Almost 800 mothers and 18,000 young children die each day, mostly from preventable causes.
Not the sexiest of statements, huh?
According to AdWeek, the models in the video above were caught off guard when an actor posing as a commercial director asked them to repeat those alarming facts and other similar ones reflecting humanitarian crises around the world. Little did they know that the commercial they were shooting was in fact a spot for Save the Children USA -- one that's since gone viral.
"In the Democratic Republic of Congo, one out of seven children die before their 5th birthday," the models awkwardly read off cue cards during the video, puzzled by the request to repeat such dismal statistics.
"You want me to say that's 'sexy'?" one model asks, perplexed. Another, uncomfortable with the task, asks to take a break in the middle of the shoot.
The statistics, taken from Save the Children's State of the World's Mothers 2014 report, were highlighted to draw attention to dire situations for women and children around the world.
The report particularly focused on women and children in need due to violence and instability. In Syria, for example, more than 2.9 million women and girls of reproductive age are in need of humanitarian support because of devastation caused by the civil conflict.
The report also highlights the need for relief aid after natural disasters around the world. In the Philippines, a country which was devastated by Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, cases of pneumonia have increased substantially due to inadequate shelter and food supply in disaster zones. A survey found 37 percent of children in affected areas between 6 months and 5 years old had suffered from acute respiratory infection in the previous two weeks.
"We can't make this issue sexy," the models say, after they've been told of the video's true intention. "But it deserves your attention."
To join Save the Children's mission advocating for women and children around the world, visit the organization's website.
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