Neonatal Dialogues and educational and clinical visits to centers in Latin America: 29,000 
o Total of the above: $ 182,315
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 Annual Congress: Total $ 290,370. Includes the following: 
 Travel and lodging of invited Professors:  30,500 
 Convention center and associated costs: 88,000
 Materials and supplies: 30,350
 Printing: 5,000
 Software and apps: 2,450
 Translation: 6,000
 Audiovisual equipment rental: 21,070
 Registration system: 8,000
 Secretarial assistance: 3,000
 Security and cleaning: 4,000
 Internet and technical costs: 15,000
 Others: 30,000
 Scholarships and awards (financial support) for RN’s and young MD’s: 47,000

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

TOTAL EXPENSES: U$S 472,685

Our work to improve lives of newborns, their mothers and health professionals will increase by at least 30% of our data presented before if we were to be recipient of the Elevate Prize.

I am applying for The Elevate Prize because I believe that the best way to predict the future is to invent it. I have been innovating in the area described for this project and to receive The Elevate Prize will expand the reach of our mission and improve many more lives.

The economic support provided by The Elevate Prize will be of course extremely valuable. More importantly, the recognition as “global hero” will open more doors for collaborative efforts and decrease obstructionism and opposition. Additionally, it will allow us to partner with other organizations that could be of great support to lobby for improving humane neonatal quality care and magnify our reach, In this way, actions to solve babies and mothers’ needs will occur more rapidly and for more lives.

Mother Teresa said that “if there are no funds, there is no mission”. With the funds we have been able to gather we have improved many lives. However, there are many more that need to be reached and improved. We know that with more funds, as provided by The Elevate Prize, our mission, goals and accomplishments will grow exponentially.

We will continue innovating and will increase education, providing more scholarships for nurses and doctors with limited resources and becoming involved in more Latin American corners to reach more sick newborns and their families. Additionally, we will continue with the donation of basic supplies where their urgent lack threatens the effective high quality care of sick babies. 

Without sufficient funds the influence of our project on improving lives is limited. Nonprofit experts in fund raising will ensure a sustainable model for the project’s continuous development and accomplishments.

Monitoring and evaluation with modern technological approaches are essential for enhancement of the implementation of the various programs in the project.

Marketing and media, in an expert and professional way, will significantly increase the project’s exposure to be better known and will expand the reach of the services we provide to more lives. I would like to personify who we are more than what we do and the world to know that we are rooted in our principles and ideals.

Mentorship and/or coaching: always useful for continuous improvement and implementation of effective changes.

Board members or advisors to the current Board members who are mostly MD’s or RN’s from different countries. Bringing in other views will be extremely valuable.

Teamwork and collaboration are essential to achieve objectives and fulfill the mission more efficiently. We have partnered with a few organizations (listed elsewhere in this application). Although at this time we have not identified other organizations with which we could partner, we know in which areas we need help to advance our project. At the same time, we would like to partner with organizations that are (or become) convinced that there is a critical need to improve lives of newborns and mothers in Latin America in an altruistic way in areas with greater needs. Organizations that can first and foremost place the well-being of others above any other secondary, political and/or self-serving interests, with established guiding principles similar or better than ours.

As we believe in high quality education of neonatal health care professionals to improve neonatal quality of care and survival, it would be auspicious to partner with an innovative information and communication technology company to design innovative educational platforms oriented to distance education with simulation training and developing low-cost simulator models for specific uses. Also, developing applications for standardized records that allow for timely outcome data and information, among others.

Another area in which we need help to advance our project is in the high risk follow up network that we have established for infants that need special care after they are discharge home. The development of an application that allows mothers and local caregivers to have “close contact” with expert professionals will be very valuable.