ONE Campaign
Thanks again for your interest and support in the ONE Campaign! ONE relies on volunteers like you to spread the word about the Campaign and raise their voice at key moments when elected officials have an opportunity to make a difference in the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty. Volunteers are the backbone of the ONE Campaign and vital to developing a grassroots network in your city. Below you will find an overview or talking points to use when discussing the ONE Campaign in your community. Though it is not necessary to memorize the info below, we find that it is helpful to most volunteers to be familiar with the language and have a basic
'rap' in mind before they go out into the community to volunteer. The most important thing is to be yourself and the idea is that you will find a way of explaining a campaign in your own words, based on what we outlined below, so that you'll be ready to roll once you start talking to individuals in your community.
What is ONE?
ONE is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans – ONE by ONE – to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE is students and ministers, punk rockers and NASCAR moms, Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life, united as ONE to help make poverty history. ONE believes that allocating an additional ONE percent of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries. ONE also calls for debt cancellation, trade reform and anti– corruption measures in a comprehensive package to help Africa and the poorest nations beat AIDS and extreme poverty.
What does ONE aim to do/change?
ONE aims to help Americans raise their voice as ONE against the emergency of AIDS and extreme poverty, so that decision makers will do more to save millions of lives in the poorest countries.
Who supports ONE?
ONE is a broad movement of Americans from every state and walk of life–more than 2.4 million people have lent their voices to ONE by visiting ONE.ORG and signing the ONE Declaration. More than three million Americans are also wearing white bands as a show of support for ending extreme poverty and global AIDS. ONE is Americans spreading the word in churches, coffee shops, on television, college campuses and the Internet.
Why ONE percent?
Americans have always been a generous people – just look at the outpouring of support for the victims of the tsunami. Yet, most Americans would be surprised to learn that less than ONE percent of the federal budget is currently marked for fighting AIDS and poverty around the world. Surveys show people think it is over 15%. ONE percent of the U.S. budget is approximately $25 billion, and redirecting that much more money will take time. Directed to honest governments, private charities and faithbased organizations, this support would provide the tools and resources they need to really make a difference. By directing an additional ONE percent of the U.S. budget toward providing the most basic needs – and fighting the corruption that wastes precious resources –we can help transforms the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries. If the U.S. were to devote an additional ONE percent – one cent more for every dollar spent by the federal government–to helping the world's poorest people help themselves, America would demonstrate a commitment to the Millennium Goals, an internationally agreed upon effort to halve global poverty by 2015.
One percent is not merely a number on a balance sheet. One percent is the girl who gets to go to school, thanks to you. One percent is the AIDS patient who gets her medicine. One percent is the African entrepreneur who can start a small family business. One percent is not redecorating presidential palaces or money flowing down a hole. This one percent is digging waterholes to provide clean water. One percent is a new partnership with Africa and the world's poorest countries, where increased assistance flows toward improved governance and initiatives with proven track records. With an additional ONE percent of our budget we can help prevent 10 million children from becoming AIDS orphans; We can help get 104 million children into grade school; We can help provide water to almost 900 million people around the globe; We can save almost 6.5 million children under 5 from dying of diseases that could be prevented with low-cost measures like vaccination or a well for clean water. America gives less than one percent now. Were asking for an extra one percent to change the world, to transform millions of lives–but not just that – to also transform the way the world sees us. One percent is national security, enlightened economic self interest, and a better safer world for us all.
Who is behind ONE?
ONE is a coalition of 2.4 million people and over 100 non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations. ONE was founded by 11 of America's most well-known and respected aid groups: Bread for the World, CARE, DATA, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, Oxfam America, Plan USA, Save the Children US, World Concern, and World Vision. ONE is supported by Americans from every state, different ages, many religions and all walks of life, including such notable people as: Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Pat Robertson, Kate Hudson, Rick Warren, Jamie Foxx, Jars of Clay, Penelope Cruz, Dave Matthews, Salma Hayek, George Clooney, Bill Gates and many, many others.
What does the white band mean?
From the heartland to Hollywood, Americans are wearing white bands in support of ONE. Over three million Americans and millions of people around the world are wearing the white band, the international symbol of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. You might be a teacher, doctor or mother. You might wear it to school, church or a concert. Whenever and wherever you wear a ONE white band, you say, without even saying a word, that you want more and better international assistance, debt cancellation and trade reform, and that you want to be part of a movement that is calling for America to join as ONE against this emergency.
Can ONE person really make a difference?
Over 2.4 million people have signed the ONE Declaration – and all have signed as a direct result of being asked by ONE friend, family member, neighbor or colleague. All of us have a tremendous opportunity to take action and influence those closest to us by learning and talking about these issues. From Dr. King to Nelson Mandela, history shows us that big changes can start with small actions. Together as ONE, we can start to make poverty history. ONE and the groups behind it have already campaigned effectively to increase assistance against AIDS and also won victories against the massive debts of the poorest countries. We are gaining momentum all the time, and helping save lives and rebuild futures in Africa and around the world with every victory.
How does ONE link to international agreements to fight poverty?
ONE links directly to the international effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. ONE percent more of the US federal budget would help save millions of lives and be a major commitment towards achieving the internationally agreed upon Millennium Development Goals. If it is delivered, we would achieve 0.35% of national wealth going to Official Development Assistance - half way to the international commitment to achieve 0.7%. Longer term, after demonstrating the money is efficiently and ethically used, the goal is for the US to continue to increase effective assistance until it meets the international commitment to give 0.7% of national wealth. This is an appropriate goals for 8 years time, or 2015, the deadline for achieving the Millennium Goals.
Is fighting poverty part of the War on Terror?
Effective and ethical international aid is national security, not charity. Poverty in the developing world is a serious global security threat, a fact acknowledged by the U.S. when President Bush included development as a priority area of his National Security Strategy. Much like after World War II, when President Truman and General Marshall took a little of our money to build a world that had more friends and fewer enemies, U.S. assistance to the poorest people in the world is vital to our foreign policy–Americans giving our fair share may just be the best money we ever spent.
Why use celebrity spokespersons?
Everyone does what they can–whether it's getting our issues on TV or wearing the white band. From Hollywood to the heartland, Americans are joining the fight against global AIDS and poverty. Celebrities get media attention, attention they can uniquely focus on issues which wouldn't get enough attention otherwise – like the AIDS emergency in Africa. Due to the generous cooperation of some of the biggest names in music, movies, politics and religion, ONE is able to reach and mobilize Americans in an unprecedented manner, across all cultural divides.
Why was the 2005 G8 Summit so important? What happened there?
On July 6-8th, the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations met in Scotland to discuss the major social, political and economic conditions that contribute to poverty. ONE and the Live8 concerts sent President Bush to the G8 on a wave of support for doing more to fight AIDS and extreme poverty, asking for an historic compact for compassion and justice with America doing its leadership share. At Live 8, 1 million people stood in Philadelphia, joining with the 3.8 billion people around the world who turned up, tuned in or logged on to show they were also determined to change the world. Over 500,000 Americans also signed a letter to President Bush, asking that he support four bold commitments at the G8 summit: more and better international assistance, 100% debt cancellation, trade reform and renewed efforts to fight corruption for the world's poorest countries. The G8 leaders reached an unprecedented agreement: $50 billion more a year in international assistance per year by 2010; AIDS drugs to all those who need it, and care for all AIDS orphans; Primary schools for ALL children by 2015; A commitment to protect 85% of vulnerable Africans against malaria; and 100% debt cancellation for 18 of the world's poorest countries. These promises, if kept, are a historic opportunity to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty and save millions of lives. As ONE, we'll need to keep up the positive pressure and make sure they keep them in 2007.
Visit http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/goals.html for the list of the goals.
Why is ONE in my city/state/region?
ONE is working in communities across the country, creating a nationwide constituency of Americans interested in and knowledgeable about the issues of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that Americans working at the local level can beat extreme poverty and AIDS globally. From Des Moines to Chicago to Portland, you may have met a ONE organizer in your community, handing out flyers, asking for ONE Declaration signatures and urging you to act locally to create change internationally.
Is ONE a partisan coalition?
ONE is a campaign in which Americans do not have to take a side–there is only ONE side in the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that millions of Americans agree that we can reach across political divides to do something extraordinary, together. It is in the best American tradition of helping others help themselves, as well as in American long term interest, to beat AIDS and poverty. Americans are united across the political spectrum: ONE's recent national survey found that 86 percent of Americans believe it is important for the United States to put forward "a new effort to work together with other countries to help the poorest people in the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty." Large majorities of those who voted for
President Bush (88 percent) and Senator Kerry (87 percent) support such an effort, with the difference within the margin of error. Among born-again Christians, 55 percent say such an effort is very important, with another 35 percent saying it is somewhat important.
Does ONE work on domestic concerns? Or, only international issues?
There is a humanitarian emergency in Africa and around the world that is unlike anything we have seen in the United States in 100 years. ONE partner organizations are at the forefront of fighting poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS–both at home and abroad. From South Africa to the rural American south, we are all united in our shared work to end AIDS and extreme poverty.
What happens when I sign up to join the ONE Campaign?
To join ONE you simply sign the declaration by printing your name, email and zip code. Your email is important since this is big grassroots movement and we need to be able to be in contact with you, but we don't spam or sell it, and we only send out a few emails a month. The emails will keep you posted on the activities of ONE and Global Poverty issues as well as how you can take action by doing things such as emailing your Senator or calling the President and asking them to lead America in the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty.