Monthly Archives: October 2011

World population reaches 7 billion: 7 things you should know

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Kathryn Reid in Causes

World's population reaches 7 billion: 7 things you should know | World Vision Blog

For some time now, the UN has estimated that today, October 31, the world’s population is set to reach 7 billion. That’s a big number, but what does this mean for all of us? How much do we really know about how the rest of the world lives? If you’re asking yourself these questions, start here: 7 things you should know… 1. The highest rates of population growth are in less developed countries. Too many people are born in poverty and live out their days with little hope for better lives. 2. Good news! In developing regions, the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day dropped from 46 percent to 27 percent from 1990 to 2005. Even...

G20 outlook: Will food security agenda remain priority at Cannes summit?

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Adam Taylor in Advocacy

The following is an excerpt from Adam Taylor’s post on The Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Global Food for Thought Blog. * * * This weekend, American families will be preparing their Halloween costumes and loading up on last minute candy purchases. On Monday night, most American children will be walking the dark streets in ghoulish costumes and returning home happy with bags full of sweets. For the next few weeks they will consume way more than the minimum calories (1,500 Kcal per day for a child) needed for their development while an estimated one billion people will go to bed hungry....

What our nation’s top leaders have to say – My notes from the FWD campaign live stream

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Lindsey Talerico-Hedren in Conversations

My notes from the FWD campaign live stream | World Vision blog

Yesterday I tuned in to the official launch of the FWD (Famine. War. Drought.) campaign following the White House live streamed video web chat. As a representative of World Vision but also as a private citizen, I was interested in what some of our nation’s top officials had to say about the U.S. response to some of the greatest crises yet in the 21st century. I captured some highlights from the discussion to share with you, and have noted the minute mark for many of the questions asked. This is not an exact transcription, but a paraphrased overview. The state of play in the Horn of Africa: — Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of the...

God used microenterprise to change my life

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Guest blogger in Microfinance

Who even cries at Micro? I do. | World Vision blog

In July, Deana Calhoun, a World Vision Child Ambassador, visited her sponsored child in the Dominican Republic, where she saw World Vision Micro at work. She blogged about her experiences, which we’re sharing below. * * * Today, we journey to the Palmera area development program (ADP). It is located in northern Santo Domingo. In order to get to the ADP office, we drive through what is called “the Misery Belt.” It is an area along the river and outskirts of town, where the poorest of the poor live. We leave the main office and walk a few blocks away to the technical school. There is an art and music building nearby, which we’ll hopefully visit later, but for now,...

Should U.S. give a free pass to countries that use child soldiers?

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Jesse Eaves in Advocacy, Conversations

As a humanitarian worker, a child protection expert, and as a U.S. citizen, I have certain expectations — some call them naive ideals — that the U.S. government will work to reduce the vulnerability of children around the world and here in the United States. Laws like the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the PROTECT Act, and the Child Soldier Prevention Act have all set in place strict policies that made America the global leader in working to prevent and respond to vulnerability among children. That’s why, on October 4, I was angry, and, to be honest, feeling slightly betrayed. On October 4, the Obama administration announced the latest round of guidelines outlining how, for the second year in a row,...