an invitation to act... maybe

I'm sure most of you have seen this already, but for those who have not...

 

I spent the morning contemplating the situation described in this video and the solution that the producer, Jason Russell, presents.  I rarely give money to humanitarian organizations (largely because I don't have very much), but this seemed doable and after watching, I was definitely influenced emotionally.  But, as I stood in the shower this morning and thought about the facts presented in the video, they seemed sensationalized, shallow, insufficient, and overly dramatized.  I kept wondering, where is everyone else, the UN, the government in Uganda?  There must be more to that story.  I also kept thinking, that movie must have taken a very long time and must have been very expensive to make...

I just checked my email and my sister sent me this link:

Before You Repost Kony 2012...

I read more articles referenced in it.  All of the arguments and additional information really do seem to make sense.  It is too bad.  It seems like Jason Russell did a lot of groundwork, research, etc. and that his plea was legitimate.  A lot of people will probably step forward and act.  But, will their money go to the best place?  Will the organization use it in such a way to really help solve this complicated problem?

a simple idea

I enjoyed listening to this speech by the founder of Kiva.  Microfinance is such a simple yet powerful idea.  I loved her thoughts on the importance of love being part of the equation when we give money to the poor, and also believing in each other, and the good that can come from it. 

I added Kiva to my list of important sites.  Someday I would like to be one of their volunteer fellows.  Oh my goodness, that would be sooo neat.

social networking and fundraising

This is an amazing idea!  Here is the link to the article: One-Dollar Idea.  A woman was looking for a way to help a school for victims of gang violence in Guatemala, but she was frustrated that raising $500,000.00 would take too long.  Then she thought of social networking and decided that she could easily reach 500,000 people who might be willing to donate at least $1.00 each.  Eventually she launched the website tippingbucket.org in March 2010.  So far, her idea has raised more than $100,000.00 in small donations and funded 30 projects in 20 different countries.

I was initially quite impressed by this idea and the simplicity of the projects listed on the website.  But after observing and tracking the website for a few days I feel like the impact of their efforts is limited.  This seems strange, especially after reading through the accomplishments of each of the board of directors.  I wonder if there is just too much out there, like non-governmental health organizations in developing countries, with little or no collaboration.  With so many groups vying for money, or competing for attention so that another group (like Tipping Bucket) will choose them as an organization to help acquire money, they are all squeezing each other out.

Either way, the list of accomplishments and the amount of money raised by Tipping Bucket is impressive.

effective aid

Kristof presents an important idea in his article, Getting Smart on Aid, written in May 2011, not long after the negative spotlight descended on Greg Mortenson.  Specifically, Kristof reminds us in this article that aid can work and that we shouldn't give up.

However, we are still responsible to ask the question: what is the most effective type of aid?

I am going to look into the Proving Impact Fund.  It is definitely helpful to see that is has been upheld by rigorous trials and proven to be "cost-effective." The IPA also looks interesting, but presents itself on the website as possibly being focused most intently on selling books... which reminds me of another story.

But, they have to make money somehow... right?  I find it frustrating that they all start up their own non-profit organizations and then spend a lot of energy competing for donors rather than combining efforts with others to actually tackle poverty.

However, the more I read on the website, the more it becomes clear that the IPA may possibly focus the majority of their efforts on collaboration, relying heavily on research and policy - two hugely relevant and important aspects for instigating change.

Bikes

My husband and I want to be involved in international health - eventually - meaning after he finishes his medical residency.  We have thought about living abroad, or traveling every summer with our kids and living in a developing country for large chunks of the year - later.  But we are always on the lookout for something we can be involved with right now.

My husband is an avid cyclist (both road biking and mountain biking).  I was curious about ideas for recycling bikes or donating bikes to people less fortunate in our community and stumbled upon this website: Bicycle Aid for Africa.  They recycle bikes and send them to Africa.  This seemed like an incredible idea.  A simple but powerful one - but also a very expensive one.  I brought it up to my husband, seeking his mental capacity to help me think of something we could do, but in our own city.  He belongs to a riding club.  He told me that the club chooses a specific charity to sponsor every month.  The club uses cycling to raise money or bring in donations for the charity, whether through races the club does or through the donation of bikes and/or money.  The club sometimes competes against other clubs in the area in order to motivate the members to give generously.  I was totally amazed.

I love the idea of recycling bikes because it is incredible what having a bike does for someone's confidence, the feeling of freedom and power it provides - even at the age of three.

There is so much out there that people are doing for others.  It is impressive.

Wangari Maathai

I just finished reading a wonderful children's book to my kids: Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai, written and illustrated by Claire A. Nivola.

Wangari was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 - the first woman from Africa to receive it.  She drew a correlation "between the health of her country's natural environment and the well-being of her country's people."

The author describes beautifully what action Wangari took to improve her native land of Kenya and its people. The watercolors are gorgeous, the words beautiful.  The feeling portrayed is simple, inspirational and powerful.  The author wrote: "She had a simple and big idea."

At the end of the book, in the author's note, she stated: Wangari "simply believes that those who feel strongly about something and understand what needs to be done must act."

I love that.  And I want my kids to feel the power of that belief also.  And to see how huge the results can be - even if the initial idea is small and simple.  The author quotes Wangari: "Remember what millions of hands can do."  Wangari taught the women in Kenya: "They did not have to wait for the government to help them.  They could begin to change their own lives."

Wangari founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977.  Wangari said, "I always felt that our work was not simply about planting trees.  It was about inspiring people to take charge of their environment, the system that governed them, their lives and their future."

I am going to buy the book, if I can.  It is a wonderful depiction of a people who found hope and courage once they were empowered with education and training from a single woman, and then dedicated themselves, their energy and resources to improve their own lives in a poverty-stricken developing country.

attacking human trafficking

Reading this article is so utterly upsetting and discouraging: Raiding a Brothel in India.

It just makes me crazy, it seems so hopeless to even begin to tackle the problem of human trafficking, particularly in developing countries.  It is accepted on so many levels in some of these cultures that overcoming it will require enormous attitude and behavioral changes - on all levels.  Otherwise, it will be gradual, painfully slow, endlessly hopeless, like attempting to move a towering mountain range by etching away at it with a tiny shovel.

Often I regret studying public health and wish I had studied public policy.  Changes in policy, in local government law and the enforcement thereof, as Kristoff refers to, can often make a difference, even in the overwhelming issue of human trafficking.  But, I believe that a change in public policy regarding human trafficking must be combined with grass roots efforts, efforts often attached to the dealings of public health professionals.  The change will need to come from the bottom up, from individuals in families that form the societies and accept or reject the cultural norms.  This will require not only top-down reform in public policy, but widespread education at the grass roots level, aimed directly at individuals.

Even so, the point Kristoff seems to be making in the article is that these five girls' lives were changed.  And really, that is a lot.

It is huge.

In response to CBS

I feel I need to give a response to CBS's recent interview with Jon Krakauer regarding Greg Mortensen and the Central Asia Institute.

I was extremely saddened while I watched it, having read both of his books and completely believed every single word written in them, (you all know how I am).

I agree that there needs to be added transparency to his organization, or rather, Total Transparency.  To organize and provide this is in itself a huge challenge.  While reading Two Cups of Tea, I remember thinking over and over again that Mortensen did not seem very organized - particularly financially.

I have read two of Krakauer's books, (I just barely finished Into the Wild).  I enjoyed his thorough research and ability to bring to light extremely interesting, factual stories.  However, Krakauer seemed vindictive during the recent interview with CBS.

Note: I may be sensitive here - merely because of the weight of the issue at hand: the education of girls in poverty-stricken and war-ridden villages where the education of girls is not often even a priority.

Krakauer's bold declarations and general message viciously attacks a potentially-amazing effort that can do and has done so much good.  Mortensen likely made mistakes initially in neglecting to surround himself with people that he could trust, ones with skills to organize and ensure transparency and financial excellency.  However, Krakauer, having discovered glitches in Mortensen's stories and possible missteps in his organization's financials, could have presented these findings to the public in a much more tactful and impressive way - one that would not have been so damaging and cutting.  But, I blame CBS for this also.

Essentially, I feel like Krakauer's actions have in large part destroyed something that he could have improved, had he reacted differently following his discoveries.

The best comment regarding CBS's presentation of this information that I've read is:  "It would be tragic if even one girl had no chance for an education because of CBS's story."

Impressive Humanitarian Aid

This is a neat article about a surgeon from Salt Lake City, Utah who recently worked for a month on a "mercy ship" or "floating hospital" doing orthopedic surgeries off the coast of Africa: Salt Lake City doctor boards 'Mercy Ship.'

The Africa Mercy ship, "a 16-500-ton vessel... has six operating rooms and 78 beds, making it a floating island of clean, antiseptic medical care."  During 2011, approximately 1,200 volunteers on the ship will provide medical care docked near Freetown, Sierra Leone - FREE medical care, focused on "orthopedic deformities."

It highlights an impressive form of humanitarian aid, a popular and applauded one, but also a criticized one.  The medical resources in Sierra Leone are scarce, not to mention the civil war, widespread poverty, and lack of nutritious food (causing severe deformities).  However, the government may neglect its responsibility to create a medical system that provides the services offered on the Africa Mercy, simply because it can - particularly if the ship is there anyway.  However, the instability and often corrupt activities of the governments in these poverty-stricken countries are real and complex problems.

Critics may argue that this is merely creating a type of dependency, but, this type of aid, I believe, is sometimes necessary.  It is an amazing and wonderful way for people from more economically developed countries to give of their time and talents to those who desperately need help in developing countries.

Wouldn't it be so neat to be involved with something like this?

the School Bus or Nepal

I read this article: D.I.Y. Foreign-Aid Revolution while on the elliptical yesterday at the gym.  My parents left the New York Times Magazine edition on a dresser in our bedroom while we were visiting them a few months ago.  They definitely know what "gets to me."

The stories are moving and inspiring.  Stories of women (and men) giving literally everything they have to improve the lives of women and children around the globe.

Sometimes it is hard for me to read stories like these and not feel a sense of desperation, urgency, and frustration inside.  I want to go to these places.  I want to help find solutions.  I want to do something.

It is in those moments that I have to remind myself that I am involved in the most important work that I will ever do.  I think of my children and how much I love them.  I think of how they run down our street after getting off the school bus, give me big hugs and smiles, and immediately begin rattling off stories of classmate romances, school bus bullying, classroom disciplining, or what they liked in their lunches.  I wouldn't trade those moments for anything.

But, when they are a bit older, maybe 13 and 11, then we will see.  Then they will be old enough to join me while venturing to these places, to discover problems and concoct solutions.  I loved the simple ideas presented in Kristof's article.  (I seem to be putting a lot of links to his articles on my blog.  I guess I am drawn to his honesty and simplicity, and his presentation of real though overlooked problems in the world.)

"Half the Sky"

I am reading the book, Half the Sky, by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, right now. A friend lent it to me weeks ago; she told me it is a powerful, upsetting, and gripping book. I waited to start it until I knew I would have time for it. I started reading it on the airplane, when I should have been entertaining my kids to keep them quiet and happy. Quickly, the book won out and held my complete, focused attention, my sorrow and frustration, and my admiration and awe.

It touches on very sensitive subjects, such as sex trafficking, but it has been amazing to read the past few days. It is heart wrenching yet motivating. The personal stories that Kristof and his wife share are incredibly disruptive - to me and my life. It sounds cliche to say that the stories and commentary are inspiring - they are so much more than that.

I recommend it.

Preventing Brain Drain

Recently, at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, international health leaders passed new guidelines to prevent health-worker brain drain, according to an article in the Seattle Times (May, 2010).

Brain drain is when professionals in developing countries receive their training in health professions or other professions and then move from their home country to a more developed country, such as the United States. "Approximately one in four U.S. physicians and about 220,000 nurses were trained abroad (largely in lower-income countries);" however, the article states that data concerning these statistics is difficult to gather because of lack of reliable information systems.

"Low-income countries invest significant resources to train health workers..." Developed countries allow the active recruitment of doctors and nurses from low-income countries. This is a huge problem in developing countries, equating to "a form of reverse foreign aid."

In the state of Washington, there are 11,000 doctors for its 6.6 million residents. In Ethiopia there are 2,000 doctors for 80 million people, (which would be equivalent to about "165 doctors for the entire state of Washington").

"Discovering vaccines does no good if there is no one to administer them." Brain drain "undermines the efforts of... organizations working to improve global health." This new passage by the World Health Assembly will provide guidelines for countries to implement to encourage less active-recruitment practices.

Some countries have already taken their own initiative to promote guidelines to reduce their active-recruitment practices. "The United Kingdom and Norway have adopted policies to refrain from recruiting health workers from severe-shortage countries. Canada, too, has ramped up training programs so as to create less demand for foreign-trained health workers."

Tracking the health-worker migrations is the most essential aspect of enforcing these new guidelines. Unfortunately, during "closed-door negotiations" and "U.S. lobbying," the "rich nations reduced their responsibility for tracking the movement of health workers or for providing technical or financial assistance to developing countries."

This issue is a difficult one. The U.S. relies heavily on foreign-trained physicians and nurses. It is extremely expensive for a government to educate health professionals, particularly physicians. It saves the U.S. government a lot of money to recruit, rather than educate. "The Council on Graduate Medical Education has predicted the U.S. will be short approximately 85,000 physicians by 2020."  I also understand why trained professionals in lower economically developed countries are easily recruited. (I would be too, if I were in their shoes.)

Hopefully, the United States will follow the examples of other developed countries and promote ideals of these new guidelines, rather than merely try to meet their minimal requirements (and get away with as much as possible in the meantime).

Water

I remember walking in my crisp doc martin shoes down the steep, narrow, red dirt road. It was hot. I wore a long flowery skirt with a soft-cornered short sleeve button down white shirt. I carried a pack full of books. I focused on dodging the rocks and holes in the road to avoid twisting my ankle in my clonky new shoes. The road disappeared as I rounded the corner and continued on into the wild tall weeds and grass. Then, I saw it. It was a house. It was very small. There were little kids running in and out of the open door, smiling shyly at us. It wasn't until we had spent a few minutes talking with the mother and father that I noticed that the small, leaning house was completely made out of cardboard. The floor inside was dirt. There was a little hand broom by the entrance where we stood. The father collected cardboard boxes from behind convenience stores in the city (where the main streets were still constructed of cobblestone). They flattened the boxes and added them to stabilize the walls and ceiling of their home. I wasn't sure why they had chosen this spot of land. It was so far from any other houses and stores. I followed one of the children outside, who was motioning for me to come see something. There was a small brook directly behind the home. The mother explained to me that they used the water in the brook for everything, even drinking. I imagined the families that we had met further up the stream that used the water for washing and bathing. Then I thought of the animals. I swallowed the lump in my throat. The family's happiness was contagious. The children were bright-eyed and healthy. How could they be subsisting on water that was filthy and likely contaminated?

We went back to visit, to find they had left. Later, I found out why: the heavy summer rains in Paraguay had begun. Their house has been flooded and washed completely away.

Water is powerful in that is sustains life and also threatens life.

So many people live without access to clean and safe water, and live in danger of water's powerful capabilities.

Today is Blog Action Day 2010, this year focused on Water. (Many blogs are posting about Water.)

I looked at a few charities that deal with water in underdeveloped countries. WaterAid America is a charity, (receiving four stars from charity navigator), that provides clean and safe water and sanitation for communities in Africa and Asia. It has a wonderful grassroots component that allows for community participation and sustainability. I would love to work with this charity some day.

Hopefully the blog posts about water today will serve as powerful reminders to those of us who take water for granted - to remember those who don't.

A Global Medical Charity

I just found this amazing charity called Global Links.

On their website it says: "People in other countries are literally dying for what we throw away."

It was founded in 1989. Its mission is to provide hospitals and clinics in "the poorest segments of the population" throughout developing countries with "unused medical supplies, surplus equipment, and furnishings from the U.S. healthcare system." Already used supplies and equipment are also "recovered" by any necessary cleaning, repairing, and/or refinishing. This charity also has a Suture Donation Program that allows hospitals to have access to suture, "a critical medical supply." In addition, the charity has Country Programs which foster "ongoing relationships with healthcare facilities in specific countries," which greatly enhances the charity's sustainability.

Charity navigator gives it four stars. The charity spends a hugely small amount of its budget on administrative expenses (salaries) and fundraising activities (I had never heard of the charity before today).

 It's definitely a keeper.

Transparency in Donating to Pakistan

I have been thinking a lot lately about how many charities there are out there vying for our money. I wonder how people most often determine which charity to contribute to. As I'm sure most people have heard, the response to the floods in Pakistan have generated a teensy-weensy amount of funding compared to the huge amounts of donations following the earthquake in Haiti. There are various explanations I've heard for this discrepancy, but it truly surprises me because of the fact that almost every-body has read Three Cups of Tea. And, I assume it must have had a similar effect on everyone as it had on me, (well, maybe not every-one cried during the last few pages of the book), but still.

This is an article that discusses the vast need in Pakistan and provides information on various charities that have been present in Pakistan for a long time. (This website, charitynavigator.org, is incredible. It attempts "to bring transparency to the charitable sector and to help educate donors.") Out of curiosity, I clicked on the Doctors Without Borders link. My husband has talked with a few physicians lately who were invited to join Doctors Without Borders in different countries. One was called immediately following the earthquake in Haiti and was part of one of the first teams to land and begin providing relief for the people in need of medical care there. The organization receives a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, and a relatively low amount is spent on administrative expenses, which is a good thing.

This article also presents a comprehensive list of things to think of when evaluating charities that you want to donate in Pakistan. This is extremely relevant information, particularly in a place where you know there is widespread corruption, like Pakistan. Here it is in a nutshell:

* Avoid newly-formed charities and give to an established charity that has worked in Pakistan
* Consider the nature of the charity's work
* Designate your investment
* Do not send supplies
* Be careful of e-mail solicitations
* Be inspired by social media, but still do your homework
* Seek out the charity's authorized website
* Carefully consider making a text donation
* Avoid telemarketers
* Do not expect immediate results, but do keep tabs on what your donation accomplishes

Finally, a Bit for Women's and Children's Health

The United Nations Summit ended yesterday, on a good note, I tihnk. This is where countries throughout the world unite to discuss the Millennium Development Goals. The theme is currently: End Poverty 2015.

Over the next five years, the UN committed a huge contribution to women's and children's health, totaling more than $40 billion.

The Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health states that this amount can potentially "save more than 16 million women's and children's lives, prevent 33 million unwanted pregnancies, and protect 120 millions of children from pneumonia and 88 million children from stunting." The money will also be used in the control of infectious diseases and increasing access for women and children to "quality facilities" and "skilled health workers."

It is inconceivable that we are still so far behind in providing health care for women and children in developing countries. In the past gi-normous amounts of money have already been spent on women's and children's health. Sometimes, the money has surely not been spent effectively. Sometimes, the money has probably been misdirected or lost in bureaucratic administrations. And, of course, often the money has been doled out to simply provide health care, without any parallel provisions, such as empowerment of the women and children via education. I believe the education of girls needs to be addressed alongside the provision of adequate health care. Without education it is likely that recommendations from health care workers are not understood properly. (Education is another millennium goal.)

But, this is a step in the right direction, and a big one. Hopefully this worldwide combined effort really will be able to make a difference in the lives of many women and children around the world.