Global Weekly Update September 24, 2012
Grassroots Media Calling on the World Bank to Honor its Education Pledge
RESULTS Legislative Director John Fawcett recently stated on our blog, “In the 2010 the World Bank pledged a $750 million increase to basic education [over five years]. Through a mathematical sleight of hand, they’ve transformed that pledged increase into a meaningless promise where education funding could actually fall sharply – and they’d still claim success. We don’t think that’s acceptable.”
And you have already begun letting your voices be heard! We’ll have a running record of media hits on our blog soon. In the meantime, consider joining us as we reach our goal of eight editorials, 15 op-eds, and 65 letters to the editor, all meant to hold the World Bank accountable for its pledge toward basic education.
If you have 10 minutes, submit an online letter to the editor, and then ask a friend to do the same!
If you have 20 minutes, read more in-depth information about the World Bank’s actions as explained by our September action sheet and then write a letter to the editor.
Want to be really bold? Pitch the idea of an editorial on the World Bank to your editor! Use our fresh World Bank editorial packet to make your pitch.
We have a powerful report that more fully explains what’s happening with the World Bank, an archived webinar to help break down the information, and an archived strategy call to help you discover valuable local hooks for your media piece. All of this is available on our blog.
You can even use Twitter to tell others about what’s going on! Use @WorldBank to make your request of the World Bank that they honor their $750 million pledge as originally calculated based on 2010 discussions and use hashtags #WorldBank750 and #FuzzyMath to join your tweet with the larger conversation.
Have You Celebrated?
As part of our comprehensive Education for All push, which includes asking the World Bank to honor its pledge to basic global education and supporting co-sponsors for the Education for All Act of 2011, Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s office initiated a letter to Secretary of State Clinton, asking for $125 million of our global education dollars to be dedicated to the Global Partnership for Education. We tried for 70 signatures . . . and you got 70!
Read the update (including the full list of signers) on our blog. Thank you for enrolling your legislators to speak clearly and loudly for the benefit of 61 million children around the globe!
Your Advocacy WORKS!
Read an inspiring blog post by John Fawcett, Legislative Director, discussing how child survival efforts are making a difference in the lives of children. Work in recent months to prioritize child survival globally has been met with newly released data that our advocacy is working. The number of children under five dying fell from 12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011. We know we have been part of this victory, and you are to be congratulated for your tireless commitment.
In that vein, why not take the next 10 minutes to take action on another way we’re impacting child survival, through the support of frontline healthcare workers? House Resolution 734 speaks to this, and it needs co-sponsors. Why not ask your representative to sign today and move our child survival legacy forward?
More Fantastic Grassroots News
1. Fall Fundraising. Thank you to our Alaska partners in Anchorage and Sitka for their fabulous fundraising events with our ally John Hatch as a speaker! Anchorage has brought in $7000 so far from their house party with 35 guests. Sitka raised over $4000 and brought our message to 95 people at their dinner event. Good luck to the Tacoma (WA) group who will be holding their benefit dinner this Wednesday, Sept 26. And tickets are now on sale online for the Detroit-area fundraiser with Marianne Williamson. Please help them spread the word by sharing the information for this special evening with folks you know in Michigan and Ohio. The event will be held on October 19, and Ms. Williamson will talk on the theme of “Consciousness and Activism.” She’ll also offer a sneak preview of her upcoming Sister Giant conference.
2. World AIDS Day Mini-grants. World AIDS Day grant applications are now available, and applications are being accepted until October 15! Apply now in anticipation of World AIDS Day on December 1. Got a great outreach idea? Don’t let this chance pass you by. And while you’re at it, check out this handy powerpoint to get excited about how your outreach feeds into our organization’s bold 2012-2015 Strategic Plan.
3. RESULTS Expansion. RESULTS continues its expansion efforts all across the country. Right now, we are hard at work to launch new groups in Laramie (WY), Missoula (MT), Helena (MT), Charlotte (NC), Boulder (CO), Birmingham (AL), Richmond (VA), and Nashville (TN). Do you know potential advocates in these states? Let us know!
Energy and persistence conquer all things.
– Benjamin Franklin
1. October 3 (9 pm ET) and 19 (1 pm ET): RESULTS Introductory Calls. Please RSVP for the call so we can welcome you. Dial in number: (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262.
2. October 13, 2 pm ET: RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Poverty Campaigns. Dial (888) 409-6709 to join.
3. October 15, 8 pm ET: Global Free Agents Call. Join this call if you are an activist in a town where there is no RESULTS group (yet). Contact Lisa Marchal for more information. Dial (218) 486-1611, passcode 7378587 (RESULTS) to join the call.
4. October 15: World AIDS Day mini-grant application deadline. Apply now in anticipation of World AIDS Day on December 1. Got a great outreach idea? Don’t let this chance pass you by. And while you’re at it, check out this handy powerpoint to get excited about how your outreach feeds into our organization’s bold 2012-2015 Strategic Plan.