Leaders of the world's eight richest countries promised $50 billion in aid to Africa in early July. And while the pledge fell short of the hopes of millions around the world, the leaders of the G8 delivered some welcome progress. They recognized that this is the beginning, not the end, of their efforts to overcome poverty.
This breakthrough is a result of your actions. Americans from all walks of life participated in the ONE Campaign—to show the leaders of the G8 that we must make poverty history by making trade fair, canceling the debt, and increasing global aid. As part of the ONE campaign, Oxfam America brought more than 70 people to Live 8 Philadelphia, one of eight concerts held around the world in the name of Making Poverty History.
Five of Oxfam’s Live 8 volunteers continued on to Edinburgh, Scotland, where they joined Africans, Italians, French, Germans, and other delegates in calling on the G8 leaders to Make Poverty History. Oscar-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou was among Oxfam America's ONE delegates in Edinburgh.
"I'm proud to be here with the many activists that have come from the US and many other countries around the world," Hounsou said. "Having just returned from Mali, where I met cotton farmers struggling to live on less than a dollar a day, I was moved to do anything I can to bring attention to their plight."
Today, over a billion people live on less than a dollar a day. One child dies every three seconds as a result of extreme poverty. And while the aid pledged at the G8 meetings will help overcome poverty, much more is needed. And Oxfam, as part of the ONE campaign, will continue to push for more change in the effort to Make Poverty History.
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