Jeffrey Sachs is the director of Columbia University's Earth Institute and one of the architects of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. He spoke on National Public Radio and said that the total cost to fund the treatment and prevention of TB over the next ten years was $30 billion per year. Breaking down that figure and putting it into perspective, that is three dollars per year for each of us. That is a cup of coffee from Starbucks once per year. Pretty easy, huh!? So that is $3 from each person living in the world's wealthiest nations--about one billion of us. Such a tiny sacrifice can do so much good.
$20 provides 400 pounds of food to hungry children in the United States (http://feedingamerica.org/)
$50 pays a teacher's salary in Afghanistan for a month, allowing 30 children to get an education
Statistics from World Health Organization:
- A child dies of malaria every 30 seconds
- More than one million people die of malaria every year, mostly infants, young children and pregnant women
- Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and vomiting, and usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines
But for only $10 (which funds the total cost of producing and distributing one bed net) you can purchase an insecticide-treated bed net that will protect the people of Africa from malaria-infested mosquitoes. (http://nothingbutnets.net/) Rick Reilly from Sports Illustrated started this campaign. So far over 4 MILLION nets have been sent to Africa! Check it out. Oh and Monday is World Malaria Day. Great time to purchase a net.
Kickstart International can show potential donors exactly how a $60 donation lifts an individual out of poverty for good.
Action Against Hunger can save a child for just $50-which provides nutrition and care for 30 days at an AAH Therapeutic Feeding Center. AAH has also innovated successful programs that can stop and prevent the most widespread cases of malnutrition and starvation. AAH aims to save starving children, restore their health, and strengthen their families and communities in order to prevent future episodes of hunger.
Check out Charity Navigator which is an independent, non-profit organization that evaluates America's charities.
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