According to today’s report in The New York Times, a growing movement of parents, educators and philanthropists has banded together to strengthen the education system for poor and working-class students in South Africa. As a result, new private schools like Leap are “springing up” to serve this niche market.

The Leap schools — which, according to the Times, function a bit like charter schools — have adjusted the curriculum to fit the students’ needs. The school offers extra support for national matriculation exams, instill a fierce work ethic and provide a “life orientation” class to help students air out their personal problems.

These “charter” schools are just one part of South Africa’s up-and-coming education movement — but it’s good to see that concerned citizens are taking the matter into their own hands. Take a look at the story and read more about education on our issues page.

I — along with many of my colleagues at ONE — was shocked and saddened to learn that Bwalya Liteta — the 12-year-old girl featured in the recent HBO documentary “The Lazarus Effect” — passed away on August 14th.

As many of you may have seen from our sister organization (RED)‘s website, Bwalya was an HIV-positive child who had lost both her parents. (RED) first met her in May 2009 and filmed her recovery from near death to robust health with the help of antiretroviral treatment (ARVs).

Everyone who met her in the filming process was inspired by her quiet determination, and many of us at ONE felt personally compelled by the simple joy she exuded as she was finally feeling better and able to return to school with her friends.

“The Lazarus Effect” highlighted the miracle of antiretroviral drugs in restoring the health of people living with HIV/AIDS. But even when treated, AIDS can be a physically devastating disease — especially for young children.

This year, we’ve been campaigning for the full replenishment of the Global Fund. If fully funded, the Global Fund — along with other bilateral AIDS efforts — can ensure that no child is born with HIV by 2015 and make certain that little girls like Bwalya never need to become infected in the first place.

Her story should compel us — including world leaders — to be bold in our efforts to make this goal achievable.

Bwalya’s story is also compelling because it is not just a story about HIV — it’s a story about the importance of comprehensive global health policy. Although a final autopsy was not conducted, we know that Bwalya had been battling complications from AIDS, and ultimately died from heart failure.

We often talk about “health systems strengthening”– an admittedly vague term. But in her home country of Zambia, health infrastructure (hospitals, clinics, medical technology, clean water, etc) is generally weak, and there are very few heart specialists in the entire country. When the infrastructure is not in place or is not readily accessible in emergencies, it makes tragic cases like Bwalya’s death all the more common.

Bwalya’s story, which is constantly replicated in the lives of so many others who are not in the spotlight, means that the development community and recipient governments need to do even better to ensure that global health efforts are integrated, comprehensive and sustainable for those who need it the most.

An HIV-positive pregnant woman shouldn’t need to go to three separate clinics for antiretroviral drugs to ensure that she doesn’t transmit the virus to her child, anti-malarial medication and supplements to ward off infections, and someone who can help her in delivery if she faces complications.

Doing so requires strengthened partnership and communication between policymakers, practitioners, host governments and community leaders in the years ahead.

Our thoughts are with Bwalya’s family and all those who knew her. Please feel free to leave your own remarks in the comments section if you have seen the film or have been touched by her story.

The PSA will air for the first time on television during Wednesday’s Gossip Girl. Check it out. http://www.one.org/buzz.

The more people talk, the more we can accomplish. Just sharing your commitment to fighting global poverty with your friends can inspire them to make the same commitment, and start up a buzz that will build into a roar of collective action.

For World AIDS Day tomorrow, I joined some of my friends from TV and film to make a video sharing our commitment to defeating extreme poverty and preventable disease. I hope you’ll watch, and share your own commitment by passing it on to people you know:

http://www.one.org/buzz/

Throughout history we’ve seen how committed people, together, can change laws, break barriers and decide elections. And together, we can defeat extreme poverty and eradicate preventable, treatable diseases including HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

But it takes all of us working together across borders, time zones, cultures…through advocacy, action, and awareness-raising.

You can help us raise awareness about ONE and build a better future for millions of people living in poverty. Please join Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone and me, Ashley Greene, from Twilight; Leighton Meester, Jessica Szohr and Ed Westwick from Gossip Girl; Corbin Bleu from High School Musical; Hayden Panettiere from Heroes; Tristan Wilds from 90210; Star Trek’s John Cho and Tropic Thunder’s Brandon T. Jackson by sharing our video to create a buzz in your community:

http://www.one.org/buzz/

We’re making progress in our fight, but more remains to be done. And it starts with you…me…all of us coming together.

It all starts with a buzz.

Thank you,

Ashley Greene, ONE Member

At the event – we’ll officially launch the ONE Campus Challenge – although we did go out of our way to leak it to our members and blog readers beforehand:)

The event’s set to start at 9 but a bunch of us ONE loyalist have been here for hours making sure to get the word about ONE out to the more than 1,000 young people attending.

In a moment I’ll post a few great shots of the crew and crowd. Even as I sit here, I see more and more people in ONE shirts walking by.