Problems of world are also ours

Disease, poverty and crime occur across the world with little to no groups paying attention to the plight of our brothers and sisters.

According to www.avert.org, young people ages 15 to 24 accounted for half of all new HIV infections worldwide in 2003 – with more than 6,000 being infected with HIV each day.

When will this madness cease?

Unfortunately, the majority of communities and countries suffering from these horrible illnesses are under developed and developing nations.

However, hope is on the way. On Monday, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a 10-year, $750 million grant to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization to buy and distribute vaccines for diseases such as Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping Cough, Measles, Tuberculosis, Polio, Hepatitis B and Yellow Fever…

Prayerfully, after other companies realize what the Gates Foundation is doing to help humankind, they will follow with their own donations.

The mindset of today’s society is not on helping others. Instead, people are focused on getting themselves ahead .

It does not make sense for corporations to bring in millions upon millions of revenue each year and not give anything to philanthropy, humanitarianism or towards helping underprivileged children and countries.

For example, during the 2004 election, both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry received $74.6 million in government funding for the general election. Bush spent nearly $340 million during his campaign. Moreover, the largest donor during the 2004 election was Goldman Sachs with $5,244,158, according to www.opensecrets.org/overview/topcontribs.asp?cycle=2004.

Now, Goldman Sachs may give to charities here and there and Bush may do the same. However, I am quite sure the amount they donate is nowhere near the amount they received from corporations this past election season.

While the rest of the world is struggling to make ends meet, the inauguration ceremony for the oh-so-loved President George W. Bush cost nearly $45 million, according to http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/01/13/inauguration.costs.ap/.

Let’s not even begin to mention the astronomical costs associated with the war on terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein and any other causes the Bush administration has thrown to the public.

The Gates Foundation is one of the world’s major philanthropic organizations and was founded in January 2000. According to the organization’s Web site, http://www.gatesfoundation.org, the Foundation is committed to promoting greater equity in global health, education and public libraries and support for at-risk families in Washington state and Oregon.

In 2003, the foundation paid out $1,182,791,982 in grants. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed more than $7 billion in grants. Unfortunately, they are among the select few who give consistently.

To help underprivileged families and developing nations, you do not have to just donate your money.

You can also help by giving your time as a volunteer with the Peace Corps, as a tutor at elementary schools in poorer neighborhoods or even as a helper at a homeless shelter. You can give old clothes or toys to groups such as Toys for Tots or Coats for Kids, which always accept donations to make children’s wishes come true. to

Everyone cannot do everything. But if someone does something, then that little bit is a step in the right direction.

Dominique Drake is a third-year professional MBA student from Cleveland. She can be reached at dominique1.drake@famu.edu.