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I’ve been watching the news coverage of President Bush’s trip to Africa with some interest, as I hope many others have too. A presidential trip always garners much press coverage but this time it has been slightly different and for good reason. There is a lot of good news to report from the countries that the president has visited!
Some of it reflects the progress made partly because of things the president has done during his two terms. President Bush focused more attention on Africa than most expected when he took office and more than any other president in 
recent memory. His initiatives on HIV/AIDS, malaria and the creation of the Millennium Challenge Account will have a lasting impact on the continent, on the lives of individual Africans. One particular story focused on the progress made against malaria and what an amazing difference bed nets were making in reducing the incidence of the debilitating and sometimes deadly disease. Essentially the story showed that additional resources, targeted properly can transform lives.
The president’s trip has, in my mind, served at least two purposes - it has refocused the country’s attention on these important issues and it has demonstrated that with effort, determination and a relatively small amount of money (the total budget for poverty-focused development assistance in 2008 is $15.4 billion—which is less than one half of one percent of the federal budget, of this just over $4 billion goes to Africa), the lives and futures of millions of poor people can be dramatically improved.
There is still so much to be done to reduce hunger, poverty and disease in Africa and around the world. Nearly a billion people around the world live on less than $1 a day and 854 million are hungry. I hope that the stories coming out of Africa in the last few days help motivate us all and provide the presidential candidates with a sense of what is possible. We can meet the Millennium Development Goals. Leadership matters.
-Asma Lateef
(Asma Lateef is the director of the Bread for the World Institute. She blogs regularly at Bread for the World Institute Notes.)
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The ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with frequent contributions from volunteers, members and partner organizations.
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February 21, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Where can you get a George Bush halter top like the dancers in tanzania dad?
February 23, 2008 at 2:41 am
Hi! I would really love to buy bed nets for a family in Africa but I’m not sure how! Do you know of any legitimate websites that would allow me to do so?
February 24, 2008 at 12:42 am
http://nothingbutnets.net/
promoted on VH1, and i personallly think one of the best ones out there.
thanx for your interest. surely much appreciated by the recipent.
stay close,
sammi in seattle =)
February 24, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Jamie,
Thanks for your interest in helping some of the poorest people in the world through the purchase of bednets to help families in Africa to prevent the transmission of malaria.
The above website (actually it is http://www.nothingbutnets.org) is a GREAT website to start at but then I encourage you to go to http://www.malarianomore.org to get a better idea of the issues regarding malaria transmission in the developing world.
Take very good care, Jamie, and please let us know how these links turn out for you. Blessings - not just for those who kneel.
ALWAYS FOREVER, ONE - debbie
March 5, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Check out the Nets For Life website. They have two implementing partners: Episcopal Relief and Development and Christian Aid. Also on the er-d.org website, check out the Gifts for Life catalog which organizes gifts according to the Millennium Development Goals and your passion.