Millenium Goals

Do you know the eight UN Millennium Development Goals? I was reviewing then this evening and thought others might be interested to know about some of the issues plaguing our world today and how we might be able to solve them. They are as follows:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

2. Achieve Universal Primary Education

3. Promote gender equality and empower women

4. Reduce Child Mortality

5. Improve Maternal Health

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

7. Ensure environmental sustainability

8. Develop a global partnership for development

As I review this list I am struck by its apparent simplicity. As the price of basic foods such as rice, wheat and other grains are doubling, I cannot help but think of the effects of this, not only on we Americans (who are among the richest 5% of people in the world)but more importantly I feel concern for those who already could not afford to eat and feed their families. As an effect of many poor decisions we are facing a world wide food shortage/crisis. We (Americans have subsidised corn farmers who sell their crops for ethanol fuel and ignored the fact that it is first; no better for the envoirmnet than the fuel we are currently addicted to and second that this has created a deficit in edible grains. We, the developed world, have also focused our energies, innovations and resources on war instead of how we might solve world hunger and other types of suffering.

I know three amazing, inspiring people who are currently working on solving at least one of these goals each. Chantel Carr is a friend who has done work in Africa for years and is currently working with an East African village to solve their water crisis. She has committed $250,000.00 to build a suitable and sustainable water supply system and in the process saving and sustaining thousands of lives. Another friend, Alicia, has an NGO in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). She and other volunteers have built a school to house the remaining orphaned children of the Rwandan crisis. And then there is Bill Knowlton who after returning from a mission in East Africa lost 10 native mission companions to HIV/AIDS. He decided he had to do all he could to effect change in this deeply devastated culture.

What an incredible group of people, but no different or more equipped than any of the rest of us! So lets make a difference. After reading "The End of Poverty" by Jeffrey Sachs, I was so inspired about Micro lending and have seen some amazing cultural transformations through its miraculous effects. Muhamad Yunus is of course an inspiration to us all through his work in Bangladesh.

I think we should find a way to subsidize farmers in Africa, who could produce their own food if only they had the money to start farming their land. Isn't their a way we could fund farming in Africa and other poverty stricken countries and solve a multitude of problems? I think their has to be a way, if anyone else is interested let's brainstorm and see if we can't do our part to solve world hunger. I don't know how we can make it happen but I know we can figure it out! If this goal doesn't light your fire maybe their is another of the goals that inspires you. If so, there are a million opportunities to make a difference.