Letter to Senator

Dear _____,

My name is Alex Acuña, I’m 17 years old, I live in Richmond and I attend St. Mary’s College High School in Berkeley California. Recently in one of my classes we have been discussing the situation in Africa, and I was very disappointed by the world’s and America’s lack of serious support. According to the NGO Action Aid, as the richest country, we give the most amount of money. However, per person Americans give about $8. Compare this to Luxembourg, for example, who gives more than $360 per person annually. We as a country promised to give .7% of our GNP in order to meet the UN’s Millennium Development Project goals of eliminating poverty by 2015. Sadly, we only give .07%. Considering that we give $22 billion per year in aid while spending $499 billion in Iraq last year, we should be increasing our funds elsewhere (but that is another issue that I know you are working hard at). Of that $22 billion, 70% is Tied Aid, meaning that the funds must go towards buying American products, which forces the aid-receivers to conform to our systems and shape how they function. On a global scale, only about 39% of Official Aid reaches its intended cause. The remaining 61% (“Phantom Aid”) goes to others sources that do not help better the situations of the people who need it. Unfortunately, in the U.S., the Phantom Aid percentage is much higher. Because of this, I encourage you to bring more attention to how the meager amount of money is being wasted, and to support some bills going through legislation.
77 million kids in the world don’t have basic education because they cannot afford it. Price of materials and ability to train and keep good teachers are also obstacles to the problem. The Education for All Act (S. 1259/ H.R. 2092) would help to provide educational opportunities for these children by increasing its importance and investment from America. It is my belief that everyone has the right to be educated and to be able to support themselves. Through teaching, the idea is, the pupils will lead healthier and more successful lives.
10 million children per year die worldwide before they reach five years old, while 500,000 mothers die in childbirth. The Global Child Survival Act (S. 1418) would require the U.S. to formulate a plan for improving child and maternal health while funding child/maternal survival organizations and investing in “proven, low-cost, highly effective life-saving interventions such as immunizations, antibiotics, clean drinking water and vitamin supplements” (one.org).
It is proven that providing economic aid for women significantly contributes in ending poverty because they tend to ensure that their children are educated and healthy. The GROWTH ACT (H.R. 2965) would help woman gain economic equality by allowing them to hold better jobs, gain more property rights, and start businesses.
Most impoverished countries sit in billions of dollars of debt and therefore cannot afford to adequately help their people in economic turmoil. Instead of truly helping, wealthy nations have tended to push loans on these countries, which push poor countries deeper into debt. The Jubilee Act (H.R. 2634) would cancel debt in 26 countries trying to meet the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. These debt cancellation funds would go towards poverty reduction and require governments to provide currant and accurate reports of how the money is being spent. In addition, the U.S. Treasury would be called upon to support 100% grants for poor countries to ensure less need for future borrowing. The Act’s strategy is proven to have worked in Zambia and Honduras.
If these acts were passed, America would truly help eliminate poverty in the world (not to mention improving our global image). I don’t feel that we as Americans are necessarily obligated to help in Africa and the world (though I think that the extreme rich should) but I feel that if we don’t help we are going against our countries values. It is also of economic interest for us, putting these countries back on their feet, because we would spend less on helping the already helped, and these new countries would flourish providing trade opportunities with us. You have been given the power to represent me, and I hope that I have convinced you that my opinions are worth supporting and fighting for to save our friends in need.