our work

Turning global health data into a story for donors

Johns Hopkins and ICF came to Storyfarm with a substantial body of survey data and a clear goal: turn it into a story about the USAID-funded Demographic and Health Surveys program that would resonate with donors. Working from an existing client draft, Storyfarm helped develop the script and produced an animated film that connects decades of research to real improvements in people’s lives.

The Challenge

The source material documented decades of research and its use around the world. That depth was a strength, but it also made the story hard to tell. The task was to select and organize the evidence so donors could clearly see the connection between collecting data and improving lives, without losing them in the volume of technical information.

The Solution

We built the film around a simple idea: “Numbers change lives.” The animation first establishes the program’s scale, then follows the data into specific examples of its use, from informing action against child marriage to connecting survivors of violence with resources.

Women’s and girls’ health gives the story a consistent focus. Examples from India, Uganda, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone link a global research program to decisions and actions in individual countries. The closing recognizes the people behind the data, including the survey participants and interviewers who make the work possible.

The Results

The finished animation gave Johns Hopkins and ICF a donor-facing asset that explains the program’s value through a clear line from evidence to action. It translates a large body of technical information into a story about why the work matters and the people it serves.

For a sales conversation

Johns Hopkins and ICF needed to turn a large body of survey data from the USAID-funded DHS program into a story for donors. We helped flesh out their existing script and produced an animated film connecting the research to examples of how it was used to inform policy and action affecting women and girls. It’s a useful example when a client has the evidence and an initial story, and needs help making both accessible to an outside audience.