Why I Believe in Zero

Every day, 25,000 children die around the globe of completely preventable causes. That’s over 9 million deaths each year, children whose lives are cut short by easily treated causes. Unsafe drinking water leads to chronic diarrhea that an 8 cent pack of Oral Rehydration salts can cure. A tetanus vaccine costs less than 10 cents to make and prevents the terrible pain that many healthy newborns endure when they’re born into unclean conditions without a medical doctor present. Measles, pneumonia, rheumatic heart disease, even polio; diseases that no longer exist in developed countries, continue to leave a legacy of death and permanent disability in children from Sub-Saharan Africa, India, Pakistan, South America to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. 

UNICEF has developed the I Believe in Zero Campaign to highlight the plight of these children and to put forth the belief that “No child should die from preventable causes” .

I believe in Zero because it’s the only number that makes sense to me.  I try to imagine saying, “Well, if we get it down to 15,000 children dying every day, that’s ok.”

 I can’t accept that.

I try to imagine saying,   “Well, it’s down to only 3,000 children dying every day, we’ve done enough.” That’s the equivalent of a dozen jumbo jets filled with children crashing every single day.  How can we tolerate living in a world where children die from easily treated preventable causes?

Every moment of every day, UNICEF is on the ground providing lifesaving help for children in need, from providing families with clean water, sanitation, vaccinations against childhood diseases, and providing tools to fight malaria and malnutrition.

UNICEF has been helping children for over 60 years and has saved more children’s lives than any other organization in the world. No other organization has the experience to overcome obstacles like politics and poverty—even war—which can stand in the way of helping a child survive.

Join me in pledging to Believe in Zero by visiting the US Fund for UNICEF website and learn more about what you can do to make a difference.

http://www.unicefusa.org/about/