Archive for February, 2007
Andy from CARE is talking about development aid.
First Andy talked through the problems: 1 billion people live on less than a dollar a day. 3 billion live on less than 2 dollars a day. 125 million school-aged children are not enrolled in school (2/3 are girls). 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.
Next Andy talked about how much of our current international aid does not go to real poverty-reduction programs and about how important it is to do give smart aid, to good governments for programs that will build the infrastructure that will truly make a difference.
The average American thinks the US spend 24% of our budget on development assistance. They want it to be 10%.
In reality, the U.S. gives 0.39% of our budget to poverty-reduction development aid. (data from 2005)
One dollar in development saves seven dollars in emergency relief. Every year of education for girls, yields great gains for health and economic indicators. Development aid eradicated polio and nearly eradicated smallpox.
You can flip through Andy’s full presentation here.
Alessandra Harris from Jubilee USA is speaking about debt cancellation.
She is explaining where the debt comes from, discussing the history of the debt and the real impact of these debts. Many poor countries use most of their money toward paying off old loans, and if they keep paying off these loans, they will never meet the Millennium Development Goals.
She is also talking about the history of the debt cancellation movement, Jubilee USA, the Jubilee Act, and the importance of freeing countries from debt so that they can escape extreme poverty.
You can learn more about the basics of debt in this document “Why Drop the Debt Page” The document walks you though:
- how debt cost lives
- how the countries have already paid their loans (but are still paying them off due to skyrocketing interest)
- how the strings attached to debt hurt poor people
- how banks have knowingly lent the money to corrupt governments and that the money loaned was spent on irresponsible projects that never could have helped the people in these countries
- how debt cancellation means real results- more schools, teachers, food, clean water and healthcare in developing countries.
“Debt is tearing down schools, clinics, and hospitals and the effects are no less devastating than war.” – Dr. Adabayo Adedeji, African Center for Development Strategy
Why Drop the Debt Page 1
Why Drop the Debt Page 2
Stephanie Handler, ONE Regional Field Organizer, is now walking the group through the basics of ONE. Her talk includes the history of ONE, the definition of extreme poverty, the emergency of HIV/AIDS, what U.S. funding can do to help and what ONE believes we can do to help the world’s poorest people.
You can flip through the slideshow here.
“The ONE Campaign believes that the U.S. enacting a comprehensive package which includes fair trade, debt cancellation, fighting corruption, and directing additional resources for basic needs such as education, health, clean water, food, shelter, and care for orphans, would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries. Therefore, the ONE Campaign supports efforts rooted in building strong, widespread support for bold, new initiatives to meet the Millennium Development Goals.”
ONE Field Coordinator Anne Batchelder opened up the training by welcoming the crowd and telling everyone how excited we are that they are here. We’re now watching a short film that introduces ONE’s history and mission.
(The response to this training has been overwhelming and I have the exhausted volunteers running the registration table to prove it.)
More volunteers keep flooding in.
Annie Chung learned about ONE when a friend forwarded her a petition online a few months ago. She checked out the website and knew she wanted to get more involved. The idea that individuals are banning together to make a difference is meaningful to her and she’s doesn’t want to just sit around and wait for things to happen, she wants to make things happen.
Julie Drysdale came from Santa Cruz with her eleven-year old son Danny. They learned about ONE at the 2006 Warped Tour. Julie is an activist, but she’s really here for Danny, who’s psyched to do ONE organizing with his friends.
We’re here and we’re rearing to go.
Some super volunteers have shown up early to see if they can help out. Jimmy Yanez and Nina Torres are manning the registration table. Jimmy first heard and signed up for ONE back during the Live Eight concerts in 2005. Nina Torres signed up for ONE in 2006 and handed out ONE bracelets in the store she managed in Sacremento, California.
Katie Clifford also showed up early. She first heard about ONE from TV commercials last year. When she saw the commercials, she says, she was interested in what the celebrities had to say, rather than the celebrities themselves, and she’s excited to learn how to do hands on work.
Roneal Jit and Ronita Jit are siblings from San Francisco. The both saw the commercials, but Roneal first became connected to ONE when he found the ONE Declaration on a MySpace page. They’re both excited to meet other members and help out.
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Just wrapping up and putting all the final pieces in place for tomorrow.
As you can see, the seats are set and ready for San Francisco to fill ‘em up!
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