What started as a grassroots initiative by a WHO staff member has grown into a global movement for health. Building on the success of the 1 Dollar 1 World campaign, the World Health Organization (WHO) is now amplifying and evolving the initiative to encourage more people around the world to show their solidarity.
Inspired by an individual’s initiative, WHO is now backing the 1 Dollar 1 World movement, encouraging regions, countries, champions, and its own workforce to unite behind the effort. Together with the WHO Foundation, WHO will strengthen its efforts to create awareness about its critical work and engage communities worldwide.
With this initiative, WHO is embracing a new approach by leveraging crowdfunding to support its mission. For the first time, WHO is activating its existing infrastructure – spanning 150 country offices – alongside the WHO Foundation’s reach, to amplify this grassroots movement. This strategic shift not only strengthens community engagement but also aligns with WHO’s broader strategy to diversify funding sources and support its ongoing Investment Round.
Since its launch in early 2025, almost 5000 people from over 140 countries have contributed to the campaign through the WHO Foundation, created to bring together funders and high impact health initiatives to further the mission of WHO. The high level of success and engagement demonstrates that there is a broad sense of solidarity and shared commitment to global health. This campaign is not just about crowdfunding – it’s about people standing together to remind us that health is a right, not a privilege.
“The power of the 1 Dollar, 1 World movement comes from the people. In particular, I would like to thank my colleague Tania Cernuschi for her inspiration to launch this initiative,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It shows that in times of crisis, people everywhere can unite and commit to protecting and promoting the health of others. WHO is proud to stand behind this initiative, which embodies the values of solidarity, action, innovation and hope.”
A moment for action
The challenges global health has faced in recent years – from pandemics to humanitarian crises – make it clearer than ever that no one is safe until everyone is safe. The 1 Dollar 1 World movement is a chance for people everywhere to turn concern into action and show that solidarity, just like health, knows no borders.
“This campaign started with one person, but it belongs to all of us,” said Tania Cernuschi, the WHO staff member who launched the original initiative. “It’s proof that individuals can make a difference, and that together, we are stronger.”
Join the movement
Media and the public are invited to support and share this movement. Every action – whether a donation, a post, or a conversation – helps spread the message that health should be for all, not just for some. Every stakeholder – whether a person, an organization, a community or a government – has a role in building efficient and effective collaboration for health.
A grassroots campaign with global impact
The 1 Dollar 1 World movement invites everyone to take action for global health in three simple ways:
- Donate through the WHO Foundation – Every dollar counts. Contributions support WHO’s lifesaving work worldwide.
- Share – Post a photo holding up your index finger to symbolize unity. Use #1Dollar1World & #HealthForAll, and link to the donation page.
- Amplify – Encourage others to join the movement. More information is in the communications toolkit.
All donations, collected by the WHO Foundation, support lifesaving efforts around the world, with a strong focus on country-level initiatives. These resources are essential in driving impactful implementation where it matters most based on the decisions of WHO’s 194 Member States. Together, we can drive real change.
