WE Blog

Time magazine’s 2005 Persons of the Year — philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates and rock star activist Bono — deserve credit for addressing calamities that, unlike TV-ready tsumanis and other natural disasters, often occur beneath the media radar and public awareness.
But as the article notes, they also have done so with smart, effective campaigns that target the underlying causes of poverty and disease in the world. The Vaccine Fund started by the Gates Foundation is a great example: By investing large sums in vaccinations and other proven treatments, the fund already has inoculated millions of people against hepatitis B, influenza and yellow fever, and saved more than 670,000 lives.
Bono has shown remarkable persistence and political skills in persuading world leaders to forgive up to $40 billion in Third World debt and address underlying health problems such as AIDS.
Of course, much more needs to be done: An estimated 2 million children continue to die every year because of a lack of basic vaccinations, according to the World Health Organization.
But these leaders are showing how to make a real difference against poverty — not by simply throwing money at the problem, but by applying a smart, strategic vision.
Posted by Randy Scholfield