Fight Hunger and HIV/AIDS:
Join the Bread for the World 2004
Offering of Letters
Bread for the World's 2004 Offering of Letters, Keep the Promise
on Hunger and Health, is a letter-writing campaign, asking Congress
to keep funding commitments promised to developing nations to reduce
hunger and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.
We have joined the campaign and will hold letter-writing and educational
events soon.
What is the campaign about? In September 2000, 189 nations including
the United States, affirmed a set of international development goals,
the Millennium Development Goals. These goals aim to reduce the devastation
caused by global hunger and poverty. Many poor countries have already
made considerable strides in fighting these scourges, despite major
obstacles such as scant resources. Few additional resources, however,
have been contributed, placing them in jeopardy of being achieved by
the 2015 target date.
In response to the Millennium Development Goals, President Bush created
the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in March 2002. The MCA is intended
to markedly increase the amount of development assistance given to
countries already making progress toward the goals. Countries that
qualify for MCA funding must demonstrate good governance practices,
investment in their citizens and sound economic policies. Through our
2003 Offering of Letters campaign, Rise to the Challenge: End World
Hunger, Bread for the World worked to keep the MCA focused on poverty
reduction.
Recognizing that needs remain great, the president took a second important
step and asked Congress to commit $15 billion over the next five years,
including nearly $10 billion in new money. The president has been clear
that his promises would not come at the expense of ongoing development
and humanitarian programs. With the help of traditional development
assistance from the United States, many groups and organizations in
poor countries are already doing effective, important work to fight
poverty and improve he lives of millions of people. This work and its
funding level must be maintained even as these new initiatives are
put into place. President Bush touted both the MCA and the HIV/AIDS
plan during his visit to Africa in July 2003. But until Congress approves
spending measures that provide full funding for both programs, these
promises remain empty.
More information about the Offering of Letters Campaign and how it
addresses stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS will be included in the next
issue of the Augustanan. Look for Offering of Letter events coming
up and check out:
http://www.bread.org/issues/offering.html
for more information. Next
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