Talking about a Revolution: Philanthropic Travel
Congress is set to pass a "continuing resolution" (CR), a move that will keep 2007 funding levels equal to those of 2006. For the fight against global poverty, that means HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis programs will not receive a billion dollars in increased funding for the new year.
There are 39.5 million people living with HIV/AIDS today, and 4.3 million people were infected with HIV/AIDS during 2006. Without the increase expected for 2007, programs in the poorest countries in the world will have to stop enrolling new patients and, according to Mark Dybul, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, an estimated 110,000 to 175,000 people will die.
Thankfully, there is still a limited amount of funds available for the 2007 budget, and our leaders in Congress are tasked with doling out these funds. Senators Durbin and Brownback and Representatives Lee and Shays have drafted "Dear Colleague" letters to send through the House and Senate, urging congressional leadership to use as much of the money as possible to fund these critical programs.
The more senators and representatives who sign these "Dear Colleague" letters, the more likely congressional leadership will decide to give a large portion of the funding back.
Ultimately, the decision Congress makes will be measured in lives lost and lives saved.
Make sure your representatives know that you don't want to lose a year's worth of progress and momentum on the most difficult challenges our world faces. Contact your representatives now and tell them to fund the fight against extreme poverty. We need them to sign the "Dear Colleague" letter today.
Related Links:
The War on Terror is the antithesis of Philanthropic Travel
Bombs
Money and Soul: The Great Divide?
Personal Openings and World Travel
Poetic Medicine: Humility and Power
My First Philanthropic Travel Experience
Understanding Philanthropic Travel
Personal Openings and World Travel
For My Culture
The Fable of Stone Soup
Giving while Living: The Deeper News About the New Philanthropy
Affluent Parents Dedicated to Instilling Philanthropic Values in their Children
Why Exquisite Safaris?
e-mail 
posted by: David, Exquisite Safaris
Philanthropic Travel is the Ultimate Luxury
The Exquisite Safaris philanthropic travel experience integrates indigenous local culture into every personalized luxury trip we recommend. These personal introductions create authentic cross cultural friendships that generate trust, respect, and generous donations funding philanthropic travel projects worldwide.
