Students at the U are helping to save six million lives around the world.
The U is one of the campuses nationally involved in the ONE Campaign to end extreme poverty worldwide. Volunteers from the U are working locally and abroad. Founded 10 years ago with the help of 11 aid organizations and co-founder Bono, the ONE Campaign has advocated for funds to help individuals with AIDS and those needing vaccinations, as well as to provide electricity and clean water to underprivileged areas of the world.
Members of the campaign believe poverty can be eradicated by 2030, using students to spread awareness of problems that are often overlooked and underpublicized.
Kaitlin Kingdon, a senior in human development and a campus leader of the U chapter of the campaign, said students at the U can get involved to make a difference.
“Even if you can’t make a difference or don’t believe you can,” Kingdon said, “you need to be aware.”
Each semester, campuses involved in the ONE Campaign are assigned three challenges to complete. Challenges range from helping to get an act passed in Congress to tabling on campus. As each challenge is completed, the school is awarded points and prizes. Currently the U ranks 34th in the country out of 300 schools in attendance and is the only college in Utah that participates.
The most recent challenge the U chapter competed in was called “Electrify Africa.” The goal was to provide electricity to more than 50 million people for the first time and bring light into the schools of 90 million children. Students created petitions, rallied at the Utah Capitol and talked to lawmakers and citizens. Electrify Africa passed in the House of Representatives and has moved onto the Senate.
“There are hospitals and schools in the world that operate without electricity,” Kingdon said. “The lack of electricity is aiding the spread of disease and making it difficult for people to be educated. The success of Electrify Africa will bring an end to some of the plight people suffer.”
Ana Grande, the southwest regional director of the ONE Campaign, said it is important for students to be involved in the efforts to help citizens of the world.
“There is no action too small and no action too big,” Grande said. “The effort students put forth is never overlooked … Every action has a purpose, and every action is allowing us to get one step closer to a world where these challenges are a memory in the distant past.”
The next challenge U students will tackle is World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. Students who want to be involved with the ONE Campaign can visit campus.one.org.
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