34 Million Friends Campaign
Campaign founders Lois Abraham (far left) and Jane Roberts open letters at UNFPA headquarters. Photo: William A. Ryan/UNFPA
The Power of Two Women, One Idea and 34 Million Friends34 Million Friends of UNFPA got its start in July 2002 with the almost simultaneous inspiration of two strong women. Both were outraged by the U.S. decision to withhold from UNFPA $34 million in congressionally appropriated funds, and each was determined to do something about it.
When she heard about the decision, Jane Roberts of Redlands, California lay in bed thinking, "A letter to the editor or to my congressman won't be enough. So I'll get 34 million people to donate a dollar."
Miles away, in Taos, New Mexico, Lois Abraham had the same idea. Their initiative took flight in August and by the following May contributions had exceeded $1 million. "Our goal is idealistic, but within the realm of possibility," said Lois. "UNFPA has a vision, and so do we."
34 Million Friends has become a grassroots movement supported by 100,000 individuals and donors who have contributed more than $2 million and demonstrated widespread commitment to UNFPA's work to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities around the world.
Men and women from every state in the U.S. continue to contribute. The story has sparked widespread interest in the media, and more donations arrive with each news feature or column that is published or aired. Last May, a sister campaign, Friends in the European Union, was launched in Brussels. In August, a video about the campaign featuring music from the legendary Odetta and crafted from a poem by Jane was released.
Many donations some for a dollar or two, some for much larger amounts are accompanied by heartfelt notes expressing the belief that all people deserve reproductive health care and access to family planning.
Jane and Lois continue to maintain an active schedule of speaking engagements and other activities to rally support for UNFPA's work and continue the momentum of 34 Million Friends.
When the campaign reached $2 million in contributions, Thoraya A. Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, expressed her gratitude. "We have never experienced anything like this," said Ms. Obaid. "Lois and Jane have not only mobilized funds that we need and are using to save women's lives, but they also have demonstrated that citizens in the United States, as all over the world, understand that family planning and related reproductive health care, safe motherhood and HIV/AIDS prevention are essential requirements for basic human health and that we must work together to make them universally available.
In 2002, Congress appropriated 34 million dollars for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for aid for international family planning but President Bush refused to turn over the money to the UN. The same happened in 2003. Now in 2004, Congress has taken action to release the appropriated funds for these two years as well as for this year. Unfortunately, as of March 2004, it looks like Bush once again will do all he can to block the will of Congress; a Congress comprised of individuals local people have voted into office to represent them.
In late July of 2002, wide awake at 3:00 am shortly after the Bush Administration announced that it was going to deny the UN the $34 million, Jane Roberts, a co-founder of Inland Planet, had a brainstorm. Surely, she thought, there must be 34 million Americans who would give one dollar to show their appreciation for the reproductive health care we have in this country and to share with the world a little of their good fortune. Unbeknownst to her, Lois Abraham of Taos, New Mexico, had the same idea. They contacted the UNFPA and the U.S. Committee for UNFPA, both agreed to assist in the grassroots campaign they already had well under way.
In the months since, the 34 Million Friends campaign has spread across the nation and the globe. It has been featured in major newspapers and magazines here and across the world. Jane Roberts has been invited to do numerous radio interviews and to speak at countless seminars and conferences. As word of the campaign traveled, over $/////////////////// has been raised, almost all from small contributions of a few dollars. The point, however, is not just to raise the money but to raise the awareness of people in the United States to the tremendous and immediate need for more global access to free or inexpensive family planning information and services.
With a slowed rate of population growth, governments will be more able to provide educational and health services to their people, especially women and girls who lag far behind males in educational levels in most developing countries. As people become more educated both their own and their country's economic resources will increase, enabling them and their governments to attend to the mounting loss of valuable farmland, forests, wildlife habitats, and water sources. Not bad for a $1 donation!
Because of its amazing domestic success, UNFPA and other organizations provided the funds and encouragement to expand the 34 Million Friends campaign into an international one. To begin that process, the two co-founders were sent to developing countries to see the UNFPA in action. Jane Roberts was sent to Senegal and Mail, while Lois Abraham was sent to Cambodia and Laos in February of 2003. The insight they gained from visiting with women, girls and clinics now infuses the many interviews, presentations and articles they are asked to do.
In the months since Lois and Jane began the campaign, a national grassroots movement has been created-with more than 100,000 Americans responding.
The Administration's misguided decision is likely to lead to 2 million unwanted pregnancies, 800,000 induced abortions, 4,700 maternal deaths and 77,000 infant and child deaths. By getting involved, each of us can help prevent these dreadful impacts. You can help prevent these impacts by:
1) Sending a dollar or other contribution to:
34 Millions Friends of UNFPA PO BOX 861 Tom's River, NJ 08754-99222) Contacting others: Let friend and organizations know about the campaign.
ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE OPENLY SUPPORTED THE CAMPAIGN SO FAR INCLUDE:Ben and Jerry's Madison (Wis.) Capitol Times National Audubon Society National Council of Women's Organizations National Wildlife Federation Nature Conservancy People for the American Way Population Coalition Population Institute Sierra Club Jerry Brown, mayor, Oakland Molly Ivins, columnist Barbara Kingsolver, author
IMPORTANT WEBSITES:
http://www.uscommittee.org/
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