ONE mom can make a difference; she can tell another mom’s story. She can help a child with homework; she can tweet, blog and use her voice for mothers in the world’s poorest places. It only takes ONE mom to inspire hope.
Though I only spent a few days in the Liberian capital of Monrovia this past summer, the narrative of a country racked by nearly two decades of civil war wove its way through almost every place I visited and in the stories of those I met along the way.
However, what continually stood out in each account we heard was not simply the brutality inflicted by dictator Charles Taylor and his legion of male warlords, but rather, the significant role that women played in putting an end to the era of conflict. And in fact, two Liberian women -– President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her compatriot, peace activist Leymah Gbowee -– were recently honored with the Nobel Peace Prize for their hand in helping to end the war and steer the country forward in the years following.
PBS will be exploring the power of Liberia’s women in tonight’s “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” as part of their five-part documentary series,“Women, War & Peace.” Tonight’s episode will recount the story of the Liberian women who took on Taylor and his regime amid an escalating conflict, and won seemingly unattainable peace for the country in 2003. Armed only with white T-shirts and iron clad courage, they were instrumental in putting an end to years of inconceivable violence and helped to put their country back on the slow road to recovery.
Watch the preview above to whet your appetite before tonight’s show. Put it on your calendar or set the DVR, because this is definitely a story you’ll want to hear.
John Cooper, ONE member and lead singer of the band Skillet, took time from touring to record a video message urging their fans, the Panheads, and the rest of us to sign ONE’s Horn of Africa petition. Moved by the more than 29,000 children who have died from the famine, Skillet got to work quickly, spreading the word about the petition through Facebook, Twitter and more. Thank you, Skillet!
Africans from across the continent are calling for their governments to take action on the famine and ensure that it never happens again in a new movement, Africans Act 4 Africa. The coalition is using the power of African celebrities and activists to encourage their fellow Africans to support the campaign and get involved.
The results are moving and inspiring. In a recent video, top celebs and musicians Youssou Ndour, Kuni Naidoo, P-Square, Eric Wainaina, Banky W, Amani, Sauti Sol, Sara Mitaru, J Martins, Julie Gichuru, Kavutha, Chege and others introduce themselves and express their incredible solidarity for the cause. “Please, let’s act for Africa,” they say. “No African should die of hunger.”
You don’t have to be African to support the cause. Follow Africans Act 4 Africa on Twitter at @AfricansAct and like them on Facebook. Show your love and support and leave them a message now.
Profiling the lives of farmers from Mexico, Ethiopia and Bangladesh, “Challenging Hunger,” a new documentary by Bread for the World and ViewChange, gives some much-needed attention to the 1 billion people across the globe who are affected by food insecurity.
By now, you’ve probably heard the alarming statistics that hunger is the world’s No. 1 health risk, and that approximately one in seven people go to bed hungry each night. But, understanding what these numbers really mean for the individuals affected by food insecurity can be difficult to conceptualize.
That’s why “Challenging Hunger” is important to watch. It exposes the challenges of real-life farmers on the ground who have dealt with infertile land, unsteady incomes and drought. But it also highlights the innovative solutions that are helping make a “world that can feed itself.” From aid groups to entrepreneurs, there are sustainable solutions that can help end food insecurity.
Watch the full length documentary in the player above. And let us know what you think in the comments below.
ONE cofounder Bono and Somali-born singer and poet K’naan interviewed with CNN’s Anderson Cooper last night on the growing crisis in Somalia and urged the world to put a higher priority on responding to what has become a humanitarian catastrophe.
Last week, I had the huge honor of hearing Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, speak at the Society for International Development (SID) World Conference. Mr. Zoellick’s speech, which kicked off a weekend of workshops and panel discussions with the NGO community, spoke directly to SID’s mission to reappraise and challenge the fundamentals behind development policy. ONE fellow and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson moderated the conversation, and touched on issues such as poverty, food security and long-term development.
ONE is campaigning to ensure that the Congressional budget does not cut foreign assistance programs like Feed the Future that help people break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years. More than 11 million people, mostly nomadic pastoralists and farmers in south-central Somalia, north-eastern Kenya, and south-eastern Ethiopia, are severely lacking access to food.
2011 marks 30 years since the first cases of AIDS were documented. Take a closer look at the specific, achievable goals we must hit by 2015 to make this year the beginning of the end of AIDS.
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world's poorest countries.
