Highlights from tonight’s Living Proof event
Earlier this year, Bill and Melinda Gates transferred their Living Proof campaign, an effort that highlights the positive impact of developmental assistance, to ONE. To celebrate this move — as well as to thank the UK government for its commitment to foreign aid — Bill and Melinda, along with Global Fund Deputy Executive Director Dr. Debrewerk Zewdie, gave a very special presentation tonight on something we don’t hear too often: success stories in the fight against global poverty.
Bill and Melinda touched upon several issues during their presentation, including agriculture, immunization and corruption. No matter the subject, there was one thing in common — they had hard facts to prove that in these areas things are getting better for millions of people in the poorest places in the world. TB deaths, for example, are declining globally, down from 1.8 million deaths in 2007 to 1.3 million in 2008. Nearly 4 million Africans have been placed on treatment for AIDS since 2002. And 98 million less people are going hungry in 2010 compared to in 2009. These things could not have been done without the assistance of foreign aid. “When money is spent wisely…it builds prosperous societies,” said Melinda.
Dr. Zewdie’s talk focused on breaking some of the most common misconceptions of aid. “As an African, I can tell you that the people who receive aid are the first ones to strive for sustainability.”
The bottom line of the event? Investments in development are saving lives, improving livelihoods and building prosperous societies — but in order to understand that, people need to talk about all the progress that we’ve made in the developing world. If Bill and Melinda can do it, you can too.
Check out videos and photos on our new Living Proof page and watch a rerun of our webcast on our Livestream page or in the video above. And of course, let us know what you thought of the event in the comments below!
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19/10/2010 at 7:28 pm
Thanks for your wonderful moment . Mbeere residents say we have fishing ponds… but no hooks that’s we have horticutural produce , Honey and precious stones but lack stable market and ability to produce stardand quality . Defined , the residents are poor .Our children require Education and skilled training to meet vision 2030 kenya. Festus Mwaniki Ireri
19/10/2010 at 10:17 pm
Did you, ONE.org, really give Bill and Melinda Gates the opportunity to answer the questions we posed on your website, or was it just an advertixing ploy to get people to watch the program? I can’t find the questions anywhere on your site. The day before the live event your site stated that the answers would be posted to questions, but that does not appear to be so. Please don’t falsify information to your supporters, as you will lose many – does this not make you as equally guilty as a capitalist venture with false advertsining, therefore invalidating any message you are conveying?
20/10/2010 at 11:18 pm
This presentation and source of information is inspiring. And more importantly, it gives other poverty-reduction organizations, like The Borgen Project, hope because there are hard-facts and figures showing progress in fighting world hunger & poverty.
21/10/2010 at 7:44 pm
Highlights on how the Gachoka residents residing along river can be opportunist in facilitiation of their farms to produce enough food and horticural produce for export
22/10/2010 at 4:38 am
As a person who sometimes feels he has nothing, I feel humbled and enlightened by these people. they are DOERS, not dreamers. Seeking accountability for that they give instead of just handing money over to monkeys in skullcaps and long robes to buy even prettier bishops and cardinals rings etc.
22/10/2010 at 11:51 am
At my level i won’t condemn a blind man if he steps on my tomatoes, instead i will guide him to the right path etc
24/10/2010 at 1:27 pm
i wish we’d heard this message during our recent Fundraising Appeal for Pakistan we could have beter countered some of the depressing negativity about aid funds and aid distribution.
thank you and keep up the good work.
cathy &jon http://www.concertforpakistan.wordpress.com