Think Bigg

With my sister just days (hours) away from having Baby #2, I’ve been looking at a lot of baby gifts lately, and this one definitely deserves a mention.

Check out these baby clothes disguised as flower bouquets at The Baby Bunch!

The flowery bunches come in a variety of colors (see photo below) and include: one bib, one t-shirt, one hat, a onesie and a pair of socks. All the clothing is 100% organic cotton and comes sized for babies either 0-6 or 6-12 months.

What pregnant mom-to-be wouldn’t love a bouquet of these flowers?

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While there has been some recent criticism of its much touted potential to eliminate global poverty, there is no doubt that microfinance has empowered millions of impoverished people around the world by providing them access to the financial tools that traditional banks won’t offer.

To that end, the folks at Unitus are doing their part to fight global poverty by using a venture capital model to increase access to microfinance around the globe.

According to their website,

Unitus envisions a world where microfinance is available to every individual. We work toward this vision by accelerating the growth of the world’s highest-potential emerging microfinance institutions. We provide capital investments and capacity-building consulting, thus empowering these organizations to scale and provide life-changing financial services to dramatically more of the world’s working poor.

How can you help? Of course, you can always donate directly to Unitus.

Or every time you shop at Amazon.com, click through the Unitus website, and Unitus will receive a contribution for all the purchases you make within the following 24 hours at no additional cost to you! How easy is that?

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Nicholas Kristof ran another great story last week on one of the most easily prevented tropical diseases: worms.

According to the New York Times,

Some 40 million people have H.I.V. or AIDS, and 600 million have hookworms. Here in Congo, one study found that 82 percent of children have worms, and partly as a consequence 70 percent are anemic.

It often costs hundreds of dollars a year to treat a person with AIDS, continuing for as long as the person lives. But it costs 3 cents per year per person for medicine to prevent elephantiasis, which is caused by worm-like creatures and is on my personal top-three list of diseases never to develop.

Elephantiasis causes one’s legs to become grotesquely swollen, looking like an elephant’s, hence its name. And a man’s scrotum balloons so monstrously that in extreme cases the victim needs a wheelbarrow to support it as he walks.

The Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases estimates that more easily preventable and treatable ailments, including worms, elephantiasis and trachoma, kill 500,000 people annually. Indeed, ordinary worms kill 130,000 people a year, through anemia and intestinal obstruction.

More generally, these diseases prevent children from achieving their intellectual or physical potential.

These ailments together can be prevented or treated for just 50 cents per person per year.

The Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases is a partnership formed in 2006 to raise the profile of neglected diseases and to stimulate a paradigm shift in disease control efforts.

Find out how you can be part of the solution with just 50 cents!

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The July issue of Vanity Fair is dedicated to Africa and its newsmakers. Guest edited by Bono, it provides a comprehensive overview of what’s happening on the continent — from the usual stories on health care and politics, to a surprising renaissance in books and music.

To showcase some of that music, Vanity Fair is offering Youssou N’Dour’s playlist of African music with one hundred percent of the cost donated to the Global Fund.

The Global Fund was created to finance a dramatic turn-around in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. To date, the Global Fund has committed US$ 7.7 billion in 136 countries to support aggressive interventions against all three diseases.

Check out iTunes to download any of these tracks and vote with your dollars!

1. “Li Ma Weesu,” by Youssou N’Dour.
2. “Senegal Fast Food,” by Amadou & Mariam.
3. “Savane,” by Ali Farka Touré.
4. “Jiin Ma Jiin Ma,” by Orchestra Baobab.
5. “Africa Challenge,” by Toumani Diabate’s Symmetric Orchestra.
6. “Saa Magni,” by Oumou Sangare.
7. “Chet Boghassa,” by Tinariwen.
8. “M’bifo,” by Rokia Traoré.
9. “Sou,” by Cheikh Lô.
10. “Iniagige,” by Salif Keita.
11. “Miyaabele,” by Baaba Maal.
12. “Jaman Moro,” by Afel Bocoum.
13. “Sigui,” by Djelimady Tounkara.
14. “Debe,” by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabate.
15. “Allah,” by Youssou N’Dour.

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Here are some startling statistics: One-third of black males born today will spend time in prison. Forty-eight percent of all black children live without their fathers in their home.

In the face of these dismal predictions, Oprah recently featured Geoffrey Canada, President and CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City.

Founded in 1970, the Harlem Children’s Zone is a pioneering, non-profit, community-based organization that works to enhance the quality of life for children and families in some of New York City’s most devastated neighborhoods.

Mr. Canada, who grew up in the South Bronx, has dedicated his life to helping children who grew up in conditions similar to those faced by his family secure both educational and economic opportunities.

Here are just a few of the impressive programs initiated by the HCZ:

The Baby College helps parents in the HCZ who are either expecting a child or raising one between the ages of 0 to 3 years. It is our goal to provide these residents with both a range of information and the supports necessary to raise happy and healthy children who enter school ready to learn.

The Harlem Peacemakers identifies and trains young people who are committed to making their neighborhoods safe places for children and families. Through its School Success Project, over 150 Peacemakers work directly in classrooms and operate after-school and summer programs, serving 1,200 elementary children in the HCZ.

The TRUCE Program is a comprehensive youth development program for adolescents ages 12-19, that fosters academic growth and career readiness with an emphasis on the arts and multi-media technology. The TRUCE Fitness and Nutrition Center, the first youth run fitness center in the nation, offers residents in the HCZ free access to fitness classes and equipment and nutrition information.

Read more about the HCZ at Oprah.com and click here to find out how you can help!

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