Singapore,
June 17, 2020 - Yahoo, part of
Verizon Media, and The GEANCO Foundation today announced the launch of
“STOR14S,” a new global podcast featuring children’s short stories narrated by
a renowned cast of leading actors and influencers. The podcast aims to take
families on an adventure that transports them out of their homes to exciting,
new places. The 14-part series will premiere on Thursday June 18th,
with new episodes airing every Monday and Thursday. Global audiences can listen
in on all podcast platforms and visit the official series pages on Yahoo
Life and Yahoo
Style UK.
“STOR14S” will feature
GEANCO ambassadors Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs.
Maisel), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Jeff
Daniels (The Newsroom), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A
Slave), Thandie Newton (Westworld), and David Oyelowo (Selma),
and more, as they narrate short stories and help raise money for the
foundation’s coronavirus relief and emergency aid. The stories were selected
through a Yahoo writing competition for the public that was held throughout the
COVID-19 pandemic. The winning entries will take listeners on journeys through
secret tunnels, mysterious bookshops and fictional African empires, providing
light relief and entertainment during a very challenging time for families.
“Focusing on our mental
health has never been more urgent, and we hope ‘STOR14S’ will inspire families
during this very difficult time,” said Guru Gowrappan, CEO at Verizon Media. “We
are committed to continue to use our platform to drive change, bring stories
that should be told to life and amplify awareness for voices and organizations
like GEANCO, and their efforts that are making a true difference in people's
lives."
GEANCO is donating
gloves, face masks, soap, sanitizer and disinfectant to hospitals and maternity
centers in Nigeria, and training maternity nurses and traditional birth
attendants to prevent the spread of the virus in maternity clinics. The
foundation is also donating tablets preloaded with hundreds of books to
children quarantined in their villages. All talent fees for the series were
donated to GEANCO, with Verizon Media donating commercial inventory for direct
display ads to the foundation to raise awareness for the vital work it’s doing
across Nigeria along with providing listeners with links to donate to their
prevention efforts.
“I am really happy to be
lending my voice to this creative effort to support GEANCO’s critically
important coronavirus initiatives in Nigeria, through the power of
storytelling” said David Oyelowo. “I'm also delighted that my friends from the
entertainment industry have joined me in bringing attention to a continent that
is especially vulnerable to the effects of this pandemic.”
“We are honored to
partner with Yahoo and our celebrity supporters on such a fun and compelling
podcast series” said Afam Onyema, CEO of GEANCO. “STOR14S will empower us to
save more lives and educate more vulnerable children in Nigeria.”
Jack's Dream
|
June 18
|
Benedict Cumberbatch
|
The Emperor's Daughter
|
June 22
|
David Oyelowo
|
Mr Oviarty's Mysterious Bookshop
|
June 25
|
Jeff Daniels
|
The Diary of Primrose Goldie Gold
|
June 29
|
Megalyn Echikunwoke
|
The Sunshine Cake
|
July 6
|
Aldis Hodge
|
Aargh! There's a Monster in my School!
|
July 2
|
Russell Brand
|
Matty Hides in Midgeton
|
July 9
|
Chiwetel Ejiofor
|
The Dog that would be a Prince
|
July 13
|
Rachel Brosnahan
|
Flying Colours
|
July 16
|
Edi Gathegi
|
Polly Tumpkin's Pumpkin
|
July 20
|
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
|
Magic Squirrels
|
July 23
|
Thandie Newton
|
Being Mean
|
July 27
|
Sam Adegoke
|
The Runaways
|
July 30
|
Zoe Saldana
|
Dragons Like Shiny Things
|
August 3
|
Lonnie Chavis
|
The podcast will be
available globally on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all other
podcasters, and distributed by Acast.
The story writing competition for “STOR14S” derives
from a wider commitment from Verizon Media’s focus on mental health and
wellness. Last month, Verizon Media announced a $10 million
donation in advertising inventory to support mental and public health response
efforts to address the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The inventory is being
used to raise awareness and mobilize resources, deepening Verizon Media’s
longstanding commitment to supporting the health of the global community at
large. Verizon Media will also provide campaign support including creative
services and management. Additionally, Verizon Media launched a two part series
“Yahoo’s Reset Your Mindset” a virtual event discussing mental health and wellness which brought
together newsmakers, athletes, celebrities, medical experts and industry
thought leaders including Serena Williams, Shailene Woodley, Hilaria Baldwinm,
Emily Baldoni, Kevin Love, Deepak Chopra and more.
About Verizon Media
Verizon Media, a division of Verizon Communications, Inc., houses a
trusted media ecosystem of premium brands like Yahoo, TechCrunch and HuffPost
to help people stay informed and entertained, communicate and transact, while
creating new ways for advertisers and media partners to connect. From XR
experiences to advertising and content technology, Verizon Media is an
incubator of innovation and is revolutionizing the next generation of content
creation in a 5G world.
About the GEANCO Foundation
GEANCO saves and transforms lives in
Africa. It organizes surgical missions and advances maternal and infant
health in Nigeria. GEANCO also donates essential resources to schools, and its
David Oyelowo Leadership Scholarship for Girls provides comprehensive academic
and mental health support to young female victims of terrorism and gender
inequality in Nigeria. In March 2020, GEANCO launched emergency medical and
educational initiatives to fight the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria.
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