S: Is for Social Awareness

More than 1 billion people live in extreme poverty. Every three-seconds, a child dies because they are too poor to stay alive. In Africa alone more than 12 million children have been orphaned by HIV and AIDS. There are injustices in our world and we need to right them. I wrote about the eight 12 year olds that started their own company "One is Greater than None" to help stop the trafficking of children. The "ONE" Campaign aims to raise awareness and resolves to fight problems in the world's poorest countries. Established by U2 singer Bono and funded by the Gates Foundation, they employ more than 2.4 million members and have worked with more than 100 of America's most well-known and respected nonprofit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations. AIDS and poverty are not just problems--they are epidemics of unheard-of proportions. There are 14,000 new HIV infections every day, with 95 percent occurring in developing countries. More than 42 million people are living with AIDS. More than 1.2 billion people earn less than $1 per day. It is easy to feel numb by the statistics. As a part of the United Nations' Millennium Development they help tackle some of the world's most chronic problems, ONE asks for the allocation of 1 percent of the U.S. budget to go towards providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food to the poorest countries. If action is not taken now, history will be scorned. Leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa have proven that big changes start with small actions.

The ONE Campaign was founded by Save the Children and World Vision to name a few. Working closely with Rock the Vote and the Millennium Campaign, participants include celebrities and musicians George Clooney, Brad Pitt, No Doubt, Michael W. Smith and Ellen Degeneres to name a few. Isn't it time to lend your voice. To learn more log onto www.one.org.

I believe that humanity needs our help but the problem is America is being negated. Seventeen percent of Americans live at the poverty level. The USA ranks #16 on the poverty index world wide. We are willing to give our help to others but we turn a blind eye to those at home. There are an estimated half a million AIDS cases here. Thanks to the gay organizations and the acting unions we see to our own. Thanks to Brad Pitt and Angela Jolie, New Orleans is being re-built. "One" is a much needed effort but we do need to face the F.A.C.T.S at home too.