On this day, 30 years ago, Prince Charles and Princess Diana kicked off Live Aid, the worldwide rock concert organized by Irish rocker Bob Geldof to raise money for African famine relief. Taking in place in both London and Philadelphia, the record-breaking charity event was televised in 110 countries, 40 of which held a telethon during the broadcast. Prompted to action by his travel to Ethopia, Geldof first organized Band Aid – a charity super group comprised of the UK’s top artists...
Crowds gather for the Make Poverty History march on July,  2005 in Edinburgh. Photo by Bruno Vincent/Getty Images. 10 years ago today world leaders met at Gleneagles for the 31st G8 summit. This summit was a HUGE deal for organisations like ONE: a moment for the world to take a stand against poverty and make real commitments to those people living in extreme poverty. The Make Poverty History campaign had reached its peak, with rallies and concerts attended by millions all over the world chiming...
Just before leaving the Marine Corps in 2011, I wrote a brief reflection on what I’d learned. I wrote it from a dark bar while sipping a dark whiskey, probably listening to some dark music, but I can’t be sure of that last part. This gloomy setting was appropriate that day because it was, frankly, a dark time. I’d spent the previous 11 years in uniform doing work I truly loved. Would I ever be able to find that sort of...
This is our 2014 list of shocking poverty facts. For the 2015 list, click here. Halloween, schmalloween. The most shocking things in life aren’t haunted houses or ghosts that go “BOO!” – it’s what’s happening right outside your window. I asked our policy team to share the most surprising, illuminating facts they’ve come across in global development. Here’s what they said: 1. More people have access to a mobile phone than a toilet 2. Every year, developing countries are robbed of more than $1 trillion that could...
Here’s a collection of some of the best data visualizations on global literacy, mortality, birth rates and more that will help put some of the biggest issues surrounding poverty today into perspective. The good news: Extreme poverty is declining, and life expectancy and incomes on the whole are on the up and up. The bad news: We still have a lot of work to do! 1. Changes in Life Expectancies and Incomes Hans Rosling’s Gapminder project has long been one of the best data visualization tools for...
Public service announcements can be dry and ineffective - but these eight print ads, in the age of the Internet, defy those stereotypes. Here's our favorites. Just one page long, they pack a wallop and inspire viewers to take action.