Global Weekly Update April 25, 2011

Funding GAVI to Save 4.2 Million Children’s Lives by 2015: If We Don’t Do It, Who Will?

The answer is, nobody. Right now there are no Congressional champions for vaccines even though the US helps fund GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations). We need champions in the House and Senate now because there is an incredible opportunity to roll out two new vaccinations (one for rotavirus and one for pnemococcal disease), in 44 countries. This will save an estimated 4.2 million children’s lives by 2015. Since the rotavirus vaccination was introduced in the US in 2006, hospitalizations due to rotavirus have dropped 56 to 86 percent. In developing nations where rotavirus is the biggest diarrheal killer of kids under age five, the rotavirus vaccination could save 500,000 lives per year.

On June 13 donor nations will come together in the United Kingdom for a GAVI pledging conference. The outcome of the conference will determine whether we’ll GAVI has the resources to save 4.2 million lives with these new vaccines. What is needed from the US is a 3-year pledge totaling $450 million. We must make these new medical innovations available around the globe. Here’s what you can do:

• This week, learn about GAVI, rotavirus, pneumococcal disease, and our campaign to fund GAVI for 2012 at $175 million. Use our action alert to call your members of Congress.
• Write a letter to the editor for Mother’s Day (May 8) highlighting this exciting campaign to save 4.2 million young lives. We will have a sample letter available on our Take Action page on Friday, April 29.
• If you think your member of Congress could be a leader in asking President Obama to make a US pledge of $450 million over 3 years at the June 13 conference, contact Ken Patterson for assistance this week in making the request.

Other Top Actions to Assure Funding for Vital Foreign Assistance Programs

1. Call Your Senators. The House of Representatives passed a budget for 2012 that would make draconian cuts to foreign assistance programs — the same programs that boost U.S. exports, according to the Chamber of Commerce, and make us safer, according to 70 retired military leaders. The Senate must refuse this approach to reducing deficits. It risks our economy, our security, and lives. Let both of your senators know that we expect them to do better.
2. Call Your Representatives. There are many members of Congress who understand the importance of foreign assistance to the U.S., and to the individuals and families it ultimately reaches. So there will be a foreign aid budget, even if your representative or senators don’t like foreign aid. For more conservative members it’s good to educate them about the importance of foreign aid to our economy, our security, and our global leadership, but also to encourage them to make sure that foreign aid is used wisely. Encourage them to support at least one of the effective solutions articulated in our appropriations requests (microfinance, TB, Global Fund, GAVI, Education for All). Call and ask for the foreign policy aide, make the request to support funding levels for one of our priorities noted above, and follow up by sending information. Our action aheet can help you with this.

The International Conference Is Less Than Two Months Away!

Ever want to experience the energy that comes from being with like-minded individuals united in a common goal? Ever feel isolated in your advocacy work and want to meet other powerful advocates? Do you think about meeting the face behind that familiar voice you know from conference calls? Want to learn a new skill, share stories of challenge and triumph, laugh a lot, and enjoy the buzz of Capitol Hill?

Join us in Washington, DC, June 19–21 for RESULTS/REF 2011 International Conference. Get to know your fellow advocates, learn new advocacy techniques and tools of the trade, and speak to Capitol Hill about the imperative of ending poverty.

Workshop topics slated for the conference will include social media and advocacy, fresh leadership skills applicable to anyone, and the helpful practices of power-mapping and community-mapping.

College Students: Apply for the Campuses for Change Program! This scholarship program covers the full cost for travel, accommodations for four nights’ hotel, conference registration fee, and other conference costs. Students accepted receive additional advocacy training the Saturday before and Wednesday after the conference. As a participant you will be reimbursed up to $150 of your placeholder fee. The deadline for application has been extended to April 30.

Register today before registration rates go up and the hotel group block closes on May 3.

Visit the IC information page on our website to find out the latest details, as we update it regularly.

Coming on your own and need a roommate? No problem! Visit our discussion forum, as a discussion thread has been started for the purpose of helping you solve that dilemma!

Outreach and Training Opportunities

Know anyone in Bethlehem or Allentown, Pennsylvania? How about Billings, Montana? Know an activist in Boise, Idaho? We are on the lookout for people in these places as we grow the RESULTS family. E-mail Mary Peterson to discuss how to get these people involved in RESULTS.

We also have several trainings on the upcoming calendar. If you are new to RESULTS, please consider joining the second session of our new activist orientation series for spring 2011. It will be held on Wednesday, April 27 at 9:00 om ET. The call-in number is (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262. If you missed the first call, please feel free to jump on this one! The last three sessions for this series will be April 27, May 11 and May 25.

Also, on Wednesday, April 27 at 2:00 pm ET, join us for “The Budget Debate: How Efforts to ‘Reduce the Deficit’ Could Mean More Families in Poverty Struggle to Make Ends Meet.” Please register and join this webinar led by RESULTS on how some deficit reduction proposals will actually make it harder for people in poverty to make ends meet. The webinar will feature panelist Debbie Weinstein, executive director of the Coalition on Human Needs.

We have a new, interactive online grassroots forum. The forum will enable activists to communicate and collaborate more directly. Click on My RESULTS, get your personalized sign-in name, and start collaborating.

April 18–29: Congressional recess

April 27: Continuation of the current New Activist Orientation series. 9:00 pm ET. Call (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262. RSVP for the remainder of the series (April 27, May 11, and May 25) or get more information, by contacting Lisa Marchal.

May 2–8: Global Action Week for Education for All

May 14: Global Conference Call. 2:00 pm ET. (888) 409-6709. Featured speaker will be Tony Lake, executive director of UNICEF.

June 19–21: RESULTS International Conference