World champion Ethiopian runner Meseret Defar continued her 5-year undefeated streak by winning the 3000 meter at the World Indoor Championships on Saturday. All through the race, Meseret Defar wore her white band. (Getty Images)
“It was somewhat inevitable the multi-talented Defar would prevail, and so it proved as she simply destroyed the field by winding up the pace from 400m out and unleashing her legendary kick-finish over the final lap.
And even Defar herself conceded in a post-race interview victory here at the Palau Velodromo Luis Puig was not the most testing of her career. “Today it was an easy race for me, because of that I didn’t have to run too fast,” she explained. “I feel that I’m ready for Beijing (Olympic Games) now.”
(Taylor works on the ONE Communications team and is currently traveling with President Bush, First Lady Laura Bush and Live Aid and Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof. Read all her posts so far from the trip here.)
A lot happened in Accra, Ghana today. First, President Bush met with President Kufuor of Ghana and they held a joint press conference. They about talked about, among other things, the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). Ghana has received a compact from MCA to build roads and improve infrastructure. MCA compacts go to well-governed countries, countries who fight corruption and invest in health and education for their citizens.
Then it was on to a lunch with Peace Corps workers in Ghana. Ghana was the first country in the world to welcome the Peace Corps. The first 52 Peace Corps workers arrived here on August 30, 1961. Since that time, more than 3,700 volunteers have served in this country (including two of my good friends Monica and Alex Smith – who met when they both served as Peace Corps workers in Ghana and the Cote d’Ivoire and later married. Monica was a water and sanitation specialist and Alex educated people about HIV/AIDS).
The Ghanians have a special bond with Americans who serve in the Peace Corps and gave them a big welcome at lunch. The lunch guests, including President Bush and Bob Geldof, heard harrowing tales of Peace Corps life in rural Africa, including one woman who was bitten by a cobra and then discovered that the local clinics had run out of both poison anecdote and pain medication! (Don’t worry – she survived and told her tale to the President in person today.)
After lunch was my personal favorite part of the day: a tee ball game! We watched some Ghanian youngsters play ball – the Little Dragons vs. the Little Saints. I;m not sure my travelling companion, Sir Bob Geldof, understood the intracacies of the game, having grown up in Ireland, deprived of the World Series…but we all enjoyed it, nonetheless.
This weekend ONE members in Iowa did something a little different to raise awareness about poverty, they went mini-golfing!
ONE sponsored and decorated the 18th hole of the Downtown Des Moines Skywalk Golf Tournament. There were almost 2,000 people participating in the world’s largest indoor golf tournament held in a 3-mile section of the skywalk system! When golfers got to the 18th hole, they were shooting for a “Hole in ONE” through giant ONE bands set up on the hole.
We spoke to golfers about the campaign, handed out stickers and literature, bands, and of course, “Hole in ONE” prizes! Two volunteers even got their picture printed in a local weekly newspaper. The caucuses may be over but ONE is still talking to Iowans about extreme global poverty and disease. We had a fun day and got lots of great visibility to the campaign at the same time!
ONE member Dan Robinson made it to the top of Mt. Aconcagua today where he planted a ONE flag! (We hope to get a photo of that soon.) Just 6 summits left to go…
Today at 10:45 EST we finally reached the summit! Our original plan was to attempt the summit yesterday but a terrible storm kept us pinned down at 19,200 feet. The storm forced us to stay in our tents the entire day and we also had to endure temperatures of 50 below zero. The winds were absolutely brutal and made the most routine tasks incredibly difficult to do.
All the time and effort that went into this climb was justified when we got to the top of the mountain. Being able to experience the view from the highest point in South America was an emotional time for the entire group. It was a serene moment for each individual, and I was reminded of the reason for my climb to the top.
The ONE flag was proudly displayed at the top of Aconcagua and I know this is only the beginning of my journey to raise awareness. I want to thank everyone who has kept me in their thoughts and prayers and for all the support I have received over the past few weeks. Please continue to spread the message and support this important cause!
When I left the ONE Campaign last fall, I had ONE bands everywhere that you could imagine: piles in every bag that I own, strewn about my car, and at my apartment. As I packed up for Nigeria, I piled all of those ONE bands and brought them with me.
This month, the Gwaimen Center (where I work) has had football and basketball matches to bring the young people of Kwoi together and we’ve used the opportunity to educate on those present on AIDS prevention. What better tool to use than the ONE bands?
While I enjoy watching football, seeing people from all around the area come together and talk about AIDS and how people can protect themselves was powerful. I told those gathered about ONE and the millions of people in the US who spend their free time and their energy fighting poverty and AIDS. This is a global effort and, in partnership, we’re going to end extreme poverty and global disease.
My friend who organized the match spoke about how these teenagers are examples to the children that were gathered to watch the match. I found his words inspiring. The next generation, whether we’re teenagers or elderly, is watching and learning from our example. We have an opportunity to change the course of history.
-Anne Batchelder
Anne is a ONE member, as well as the former ONE Deputy Field Director, and co-founder of the Gwaimen Center in Kwoi, Nigeria
Here’s the latest from ONE member Dan Robinson as he progresses up Mt. Aconcagua. There’s been some illness among the group, and breathing gets harder and harder. Once they reach Camp 4, they’ll tackle the summit. For those of you just tuning in, Dan is voluntarily climbing each of the Seven Summits and planting the ONE flag on top of each. Check out his blog at: http://www.dan-robinson.com/.
-Chandler Smith
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Moving on to camp 2….
We spent most of today carrying equipment and supplies from 17,500 feet to 19,200 feet. It was a grueling process but I felt really strong climbing up the mountain. The air up here is really thin and with every step it is getting harder to breathe. We will spend another night at 17,500 feet then climb up to Camp 2 tomorrow. The storm seems to be passing and there might be a chance to summit sometime next week. The views up here are absolutely breathtaking! We are just above the clouds and you can see a magnificent view of the Andes. I can’t wait to share my pictures with everyone when I get back!
8:48 pm est
-Dan Robinson
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Leaving Camp 1
Today we climbed from 15,500 feet to 17,500 feet. It is extremely windy at this altitude and there seems to be a really bad storm coming in. We will stay here for the night then return to Camp 1 tomorrow to haul equipment and supplies to the higher camp. I’m still recovering from a bad stomach bug and I have been having headaches during most of the day. This is getting extremely tough but all the encouraging messages and support has definitely kept me motivated. Thank you for taking the time to spread the message and support the cause!
Dan Robinson, ONE member, mountaineer and British navy pilot, has begun his climb up Mt. Aconcagua. This is the first peak of seven that he will climb in the name of ONE. As he climbs the Seven Summits, he’s planting a ONE flag on the top of each. Read his almost daily updates at www.dan-robinson.com.
-Chandler Smith
Thursday, January 17, 2008
15-16th Jan…Casa de Piedra to Plaza Argentina (Base Camp)
Hey guys. Managed to get some internet access but it is very slow and very expensive so I’ll combine the last two days. Yesterday we moved from Casa de Piedra to Base Camp at Plaza Argentina. It was a climb of over 3000ft in elevation and around 8 miles. The climb took just over 6 hours and upon arriving at base camp, it was the first time that I really noticed the affects of altitude. Base camp itself is like something out of a Star Wars movie as it is a very dry, rocky environment surrounded by huge mountains including Aconcagua and its Polish Glacier. I woke up this morning with a mild headache, sore throat and a nose bleed that have stayed with me throughout the day. Other than that I feel okay! I look up at the summit of Aconcagua and sometimes I dare to imagine myself raising the ONE campaign banner at the top. It is a very long way and there are lenticular clouds sitting menacingly on the summit. An indication of very high winds that sometimes can range from 100-200mph. I have a lot of work ahead.
Thought for the day:
Our generations challenge is to help the poorest of the poor to escape the misery of extreme poverty so that they can begin their own ascent up the ladder of economic development. The end of poverty, in this sense, is not only the end of extreme suffering but also the beginning of economic progress and of the hope and security that accompany economic 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.
