MRS. SANDRA NOGUERA - SIXTH GRADE

EVERY KID CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH AN ACTION A DAY

Do You Know About the Millennium Development Goals ?

World leaders, in the year 2000, with the United Nations got together and made a plan to change the lives of millions of people living on less than $1 a day, suffering from extreme hunger, the violence of war, the pain of HIV/AIDS, malaria, lack of clean water and other profound hardships.

The plan involves you and me, along with the rest of the world, and it's called the Millennium Development Goals, or MDGs. The MDGs are 8 goals that if met, will make this world a better place, not just for those that are suffering, but for everyone. You can help reach the goals by taking simple actions and spreading the word.

It's not hard and it can actually be fun! So why not get started today.

MONDAY'S ACTION

Today is Monday and you can help reach Millennium Development Goal #1 by helping cut in half the number of people living in extreme poverty and hunger by 2015!

If your mother and father earned just 1$ a day how would they buy your clothes, or food, your school supplies or even a safe place for your family to live? In Africa 72% of the people living in African cities live in slums.

Hunger is not just a problem for those living in other parts of the world. It is a problem in the United States too. Every night 1 out of every 8 children in the U.S. goes to bed hungry. 852 million people in the world are suffering from chronic or acute malnourishment.

In South Asia and Africa almost half of all kids under the age of 5 go to bed hungry.

If you're suffering from hunger you're malnourished. Malnourished means your body's not getting the right vitamins and nutrients it needs to keep you strong and healthy.

When you’re malnourished you can't think properly. You also can’t play games like other kids because you’re just too weak.

When you become so weak that you can't play games with your brothers and sisters and friends it means your body is also too weak to fight off sickness.

It's hard to imagine, but about every 3 seconds someone dies from hunger.

HERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

1. Go to this link http://fighthunger.org/home and click on the button that says "feed a child today". You will be sending a donation, through a sponsor, to a person suffering from hunger. You can do this as many times a day as you want and each time, someone gets to eat a meal they might not have had that day.

2. If you are trying to think of a great present to give someone, something they will never forget, go to http://www.heifer.org.
Through Heifer International you can, for as little as $10.00, buy a gift of rabbits or baby chicks or cows or a lot of other cool living animals to donate to a family in need.
The gift will be given in the name of the person you are buying it for and they can feel good about the contribution made in their name to help end poverty and hunger.

3. Go to http://www.food-force.com and play this fun computer game made by the United Nations World Food Program. It teaches you all about people who are hungry through a downloadable action game. It can also connect you to other kids around the world who are learning how they can help reach MDG #1.

4. Show your support with the official white wrist band of the Millennium campaign! The wrist band is an international symbol that lets everyone know you are doing your part in the fight against poverty. Make it known that there are "NO EXCUSES" for not reaching the MDGS. They come in a pack of ten for just $10.00 so you can share them with your classmates, friends or family! http://www.noexcuse2015.org/

5. Learn about a very successful MDG project helping one village at a time and ways you can participate in the project. http://www.millenniumpromise.org/site/PageServer?pagename=mv_updates