Introduction
Apporter La Vie (Delivering Life) is a virtual reality experience supported by the Gates Foundation, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ministry of Health. Created to highlight the critical work of healthcare workers in one of the world’s most challenging environments, the project immerses audiences in the daily struggles of delivering vaccines to children in remote regions of the DRC. By combining high-resolution immersive video and interactive elements, the experience restores urgency and human clarity to a mission of global importance: ensuring that no child is left behind.
The Challenge
The Democratic Republic of Congo spans 2.3 million square kilometers, with terrain defined by dense forests, vast rivers, and limited infrastructure. More than 80% of the country’s roads are in poor condition, and access to remote communities often requires travel by boat, motorcycle, or on foot. These challenges contribute to low vaccination coverage: only 30% of children are fully vaccinated, while 20% have never received a single dose.
This lack of access allows preventable diseases such as measles and polio to continue threatening children’s lives. A Congolese saying captures the reality: “Don’t count your children before the measles outbreak has passed.” To overcome these obstacles, healthcare workers risk extreme conditions to deliver vaccines, but the scale of the challenge demands renewed international awareness and advocacy.
The Solution
Apporter La Vie was designed as an interactive VR/MR experience to immerse participants directly in the realities faced by health workers. The experience follows Kasongo, a healthcare worker navigating difficult terrain to deliver vaccines to isolated families.
Key features include:
- Immersive video: Filmed on location in the DRC to highlight authentic environments and challenges.
- Interactive engagement: Participants navigate rough terrain, manage vaccine efficacy, and face obstacles such as rain, floods, and population movement.
- Emotional storytelling: Viewers meet families whose lives depend on timely vaccination, creating a personal and emotional connection to the mission.
- Narrative clarity: Designed to emphasize the urgency of polio eradication and the need for stronger commitment to immunization programs.
The experience premiered in March 2025 at the DRC Presidential Forum, before being showcased in June 2025 at the Rotary International Convention in Calgary, where it was presented to more than 1,500 participants.
The Results
The impact of Apporter La Vie has been immediate and measurable:
- At the Rotary Convention, more than 90% of participants reported increased commitment to immunization, stronger emotional connection, and heightened advocacy intent.
- Audience feedback emphasized the effectiveness of immersive media compared to traditional communication: “Amazing use of tech to bring an important issue to us. Much better than reading an article or statistics. Personal and emotional.”
- Another participant described it as: “A riveting, emotional new tech way to deliver the polio eradication message.”
The project builds on the success of REM5 Studios’ earlier initiative Polio’s Last Mile, which reached over 11,000 users across 20+ global events and earned eight international awards. Apporter La Vie is now set for additional high-impact activations throughout the remainder of 2025 and into 2026, reinforcing its role as a powerful advocacy tool.
Conclusion
Apporter La Vie demonstrates how immersive technology can elevate public health advocacy by combining storytelling, interactivity, and emotional engagement. By placing participants in the shoes of healthcare workers and families in the DRC, the experience creates proximity to issues often understood only through statistics. Supported by global health leaders, the project has already inspired stronger commitments to vaccination and will continue to raise awareness as it travels worldwide.
Learn more here: http://seefeelchange.com/apporterlavie
COMPANY: REM5 STUDIOS
