As promised, here are some pictures taken at this year’s ONE Africa Award ceremony! As you may know, the award created to honour outstanding contributions by Africans towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Development Communications (DEVCOMS) Network, won this year for their excellent work with the media in Nigeria, training and sensitizing journalists and editors to public health care issues, especially for women and children. Directly below is a picture of Mr. Akin Jimoh (left) accepting the award from Mr. K.Y. Amoako on behalf of DEVCOMS.

Read more about the ONE Africa Award here!

More pictures below…

The United States has recently given $91 million in emergency food funds and $21 million in humanitarian aid to Ethiopia, one of the countries hardest hit by the food crisis.

From AllAfrica.com:

According to press statement from the US embassy in Addis Ababa , the donation was in response to Ethiopian government’s revised June 2008 Humanitarian Requirement Report.

This new donation coupled with last month’s announcement of $80 million in emergency assistance brings the total US assistance in response to the drought to [nearly] $200.

“The donations have come in response to continuing humanitarian needs in Ethiopia, where poor end erratic rainfall distribution, high food prices, ongoing conflict, arid limited humanitarian access have negatively impacted food, water, and pasture availability, resulting in increased malnutrition rates, food and water shortage, and heavy loss of livestock,” the statement said.

A majority of the funds will be divided between non-governmental organizations already performing on-the-ground relief work, such as UNICEF and the International Rescue Committee. Through their work, the funds are expected to help over 1 million people, including over 50,000 malnourished children.

-Betsy Avila

New statistics from the GSM Association reveal that cell phone usage is taking off across Africa. The GSMA reported that African cell operators added 70-million users in the past year (a growth rate of 33%) and expanded cell phone coverage by an area the size of France. Around 66% of Africa’s population is now reached by a mobile phone signal, up from 62% in 2007. Some African countries, such as Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, already have coverage rates well above 90%.

Cell technology has enabled poor African countries to bypass the messy infrastructure and expensive start-up costs of setting up fixed-line systems. As a result, wireless technology is reaching isolated rural areas where fixed lines were never able to penetrate: while the number of African cell phone users reached 282 million in 2008, there are still only 35 million fixed lines on the continent.

For Africa, these new connections have the potential to reap widespread development benefits. Where roads are bad, fixed lines nonexistent and email rare, cell phones are forging communications links that are vital to economic and social progress. Everyone from farmers to health ministers to market vendors is coming up with innovative ways to harness cell technology. In Kenya, for example, the Kenyan Agricultural Commodity Exchange (KACE) linked up with Safaricom, the country’s largest cell phone company, to help farmers access market prices over their phones. For about 20 cents, farmers can use text messaging to get current prices for goods at markets throughout Kenya, allowing them to reduce transaction costs and bypass middlemen, who often charge below-market rates.

Donors are getting the hint that cell phones can help overcome deficits in Africa’s health infrastructure. PEPFAR, for example, is working with African health ministries and the private sector to set up the Phones for Health program, a $10 million initiative that will allow health workers to use cell phones from the field to input health information to a central database. The program is modeled after TRACnet (http://www.pepfar.gov/pepfar/press/84654.htm), an impressive web-based system in Rwanda that collects and disseminates antiretroviral treatment program reporting, drug shortages and CD-4 tests across the country.

In the long term, coverage and usage must expand significantly if African countries are to realize the full economic potential of cell technology. Evidence indicates that high levels of cell phone usage can fuel economic growth and even attract foreign investment. One widely-cited study found that a developing country with an average of 10 more cell phones per 100 people has 0.59% higher GDP growth than an otherwise identical country. Seizing upon this opportunity will require prioritization by both the international community and African governments, who must continue to combat regulatory bottlenecks that constrain the competitiveness of cell operators across the continent.

-Nora Coghlan, ONE.org

President Bush leaves Friday for a week-long trip to Africa. In Rwanda, Benin, Tanzania, Ghana and Liberia, he’ll see the positive impact of the programs ONE members have lobbied for. To make sure the next president is committed to working with Africa to end extreme poverty and disease, we’ve launched a petition to the presidential candidates asking them to pledge to visit Africa in their first term. You can sign it here: http://www.one.org/visitafrica

You can also check out John McKinnon’s preview of the trip in the Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120251366075155091.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

President Bush starts a victory lap across Africa next week, celebrating his little-noticed but successful fights there against AIDS and malaria. But he also will be running hard to avoid the shadow of a growing number of political crises and controversies in the region.

As Mr. Bush enters his final 12 months in office, advocates are praising his campaign to battle disease and promote economic growth in poor countries, especially in Africa. It has emerged as a bright spot in a foreign-policy legacy marred by controversy over the Iraq war.

Bono, the Irish rock star turned global gadfly, once said that Mr. Bush has done “an incredible job” with his AIDS campaign. As it nears the end of its first five years, it has put 1.4 million people on life-sustaining therapies at a cost to the U.S. of more than $15 billion. The Bono-affiliated ONE campaign broadened its praise last month, saying Mr. Bush deserves credit for his fights against malaria and extreme poverty in the region. The White House hopes the trip will lock in congressional support for his initiatives, particularly as he is seeking a doubling of funding for combating AIDS to $30 billion over the next five years.

We’ve gotten word that President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush will be traveling to Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia on a trip to Africa from February 15 – 21. As a ONE member, I’m always encouraged when those leading U.S. foreign policy are able to see how that policy is playing out on the ground.

When the trip starts, I’ll do my best to pass along whatever we hear is happening each day, and our policy folks will help fill in some background information on some of the programs and countries that the president and first lady will be visiting.

-Virginia Simmons

During an interview aired on Saturday night, FOX News’ Bret Baier asks the Bushes about the administration’s $30 Billion package for AIDS and malaria programs in Africa.

The short conversation that ensues is about halfway through the clip below. (You’ll need Windows Media Player to watch it and it may take a minute to load.)

I also transcribed some excerpts from both Laura and George Bush.

First Lady Laura Bush:

“Economies depend on a … workforce, people who are in good health. If your workforce [is] sick with malaria half the time it’s very difficult. Or sick with AIDS. So… making people healthy is really helpful also for those African economies that are trying to build a better life for the people in their countries.”

President George W. Bush:

“I think government has a responsibility to protect the American people. It’s just part of an overall strategy to protect us. And the United States has to make up its mind – if it’s going to confront the conditions that cause radicalism and protect ourselves, or retreat and withdrawl and say, ‘well you know it costs too much money, therefor we’re not going to try to help others.’”

-Virginia Simmons

On Saturday, December 1st, World Vision, Pioneer High School and The Journey Church sponsored a day to make kits for AIDS caregivers. Hundreds of people showed up to help! We had over a dozen ONE volunteers show up from around the Bay Area. The event started with a continental breakfast followed by a presentation by The Journey Church and World Vision Leaders. We saw a short film about a caregiver and how much she appreciated having a kit to use in her work. I really admire the compassion and selfless acts that caregivers provide their friends, family or neighbors who are sick with HIV/AIDS.

Each of the orange kits includes items like soap, wash cloths, gloves, flashlights and batteries. Every kit is also packed with a personal note from the person who put it together. We helped assemble 1,000 kits that will be sent to a country in Africa. To learn more about World Vision’s Caregiver Kit program and to see about hosting an event of your own go here .

Lori Saltveit – representing ONE Volunteers from the San Francisco Bay Area

The ONE Vote ‘08, South Carolina, Staff finally had an opportunity to meet with presidential hopeful, Governor Mitt Romney. He came to Columbia, SC, to host an open forum event.

We were not afforded an opportunity to ask a question publicly. However, after the event we were able to catch up with the governor. We thanked him for his kind words towards our Campaign across the country.

He responded, “Ah, yes, the ONE Campaign. Great group.”

We also were able to get a photo with Governor Romney. We told him we look forward to his next visit to South Carolina and that he can expect to see us at his future SC stops.

- Wes Mishoe, SC Field Director

During this amazing week in Seattle, that our mayor proclaimed as Champions of Global Poverty Week, I was part of many of Stand Up events throughout our region. Here are a few notes from two of my favorites.

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Over 200 people Stood Up against global poverty yesterday at the Rockin’ Fish in Chillcothe, Ohio.

Paritioners from church and other churches in the area as well as students from Chillicothe Middle School and Zane Trace High school turned out. Jeremy Siberall, who is running for a City council seat was there and he signed the ONE Declaration. Diane Carnes, City Council member, Rep. Party Head and Mayoral Candidate running against Mayor Joe Sulzer was in attendance as well. They were joined by Mary Elsass, Director of United Way of Ross County, as well as Dr. Ellis Frazier of the Ross County AIDS Task Force.

ONE Chillcothe Group leader Christopher Cooper gave this brief account:

I introduced Mary Elsass and Dr. Frazier Josh sang some more and spoke about the Jubilee Act Jennifer and I passed out the one page info sheets on Jubilee and the take action sheets I read the highlights from last year’s STAND UP Dirk Moore, along with 5 others lead the crowd in the STAND UP declaration I introduced ONE Vote ‘08 We showed the ONE Vote ‘08 video starring Chris Cooper and that Matt Damon and Bono guy, whoever they are : ) LOL Dirk Moore did an acoustic set of Davenporte songs that had everyone on their feet The ceremony was over and ONE Chillicothe musicians continued with an open mic jam session

The crowd was about half White and Black and an equal mix of the religious “affiliated” and “unaffiliated.” Bev said it was beautiful and she’s never seen anything like it among the youth.

All in all, it was another great ONE Chillicothe event. A Christian venue brings in rock bands and gospel groups who cross lines of faith drawn in the sand and do away with the theological sticking points to let the unifying message of ONE bring us all together.

Check out a bunch more photo of the event here.