Gates Foundation Launches “Living Proof” Campaign on ONE.org, Spotlighting African Success Stories

Living Proof Campaign to Showcase Results of Recent Global Health Investments

Washington, D.C.-ONE today announced it would work closely with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to launch the Living Proof Project: Investments in Global Health are Working, a multi-year awareness campaign by the Gates Foundation to highlight the extraordinary success of the United States and other G8 government's efforts to improve health around the world. ONE will feature videos, photos and blog content from the project on its web site, www.ONE.org, starting today.

"ONE is pleased to be part of the Living Proof Project and excited about this opportunity to bring to life the remarkable progress we've seen from investments in global health," said ONE President and CEO David Lane. "Smart programs are saving millions of lives from diseases like AIDS and malaria in poor countries. This project will help put a human face on these results. ONE is proud to be partnering with the Gates Foundation in this important effort."  

The project kicked off today with its own new web site, www.livingproofproject.org, and advertisements in Washington, DC that highlight compelling success stories in global health and development.

The awareness campaign will show that global health initiatives to fight malaria, AIDS, and other diseases are saving and improving the lives of millions of people in poor and developing countries - and as a result, empowering them to lead more productive lives.

 "We want to show Americans that their investments in global health are working," said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. "We should all be proud that U.S.-funded health programs are saving millions of lives and bringing new hope to poor and developing countries."

 "Bill and I are convinced that American funding for global health is working, because we have witnessed the results first-hand," said Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation.  "We think if more Americans learn about progress in global health, they'll be inspired to maintain these investments-even in difficult economic times-so that we can do even more."

The Living Proof Project will cross several media platforms. Key components of the campaign include:

• Content on www.ONE.org and the campaign web site www.livingproofproject.org that brings global health success stories to life with web videos, photo galleries, interactive graphics, and personal profiles of people whose lives have been saved by global health programs.
• Television, radio, print, and online advertising in Washington, DC, featuring children and adults in developing countries who are "living proof" that U.S. investments are saving and transforming lives. The campaign's first television ad, titled "I Am Living Proof," begins running in Washington, DC today on both network and cable channels and can be viewed online at livingproofproject.org 
• A multimedia presentation by Bill and Melinda Gates to policy-makers and opinion leaders on October 27 in Washington, D.C., highlighting opportunities to build on today's global health successes. The presentation will also be webcast on the Living Proof Project web site

Evidence of Success

Recent evidence demonstrates that major global health initiatives are achieving impressive results and helping to transform lives and communities.  For example:

• The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria has helped to deliver 88 million insecticide-treated bed nets to protect young children from malaria.
• The President's Malaria Initiative reached an estimated 32 million people with lifesaving malaria prevention and treatment services in 2008-only its third year in operation.
• The U.S. Agency for International Development is supporting life-saving TB treatment programs in 41 developing countries.

• Efforts to fight global AIDS have helped put nearly 4 million people living with HIV worldwide on lifesaving medicines, up from just 50,000 people in 2002.

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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people-especially those with the fewest resources-have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. Learn more at www.gatesfoundation.org.

ONE

­ONE is a global advocacy and campaigning organization backed by more than 2 million people from around the world dedicated to fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. Co-founded by Bono and other campaigners, ONE works closely with policy experts, African leaders, and anti-poverty activists to mobilize public opinion in support of tested and proven methods for tackling poverty and disease. For more information please visit www.ONE.org.