Make International Aid More Effective

Dear President Obama,

More than 1.2 billion people live below the poverty line worldwide. People in the poorest parts of our world struggle daily against hunger and poverty, but much of this is preventable.

The trick is that we cannot depend on one solution. Many factors drag people into poverty, so we have to take a multifaceted approach to help people escape it. Here are the four key areas that need to be addressed in developing countries:

1. Malaria: Women need to learn how to protect themselves and their families from this disease that kills more than 1 million people each year.
2. Health Protection: In countries that lack medical care, low-cost health products, micro-insurance and health savings plans can help prevent families from being destroyed by minor illnesses.
3. Microfinance: With small loans, women can raise animals and plant gardens, creating sustainable businesses that will help lift their families and communities out of poverty.
4. Education: Learning about family planning, health and business empowers women to secure a future for themselves and their families.

These main factors perpetuate the cycle of poverty and we need to tackle them all in order to break the cycle. Please include these four things in any U.S. foreign aid programs.

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