I’m painting a room in my house. Anyone who’s taken on a home project knows that picking a paint color can be a truly excruciating drill. I’ve got blue on the brain (there’s a fair amount of “UN Blue” found in our offices) but “UN Blue” isn’t an option from Sherman Williams. This exercise got me thinking about the symbolic power of the UN’s famed blue found on its peacekeepers uniform. That blue helmet (or […]
Hero Blue | unfoundation.org Read More »
Today, United Nations Peacekeeping celebrates a birthday. At 64, I think it’s safe to say that Peacekeeping is officially in its prime. Surely, with its years have come many hard-earned accomplishments. In fact, to date there have been 67 peacekeeping operations on four continents. But ever since its infancy, this historic—and indeed heroic—institution has been an overachiever. What began with a handful of brave souls setting out to the Middle East amid the 1948 war
On Its Birthday, UN Peacekeeping Gives Back Read More »
The spot where we had stopped in Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya wasn’t supposed to be anyone’s home. The open courtyard with shelters was intended for new arrivals to gather and aid workers to distribute water containers, blankets, and other supplies. But nearly 8,000 people have flooded Kakuma since the beginning of the year, the majority of them South Sudanese fleeing violence in their newly independent country. So this utilitarian zone has become a
South Sudanese Refugees Find Hope Amidst Chaos Read More »
At six years old, my son Travis surprises me fairly often. Last month, as we planned his birthday party, I got a surprise that made me really proud of him, and reminded me that our kids are sometimes way more ready to grow than we realize. His birthday is close to Earth Day, which happened to fall on a Sunday this year. As we talked through possible themes, dates, and times for the party, and
What’s a B’EarthDay Party? | unfoundation.org Read More »
Co-written by Nancy Lindborg, USAID assistant administrator of democracy, conflict and humanitarian affairs and posted on Devex.com on June 4, 2012 Over the past year, 13.3 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia were thrown into crisis as a result of drought in the Horn of Africa, the worst in 60 years. In response, the United States — together with the international community — spent more than $1.5 billion, saving millions of lives by
From relief to resilience | unfoundation.org Read More »
When you are on board a plane, carry-on safely tucked away, the world sure seems like a small place at 35,000 feet. But as you soar above the earth, consider the BIG role we all play in making it a better place. There are many problems facing the world today — but also many solutions. The key is raising awareness and taking action. Virgin Produced, the film and television production arm of the Virgin Group,
Social good at 35,000 feet Read More »
Frontline health workers, including nurses, midwives and community health workers, are the first and often the only link to health care for millions of people living in the developing world. These invaluable figures in communities throughout the world are critical in settings where overall primary health care systems are weak or inaccessible. Frontline health workers are the backbone of health systems in these resource-constrained environments, yet they face numerous challenges: weak performance incentives, difficulty reaching
Mobiles to “mPower” Frontline Health Workers Read More »
Every year, more than 7 million children die from preventable diseases before their fifth birthday. With so many statistics like this, it becomes hard to wrap our minds around what that means. It means that every day, not one, but thousands, of mothers lose a child to a disease that existing, simple solutions could prevent. A bed net could protect a child from malaria, a vaccine could protect him or her from pneumonia or measles.
Meet Nala | unfoundation.org Read More »
Right now, world leaders are gathering in Rio de Janeiro for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, to define pathways to a more sustainable future for our world. Known as Rio+20 because it marks 20 years since the first Earth Summit held in Rio, the conference will bring together governments, businesses and groups from around the world to shape how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity, and ensure environmental protection to get
How Social Media Gives us all a Seat at the Summit Read More »
