Social media gets a bad rep, but in times of crisis, it can be an extremely powerful tool to spread awareness of what’s going on around the world and a way to reach people near and far.
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David Beckham is the latest to tap into leveraging his social handles for good amid the Russia and Ukraine conflict by handing over the reigns of his Instagram account to a doctor located in Kyiv, Ukraine. Beckham, who boasts more than 71.6 million followers on the platform, recorded a video message on his page alongside a detailed caption explaining what he planned to do with his account.
“Today I’m handing over my social channels to Iryna, the Head of the Regional Perinatal Centre in Kharkiv, Ukraine where she is helping mothers give birth,” Beckham wrote. “Head over to my story highlights to learn more about the amazing work Iryna and health workers like her are doing to save lives in Ukraine. Please give what you can to support @UNICEF and people like Iryna using the donation link in my bio.”
Beckham added a story highlight featuring on-the-ground videos of Iryna showcasing some of what’s been going on in healthcare centers where she lives, “Today I am going to show you how we work in times of war and who we have become during these war days,” Iryna explains.
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She adds that on the first day of Russian invasion, women and mothers were evacuated to the basement of the health center and noted that babies who were in ICU units could not be moved to the basement because the equipment they relied on to live could not be accessed from that area.
Iryna then shared that she works 24/7 in times of war, including her work as a pediatric anesthesiologist, and praised UNICEF for their help, support and donations that have saved lives. “We are probably risking our lives, but we don’t think about it at all. We love our work,” she penned. “Doctors and nurses here, we work, we cry, but none of us will give up.”
Beckham’s original post has received nearly 4.5 million views as of this writing.