I can ADVOCATE

1. Encourage political leaders and others to (1) support research on the causes and treatments of HIV/AIDS and (2) make treatment drugs available at affordable prices for the poor. For more information about how to help people suffering from HIV/AIDS, go to http://www.unaids.org/en and http://www.who.int/hiv/en.

2. To help those affected by poverty, go to www.one.org, and sign up for the One Campaign, which is working to help the poorest people of the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty.

3. Take up the Micah Challenge to “do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8) by going to www.micahchallenge.org and signing the Micah Call to reduce poverty by 50 percent by 2015.

4. Encourage government leaders to support international efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, which will reduce poverty and improve the lives of billions of people in our world in the next generation. Learn about the Millennium Development Goals at www.un.org/millenniumgoals.

5. Go to www.un.org/special-rep/children-armed-conflict, and learn what you can do to help children affected by conflict.

Do Something

Give a voice to those who have no voice by writing our leaders, encouraging them to support efforts that will address disease, conflict, and poverty.

1. To send an e-mail message to your congressional representative, go to www.house.gov/writerep, enter your ZIP code, and follow instructions.

2. To send an e-mail message to your U.S. senators, go to www.senate.gov, enter the name of your state, and follow the instructions to identify the names of your senators. Click on the name of the senator to whom you want to send an e-mail message, and write a message.

3. For information on how to send a letter or message to President Barack Obama, click on www.whitehouse.gov/contact, or write President Obama directly at The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500.

Here are the beginnings of some sample letters. Personalize them, and add your own perspectives and thoughts:

Dear [Leader’s name],

I am distressed about the lives of children who are captured by the LRA in northern Uganda and forced to be soldiers—and worse. No one should have to live that way. Please do what you can to stop the LRA, to establish peace in the region, and to release the child soldiers. Please help find ways to rehabilitate the children so that they can have a normal life again. Do what you can to send humanitarian aid to the families
in the camps.

Thank you for your service,
[Your name—and age, if you wish]
[Your address]
[Your city, state, and ZIP code]                      

Dear [Leader’s name],

I appreciate what our country is already doing to support the Millennium Challenge Goals. These Goals are important to the well-being of billions of people living in poverty in our world. Please continue to commit our “fair share” of financial support to the international effort to achieve these goals by 2015.

Thank you for your service,
[Your name—and age, if you wish]
[Your address]
[Your city, state, and ZIP code]                             

Dear [Leader’s name],

I am very concerned about the problem of hunger in our world. There are many things we can do to end poverty in our lifetime. Please ensure that our national budget will include support for these efforts so that those who are hungry and poor will have hope.

Thank you for your service,
[Your name—and age, if you wish]
[Your address]
[Your city, state, and ZIP code]

I'm only one person, but I can make a difference!