This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
On June 25, 2020, a powerful message was delivered to world leaders from Nairobi, Kenya, as Teardrops, a 29-year-old Kenyan poet, joined a global call to end Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). The virtual event, hosted by Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases in London, brought together speakers from the World Health Organization (WHO), government officials, NGOs, and youth groups.
Teardrops created a spoken word piece exclusively for the event, which featured his powerful message: 'I refuse to just stand and watch diseases with complicated names trying to complicate lives. I refuse to live in a world where politicians can go to the driest part of the continent to look for votes but not to distribute medicine.'
His spoken words were part of a special session by Youth Combating NTDs, a global community of young people fighting to end NTDs. The organization's founder, Gerald Chirinda, welcomed Teardrops' contribution to the call, highlighting the importance of young people in the fight against NTDs.
