Archive for September, 2006
Attending medical
school, I learned of the global biologic and sociologic devastation caused by the HIV virus. Later, I traveled
to Kenya to work in a hospital and came to know some of the individual stories behind the statistics – and of
the structural injustices that make the problems so overwhelming.
I now plan to return to
the developing world and spend my career practicing medicine in a setting where people would not otherwise
receive adequate health care. The ONE Campaign has
been a great source of encouragement for me – and a launching point for a wider public conversation.
HIV-AIDS
and the stark contrast between the haves and have-nots are arguably the most important issues in the world
today. How we respond to these
issues will define how history judges our generation.
-Doug Lindberg, member of
the ONE Campaign, Johnson City, TN
Check back over
the next couple of weeks for more ONE members’
stories.
And if you haven’t already told us how you first found
your commitment to eliminate global AIDS and extreme
poverty,
send us your story.
Recently, I connected with
Ken Patterson (pictured to the right) the Global Grassroots Manager at RESULTS – a ONE Campaign partners. Ken
and RESULTS are organizing conference
call training opportunities on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST throughout the month.
You can find out how to
call in on the RESULTS Calendar.
Look out, in October too, for more trainings by RESULTS!
Warm regards,
Vicky Rateau
ONE Campaign Field Director
Four years ago, the Masai
tribe in Enoosaen, Kenya, donated fourteen cows to the United States as a sign of sympathy after the September
11th attacks.
After years of discussion
- on how to thank the Masai for their kindness – American diplomats traveled to Enoosaen yesterday to tell the
town elders that America would like to use the cows’ offspring to fund education in the village – and that the
states would like to kick off the “cow trust fund” by
donating 14 high school scholarships to the village.
From The New York Times,
Sunday, September 10, 2006:
When Masai tribesmen marry, they give cows. When a son wants to earn the respect of his father, he gives cows.
When there is a friend in need or a condolence call to make, more cows.
So it was, in this one-cow-fits-all spirit, that the elders of Enoosaen four years ago donated 14 prized bulls
and heifers to the people of the United States to help ease the pain of the Sept. 11 attacks.
But there was one little problem: the cattle — and how to get them from here to there.
Link to the Times for
more…
I had planned to post a
story today that would demonstrate how a ONE member was drawn to the movement by the events of September 11,
2001.
But in looking through our
catalogue of stories, I couldn’t find one that seemed representative of them all. The reason I couldn’t, I’ve
come to realize, is because the idea never made any sense in the first place: no one individual story could
express how all of us were affected – in anything at all resembling an adequate way.
And that includes a post
from me.
I can say though, from
looking through our members’ stories, that the events five years ago led many of us to consider how suffering
can cause pain and hatred abroad that doesn’t have to exist.
And that even though most
of us already knew that we are all in this world together – September 11th forced us to realize it –
again.
Theresa Nemeth contacted me at the end of July – when I was first
hired as a new Field Organizer for the ONE Campaign – to find out what she could do locally in her town of Coshocton,
OH.
With only e-mail communication going back and forth between us,
Theresa built up the confidence to take the ONE Campaign to City Hall. In less than a month, Theresa met with
her mayor, Tim Turner, and convinced him to declare Coshocton a City of ONE. In doing so, Coshocton joined the
fight to end extreme poverty and global AIDS.
Theresa Nemeth is 16 year-old senior in high school which would be
impressive enough – except she is also in her 2nd year of college at Kent State University (Tuscarawas
Branch). Being a fan of U2, she heard of the ONE Campaign and was determined to spread the word within her
community.
Theresa is unstoppable and definitely shows us that even young adults,
who cannot cast their vote yet, can have a huge influence on their community leaders. Congratulations,
Theresa, and keep up the great work! You can check out the article that was posted in the Coshocton Tribune
here.
(For those of you unfamiliar with Ohio, Coshocton is a small town in
the north east with a population of a little more than 11,000. Growing up in Columbus, the only thing I knew
of Coshocton was that it was home to the historic Roscoe Village that we visited in grade school as part of
our Columbus Public School education.)
-Katie Andrews, Regional ONE Field Organizer
[Pictured above, from left to right, Theresa Nemeth, Tim Turner and
Katie Andrews.]
“Since 2004 I have been working at Hopeworks ‘N Camden which is one of the poorest cities in the United States. Everyday I meet young people in our own country who are struggling to make a better life for themselves and rise out of poverty. With programs like ours they at least have a chance. Though AIDS and poverty are still issues in this country, we at least are able to expose the problem and do something about it.
In Africa, trying to help is dangerous. People are living in refugee camps and fighting for their lives. The country is not able to help its own. I believe that we as a country need to support our brothers and sister who have less than us. Our youth in Camden know that and support the ONE Campaign. If the poorest in our country can help, why wouldn’t I?”
-Kathleen Deitch, member of the ONE Campaign, Ridley Park, PA
Check back over the next couple of weeks for more ONE members’ stories. And if you haven’t already told us how you first found your commitment to eliminate global AIDS and extreme poverty, send us your story.
Sep 7th, 2006 12:00 PM UTC
By admin
Based in
Louisville, KY, the North, one of my favorite local bands, plays all over the country and supports The ONE
Campaign at every stop along the way. Every time I see them play live they have information about ONE out on
their merchandise tables and they encourage all their fans to join the campaign.
My favorite
performance from The North was definitely when they played at the 2005 Louisville ONE Rally to help send off
our local delegation to LIVE 8 and the G8 summit in Scotland! Another great way The North supports the
Campaign is to include a ONE banner and link on their MySpace page, encouraging their over 34,000 fans and friends
to go to one.org and find out more information.
-Kim Smith,
Regional ONE Field Organizer
