As you may know, Bill Gates is circulating his first annual letter about his work at the Gates Foundation. It provides candid insight into the Foundation’s work and their plans for the future, discussing the progress and shortcomings of initiatives in which they have invested time and resources. Read and download the full letter here. This is the first in the series of letters Gates has committed to writing each year.
ONE Applauds President Obama for Commitment to World's Poorest People
New President's plans stand up for human dignity by elevating the fight against poverty, disease
Washington, D.C. - ONE applauded President Barack Obama for reaffirming America's commitment to the world's poorest and most vulnerable people in his historic Inaugural Address this afternoon.
Senator Bill Frist, the Republican former U.S. Senate Majority Leader who co-chaired ONE's nonpartisan presidential outreach initiative, ONE Vote ‘08, made the following statement in reaction to the Obama inaugural:
"With hundreds of millions of eyes watching him, President Obama made clear that he will help to lead the world to finally end extreme poverty and entirely preventable diseases, that we will use the best of America to help people struggling to survive the world's worst conditions. These are not just words in a speech; this is a commitment from America to the world. We are all in this together, and ONE members are ready to work to turn the Millennium Development Goals into the Millennium Generation's greatest accomplishment. It's time that we open our eyes fully to the human catastrophes facing our world and lead the way to the solutions."
More than 101,000 people signed ONE's online petition calling on Mr. Obama to make clear in his speech the importance of fighting poverty and preventable disease worldwide.
During the campaign, Obama committed to doubling foreign assistance and to prioritize the provision of basic medicine, food and education in areas where people are living on less than $1 per day. His commitments on HIV/AIDS, hunger, and child and maternal health, basic sanitation, and primary education can be viewed at www.ONE.org
ONE is a global advocacy and campaigning organization backed by more than 2 million people from around the world dedicated to fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. For more information, please visit ONE.org.
###
Contact: Joe Smith (423) 439-4317 January 13, 2009 Niswonger Foundation contributes $20K to ETSU College of Public Health JOHNSON CITY - To provide international public health training opportunities for students, the Niswonger Foundation is contributing $20,000 to East Tennessee State University's College of Public Health. This funding will support the new Frist Global Health Scholars Program. Established by former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, the program will allow the College of Public Health to offer international field placement experiences. Funding from the Niswonger Foundation will be used to support three ETSU students who will live, work, and learn in a developing country as part of their educational training. "The Niswonger Foundation's generosity is a major boost for public health education," said Dr. Randy Wykoff, ETSU Dean of Public Health. "There is a dire need for more public health leaders, and graduates who have an international perspective will have a more comprehensive understanding of their profession. Our students' knowledge of public health and community-based programs here in the United States can be of tremendous value in developing countries. "We are grateful to Senator Frist and the Niswonger Foundation for providing this exciting and innovative learning opportunity for our students." Wykoff said ETSU students participating in the program will receive on-site mentoring from qualified health professionals working in those communities and will oversee public health intervention programs addressing concerns such as clean water and sanitation, insect/disease control, maternal education, child survival, or environmental remediation. All ETSU undergraduate and graduate public health students are required to complete a field internship. Speaking of the Foundation's contribution to this program, Mr.Scott M. Niswonger stated: "A major goal of the Niswonger Foundation is to prepare our region's future leaders to face changes and challenges. Health care is a major concern for our region and beyond. The Frist Global Health Scholars Program along with the efforts of the ETSU College of Public Health will provide these future public health professionals the opportunity to gain an exceptional understanding of their field of study by providing them the chance to address health issues on an international scale. We are proud to be part of this extraordinary educational endeavor." The Greeneville, Tennessee based Niswonger Foundation is the brainchild of businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger, who remains the Foundation's sole benefactor. The mission of the Foundation is: "To create opportunities for individual and community growth through education." Further information regarding this Foundation can be found at www.niswongerfoundation.org. # # #