Karessa

Who I'd like to meet:

WE BELIEVE that in the best American tradition of helping others help themselves, now is the time to join with other countries in a historic pact for compassion and justice to help the poorest people of the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty. WE RECOGNIZE that a pact including such measures as fair trade, debt relief, fighting corruption and directing additional resources for basic needs education, health, clean water, food, and care for orphans would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries, at a cost equal to just one percent more of the US budget. WE COMMIT ourselves - one person, one voice, one vote at a time - to make a better, safer world for all. Please click on the banner to get the latest news and information on how to help. ASK QUESTIONS DEMAND ANSWERS- The USA makes up 5.1% of the world population. We use almost 70% of its resources. Africa makes up 18.6% of the world population. They use only 1.6% of the world resources. The WTO's (World Trade Organization)leaders or members aren't elected democratically, their meetings are held in secret, and their information isn't available to the public. Under their rules set by them, the WTO is allowed to impose harsh penalties on countries that don't comply with what they wish, leaving no room for choice. Every year the US purposely overproduces certain types of food, and dumps the subsidies on foreign countries, lowering the world food price so farmers make less capital. The WTO demands that all of its members convert to free trade, or trade with no tariffs. While this makes international trade easier for us, this leaves third world countries dwindling in poverty. Third World countries can take out loans from the World Bank, who tell them that they don't have to pay it back. The country spends all the money, and then the World Bank goes back on their word, and says not only do they have to pay it back, but for every month they don't pay it back, there is 10% interest added on. Countries are forced into debt. The US and UK could easily cancel the world debt. In fact, it would take only 0.03% out of our GNP (Gross National Product). Africa is the country with the highest death rate of AIDS. 70% of people with AIDS live there, 80% of AIDS orphans live there, and 90% of AIDS deaths occur there. It costs $0.55 to make one capsule to fight against AIDS in Brazli. Companies sell them for $6.10 each. 40,000 hungry people die from starvation every day. That's one person every 3.6 seconds. 70% of them are children under five.