"It was 1999 when a Canadian government agency sent me to Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan to document the issue of safe motherhood. Upon my return, I knew I had to tell the stories and fates of these women to make a real difference," says Nancy Durell McKenna, founder of SafeHands.

Nancy Durell McKenna is not only a talented photographer and filmmaker, but also the driving force behind SafeHands, an organisation dedicated to improving sexual and reproductive health and rights. Her journey began in the early 1980s when she discovered the power of photography and film to inspire and educate people.

Visualisation as an opportunity

"It didn't matter where I was - whether in Bangladesh, Indonesia or Pakistan - the women's stories were the same everywhere. I could clearly show why women were dying and what we could do to stop it," Nancy recalls. In 2003, SafeHands was officially registered as a charity organisation. The idea was to use visual media to educate young people about sexual and reproductive health and rights. "It's not just the power of the photo or the film, but also the use of modern technology to put information directly into the hands of young people," Nancy emphasises. It is particularly important to her to also involve young men in order to promote a comprehensive understanding and a change in behaviour.

"Izosh", which means "All will be well", accompanies the work of SafeHands in Ethiopia, where local communities are now continuing the projects independently. "Izosh is an expression of hope and trust that all will be well, and it fills me with great joy that our projects are in the safe hands of the community," says Nancy proudly. Another remarkable project is "Leading Safe Choices", which was implemented in South Africa and Tanzania. It aims to train health workers in postpartum family planning and comprehensive abortion counselling and aftercare. These programmes have made a lasting difference to the lives of many women and are a testament to the effective work of SafeHands. In the past year ...

• 53,652 women, girls, men and boys received information on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• 497 people contributed their insights to the design of three innovative approaches.
• 274 health service providers offered their support in hard-to-reach communities.

Future outlook

In the future, SafeHands plans to strengthen existing projects and expand successful models to other regions. "Our mission is to ensure that information about safe sexual and reproductive health reaches everyone, especially in the most vulnerable communities," says Nancy.

"It's hard to sensitise people to issues that may not directly affect them. But our work is crucial to improving the lives of women and children." Especially in times of global crises and economic uncertainty, organisations like SafeHands face challenges. Nancy emphasises the importance of social media in raising awareness of SafeHands' work. "We have the visual content to reach and inspire people. Now we need to use it," she says. Every donation, big or small, helps get vital information and support to the people who need it most.