The Millennium Development Goals aim to halve poverty by 2015. Eight specific and measurable goals set targets in specific areas. At ‘Halftime’, data is giving an indication of progress during the first third of this 15-year period. The latest UN progress report states that across all the regions no one goal is on track. However, there is progress being made on all the goals. The results are predictably uneven but there has been some visible and widespread gains. Encouragingly, the report suggests that some progress is being made even in those regions where the challenges are greatest demonstrating success is possible, but also indicating the MDGs will be attained only if concerted additional action is taken immediately and sustained until 2015.

• The proportion of people living in extreme poverty fell
from nearly a third to less than one fifth between 1990 and
2004. If the trend is sustained, the MDG poverty reduction
target will be met for the world as a whole and for most
regions.
• The number of extremely poor people in sub-Saharan
Africa has levelled off, and the poverty rate has declined by
nearly six percentage points since 2000. Nevertheless, the
region is not on track to reach the Goal of reducing poverty
by half by 2015.
• Progress has been made in getting more children into
school in the developing world. Enrolment in primary
education grew from 80 per cent in 1991 to 88 per cent in
2005. Most of this progress has taken place since 1999.
• Women’s political participation has been growing, albeit
slowly. Even in countries where previously only men were
allowed to stand for political election, women now have a
seat in parliament.
• Child mortality has declined globally, and it is becoming
clear that the right life-saving interventions are proving
effective in reducing the number of deaths due to the main
child killers – such as measles.
• Key interventions to control malaria have been expanded.
• The tuberculosis epidemic, finally, appears on the verge
of decline, although progress is not fast enough to halve
prevalence and death rates by 2015.
By pointing to what has been achieved, these results also
highlight how much remains to be done and how much more
could be accomplished if all concerned live up fully to the
commitments they have already made. Currently, only one
of the eight regional groups cited in this report is on track to
achieve all the Millennium Development Goals. In contrast,
the projected shortfalls are most severe in sub-Saharan
Africa. Even regions that have made substantial progress,
including parts of Asia, face challenges in areas such as
health and environmental sustainability. More generally,
the lack of employment opportunities for young people,
gender inequalities, rapid and unplanned urbanization,
deforestation, increasing water scarcity, and high HIV
prevalence are pervasive obstacles.
Moreover, insecurity and instability in conflict and postconflict
countries make long-term development efforts
extremely difficult. In turn, a failure to achieve the MDGs
can further heighten the risk of instability and conflict. Yet in
spite of a technical consensus that development and security
are mutually dependent, international efforts all too often
treat them as independent from one another.
The following are some of the key challenges that have to be
addressed:
• Over half a million women still die each year from treatable
and preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
The odds that a woman will die from these causes in sub-
Saharan Africa are 1 in 16 over the course of her lifetime,
compared to 1 in 3,800 in the developed world.
• If current trends continue, the target of halving the
proportion of underweight children will be missed by
30 million children, largely because of slow progress in
Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
• The number of people dying from AIDS worldwide
increased to 2.9 million in 2006, and prevention measures
are failing to keep pace with the growth of the epidemic. In
2005, more than 15 million children had lost one or both
parents to AIDS.
• Half the population of the developing world lack basic
sanitation. In order to meet the MDG target, an additional
1.6 billion people will need access to improved sanitation
over the period 2005-2015. If trends since 1990 continue,
the world is likely to miss the target by almost 600 million
people.
• To some extent, these situations reflect the fact that the
benefits of economic growth in the developing world have
been unequally shared. Widening income inequality is
of particular concern in Eastern Asia, where the share of
consumption of the poorest people declined dramatically
between 1990 and 2004.
• Most economies have failed to provide employment
opportunities to their youth, with young people more than
three times as likely as adults to be unemployed.
• Warming of the climate is now unequivocal. Emissions of
carbon dioxide, the primary contributor to global climate
change, rose from 23 billion metric tons in 1990 to 29
billion metric tons in 2004. Climate change is projected
to have serious economic and social impacts, which will
impede progress towards the MDGs.
This report also points to disparities within countries,
where particular groups of the population – often those
living in rural areas, children of mothers with no formal
education and the poorest households – are not making
enough progress to meet the targets, even where the rest of
the population is. This is particularly evident in access to
health services and education. In order to achieve the MDGs,
countries will need to mobilize additional resources and
target public investments that benefit the poor.

Play the rice game and help feed chronically hungry people in low income countries. The game is simple, and for every correct answer, ten grains of rice are donated to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) – the world’s largest humanitarian relief organization. Since its launch over a month ago, FreeRice.com is experiencing rapid popularity, thanks to bloggers and social networking websites. So far, FreeRice.com has raised over one billion grains of rice, which are enough to feed more than 50,000 hungry people for one day.

In response to an organized campaign by groups like ONE, presidential candidates have gone on record with their views on global poverty issues. Here’s an exerpt from Josh Peck from the ONE campaign;

The On the Record site features each of the candidates’ personal video responses to ONE members and short summaries of their plans on:

Reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis
Eradicating malaria
Improving child and maternal health
Achieving universal primary education
Cutting in half the number of people without clean water or enough food

For the first time ever, the entire presidential field is debating these issues and coming up with plans that recognize the challenge and the opportunity we have to build a better future for the world’s most vulnerable people. The result is a huge victory for you, our members and for the millions of people around the world living in extreme poverty.

The candidates’ detailed responses to our questions show that they are tuned into these issues like never before.

Check out what the candidates are saying:

http://www.onevote08.org/ontherecord?id=164-2761034-a6cJ.t&t=3

Through On the Record, we have the chance to make a more informed choice than ever before. This year, we’ll go into the primary season with more knowledge and more confidence that extreme poverty and global disease will be central to the 2008 election.

Thank you to everyone who helped, shoppped, advertised, planned and promoted our alternative gift market. The market showcased 16 different fair trade vendors, displaying products made by impoverished artisans around the world. The over $10,000 in proceeds (doubled from last year!) are chanelled back to diverse projects around the world helping artisans to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. Some of the proceeds were also allocated to God’s Kids International, a christian orphanage and agriculture project in Liberia which is home it 50 orphans.
The goal of the CEP Alternative Gift Market is to raise awareness about the challenges faced by those struggling to overcome poverty around the world, provide a showcase for artisans’ work, and provide an opportunity for our local community to come together and purchase meaningful and unique gifts for the Christmas season.

Here is the view from Angela Alverado, a visitor to the market:

As the Christmas season quickly approaches, we begin to dread overcrowded malls, overpriced gifts and impossible to find parking spots. Sometimes shopping for loved ones becomes more of a headache then a time of joy. However, don’t throw in the towel just yet because there is a simple solution to your worries. This year I attended the 2nd annual Christians Ending Poverty Alternative Christmas Market held at the San Marcos Civic Center. The event hosting several organizations and churches was held on a beautiful Saturday afternoon from 1-4 pm.

Having never attended such an event, I was extremely curious and excited for the new experience. Upon my arrival I was immediately welcomed by the CEP booth where I was given information about the event. After reading some of the material I continued on to the main hall where I enjoyed some tasteful refreshments and watched videos from participating vendors. I found the videos both educational and highly effective in illustrating how the organizations help make a difference in people’s lives. When the videos were finished I made my way back outside and began my shopping adventure. While walking through the market I was amazed by all of the beautifully unique items that were hand made in various countries. I saw everything from jewelry, purses, coffee, wood carvings, ornaments and baskets. Each table had incredible items and informative literature about the marvelous people that make them. The literature is a great tool because it not only gives background information on the specific causes; it also lists ways for anyone who is interested to help out. I had an eye opening experience that day while exploring the different organizations and purchasing gifts for family and friends.

At the end of the day I felt a mix of emotions. I felt fortunate for what I have and inspired to help others who are less fortunate. I also felt great that the purchases I made were going to help in a big way. The alternative gift market is a brilliant idea because you can buy well priced one of kind items for your loved ones and the proceeds go to help others who are in greater need. I would recommend the gift market to everyone because it’s an experience that will open their eyes to the desperate conditions and needs of people around the world. Everyone who goes to the gift market will also get a chance to see how different organizations and average citizens are helping to change these conditions. People will also get a sense of hope as they get educated and purchase some magnificent items. This event will definitely put anyone in the giving spirit and I now look forward to it next year

Our Christian faith and biblical tradition extend an extraordinary invitation to each of us and our faith communities to become agents of God’s compassion and healing in a wounded world. The Good News of Jesus Christ is both a comfort and a promise for the poor and, at the same time, a call to those of us who are not poor to be linked with God’s vision of justice and reconciliation. The Church’s history shines with examples of courage and commitment of those who addressed themselves to the needs of our most desperate sisters and brothers.

JustFaith, a thirty-week adult educational and formational process, offers an opportunity for people of faith to embark upon a spiritual journey into compassion. Most of us long to be a generous and compassionate people. However, occasions to explore this tradition in a deliberate and engaging way have largely not been available. JustFaith provides a lively and challenging format to read, view, discuss, pray, experience and be formed by the justice tradition that changes lives, inspires faithful witness, and transforms the world through love and service. Across the country, JustFaith has proven to be a potent and successful strategy for expanding and energizing Christian commitment to address human suffering. Indeed, many participating churches choose to repeat the JustFaith process year after year. The JustFaith program has been offered in over seven hundred churches from a variety of denominations in thirty-five states throughout the country.
Contact info@christiansendingpoverty.org for more information

Thank you to all those who participated in Escondido’s Stand Up to end poverty event. Three events were held in Escondido. Students at Calvin Christian School held Stand Up events during the High School lunch hour and Junior High chapel. 225 students participated in those events. Another 61 adults and children stepped out of their comfort zone and stood outside Escondido City Hall to urge world leaders to fulfill their promises to fund and support the Millennium Development Goals. Holding signs that spelled out the words, “STAND UP TO END POVERTY” the group was filmed by local news reporters and received honks of support from passing motorists. The primary goal of the event was to draw attention both to the needs of those dying from poverty and the need of US citizens to hold our government to its promise to participate in the Millennium Development Goal’s plan to halve poverty by 2015. The Escondido events were part of a world wide record breaking action. 38.8 million people around the world stood up to indicate their desire to eradicate poverty, and urge leaders to fulfill their promises in support of the Millennium Development Goals. That was big increase from the 2006 event when 23 million people participated.

To download the image to your computer, click the link below. Once you see the image, “right click” and select “save image as”.

AGM downloadable flyer

See you at the market!

Between now and October 16th you can join in an initiative lead by Jubilee USA

Today, millions of men, women and children around the world are literally starving for debt cancellation. See the truth about debt here.

The 2007 Jubilee Act (HR 2634) would provide expanded debt cancellation for many countries that were not included in the 2005 G8 agreement and need debt cancellation to address extreme poverty.

Moving the Jubilee Act through Congress is the central goal of this fall’s Cancel Debt Fast, a rolling 40-day fast for debt cancellation that will take place from September 6 to October 15, 2007.

The Jubilee Act has been reintroduced, but we can’t get it passed without you!

Show your support of the Jubilee Act (HR 2634) by choosing one day to fast. Fast from food or television or cell phone or whatever is meaningful to you, then visit your congressman’s district office and let him know you have fasted in support of the Jubilee Act and ask for his support of the Act as it passes through congress.

Let us know what day you will fast by emailing info@christiansendingpoverty.org Get full information, support and instructions here

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly;defend the rights of the poor and needy.”Proverbs 31:8,9.

On October 16th and 17th , millions all over the world will once again Stand Up and Speak Out against poverty and inequality and in support of the Millennium Development Goals. The Stand Up Speak Out initiative is planned to coincide with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. On this day last year, 23.5 million people stood up against poverty in a 24 hour period setting a new Guinness World Record.

This year the Global Call to Action Against Poverty and the United Nations Millennium Campaign plan to mobilize people all over the world to break this record, urging millions more to join this growing global movement. They will demand that their governments keep their promises to achieve the Millennium Goals to end extreme poverty by 2015.

Stand Up and Speak Out is the growing movement of people no longer prepared to stay seated or silent in the face of poverty and inequality. Last year we Stood UP at Crossroads Church and Trinity Episcopal Church on a Sunday. This year we will StandUp at the corner of Valley Parkway and Broadway in Escondido, outside City Hall. Be there with us on Tuesday October 16th at 5:30 pm and bring everyone you know.

Stand Up is a simple, effective and quick way for you to raise awareness about the need to act to end poverty. You will stand, be counted for the Guiness Book of Records attempt, and listen to a short declaration.

To see the video click here

“For the first time since record keeping began in 1960, the number of deaths of young children around the world has fallen below 10 million a year, according to figures from the United Nations Children’s Fund being released today.” Under-5 Mortality Drops to Record Low “The new figure, based on surveys in more than 50 countries, represents a substantial decrease from the 20 million deaths in 1960, especially considering that the world’s population has more than doubled to 6.6 billion people since then.” Child mortality at record low, UN says “The drop has been attributed to increased vaccinations, greater use of mosquito nets and vitamin supplements and more women breastfeeding rather than mixing formula with dirty water.”

This is a good indication that the global efforts to impact poverty can make a difference. Each one of us can contribute to the fight to overcome poverty. We hope you will feel heartened by this news, and encouraged to continue to be or become involved in the effort to prevent youngsters from dying from poverty.If you would like ideas on how to get involved please click here.