{"id":49755,"date":"2012-10-19T08:28:52","date_gmt":"2012-10-19T08:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.org\/us\/?post_type=one_press&p=49755"},"modified":"2012-10-19T08:28:52","modified_gmt":"2012-10-19T08:28:52","slug":"influential-mom-bloggers-visit-ethiopia-for-first-hand-look-at-global-problems-and-solutions","status":"publish","type":"one_press","link":"https:\/\/www.one.org\/us\/press\/influential-mom-bloggers-visit-ethiopia-for-first-hand-look-at-global-problems-and-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"Influential \u2018Mom Bloggers\u2019 visit Ethiopia for first-hand look at global problems and solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia<\/strong> \u2013 This month, a dozen ONE Moms (and ONE \u2018Mums\u2019 from the UK) visited schools, farms, health clinics and other sites in Ethiopia that have benefited from development assistance as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the unique challenges facing women and children.<\/p>\n

The ONE Moms – invited by ONE, the global anti-poverty group cofounded by Bono – is a movement of moms everywhere using their extraordinary power to spread awareness for the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease. These moms are leading a movement to promote education, engagement and activism on behalf of the world’s poorest. During their trip to Ethiopia, the mom bloggers posted stories, photos, maps, and more on their blogs, the Huffington Post<\/a> and via SoundCloud<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, Pinterest<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, ONE Moms blog<\/a>, and Tumblr<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“There is so much life and joy here, but from a healthcare perspective, there’s very little infrastructure for basic services,\u201d said Asha Dornfest, the Portland-based editor and founder of Parent Hacks<\/a>. \u201cOnce those challenges can be met, and most Ethiopians have access to basic healthcare,\u00a0people can set their sights beyond survival\u2026What people need is an opportunity to envision a more secure future.”<\/p>\n

The ONE Moms\/Mums team included a brain scientist, a middle school principal, a hog farmer, authors, lawyers, photographers, food writers and full-time moms who are passionately committed to fighting global poverty, hunger, malnutrition, preventable disease, and other maladies that disproportionately affect children and families.<\/p>\n

Gabrielle Blair, a mother of six and author of the Design Mom<\/a> blog, saw how $30,000 in foreign assistance over five years has led to improvements at one Ethiopian high school that now boasts a 90% passing rate on university entrance exams.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis kind of funding is important. This aid makes a difference,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

On October 11, International Day of the Girl<\/a>, the group visited an Addis Ababa site run by the Population Council<\/a>, an organization that provides girls in urban slums safe places to learn and helps them acquire education and life skills so they can prevent pregnancy, avoid HIV and gender-based violence, and increase their chances of finding paid work.<\/p>\n

Liz Gumbinner, the New York City-based founder of Cool Mom Picks<\/a>, blogged about her meeting with a 23 year-old Ethiopian woman named Saba. When Saba was 11, her father died and she was sent to live with relatives who didn\u2019t accept her. Forced to wait tables, Saba couldn\u2019t make ends meet until a neighbor introduced her to the far more lucrative prospect of commercial sex work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe learned that, in Addis, tricks start at 25 to 30 cents,\u201d said Gumbinner. \u201cOnly the highest paid prostitutes earn $15 for a single act. There are 150,000 prostitutes in Addis. And just under 75 percent of them are HIV positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately, Saba eventually connected with Women at Risk and fashionABLE<\/a>, groups that help women escape from extreme poverty and exploitation. As a scarf maker at fashionABLE<\/a>, Saba now earns a decent living.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you imagine feeling like [prostitution] is the most reasonable choice for your survival?\u201d asked Gumbinner. \u201cSelling your body for 25 cents? Well, now it\u2019s not. When you buy a scarf, you are giving [Saba] a better choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

The full list of trip participants included:<\/p>\n