Bright Spots
Learn more about this initiative below.
To view current stories, please visit this page.
In an ongoing effort to shine a light on voices of innovation and adaptability in the immunization sector, Boost supports a storytelling initiative called Bright Spots, which surfaces different aspects of immunization campaigns and programs: from sharing fully executed projects with successful results to highlighting quick lessons learned from the field. To learn more about this initiative and how you can be involved, please see below.
How It Started & Where We are Headed
Launched in 2019, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bright Spots is a storytelling initiative that highlights grassroots-driven process improvement in routine immunization service delivery at the sub-national level. The Bright Spots initiative serves as a means to continuously share, learn and discuss innovation, provide immunization staff with an opportunity to showcase their innovations and work together to discover new ways of doing things.
The inaugural call for stories focused on Partnership for Impact, diving into the importance of stakeholder engagement and strategic operations for immunization programming. This year, Boost pivoted its focus, reflecting on the immense global changes that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, and issued a call for stories of change that demonstrate resourcefulness, adaptability and resilience.
We understand that the immunization landscape will continue to change as we all, together, discover our new normal and endeavor to build back better. The next call for Bright Spots will focus on key lessons learned from implementing immunization programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how our community has returned to routine immunization.
The Bright Spot Process
A Bright Spot starts with an application. This application provides a brief outline of the immunization program, the primary actors involved and an overview of the outcomes. Applications can be submitted by anyone – from the sub-national EPI focal person to the partner funding the work. Regardless of who submits the application, story submitters must agree to actively pull in crucial voices – teammates, local EPI staff, technical assistants – if their story is selected; this is an essential step in the process.
Following the application, there is a selection process that includes reviews from and interviews with Boost Community members, the Boost team and immunization experts. Selected stories then move forward to work with a seasoned storyteller, where story submitters work hands-on with a storyteller to refine, structure and format their Bright Spot story. Previous Bright Spots have taken on the form of short written stories, recorded podcasts and live engagements. Depending on the final format(s), this process typically takes 3-4 months and includes an initial interview with our storyteller, gathering of supplementary materials (as needed), a structured editing process and a final recording session.
Listen to this interview with Paukwa House Storysmith Mwihaki Muraguir, who shares some tips on submitting a compelling story.
Thinking about my experience with Bright Spots, the thing that stands out most to me was the attention to detail on the story I was telling. I’m sure most have heard the saying ‘anecdotes are sometimes more powerful than data’. This is such a true statement but what makes these anecdotes come alive are the intricate details of the story.
—Kirobel Begashaw, Ethiopia, Boost Member & Former Bright Spots Story Submitter
The Opportunity
The final Bright Spot stories are showcased and hosted in their various forms on a dedicated microsite: https://brightspots.boostcommunity.org. They are also shared through the Boost Community’s online platform, reaching a global network of more than 1,700 immunization professionals; disseminated on Sabin’s social media channels and partner networks; and elevated to global stakeholders during key meetings and virtual events.
The Impact
As of August 31, 2021, Bright Spots has featured 20 stories from 11 countries. 10 of these stories have been highlighted in a featured Bright Spots webinar, where over 429 participants have been able to attend to learn more about these stories of innovation, resilience, and adaptability.
Through storytelling, I am able to have a positive impact on my workplace and the community in which I live. We were able to persuade policymakers to recognize the plight of caregivers by assisting them with receiving immunization services without difficulty.
— Attahir Abubakar, Nigeria, Boost Member & Former Bright Spots Story Submitter