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SPRING/SUMMER 2011 RESULTSAdvocate BUILDING CHAMPIONS TO END POVERTY Building Bridges as Budget Cuts Loom ope is a decision, not a feeling,” said Joanne paigns were chosen to Carter, executive director of RESULTS/ build bridges and have “HRESULTS Educational Fund. “Whatever we maximum impact. feel, I’d argue we need to decide to act with hope — hope For example, we’re about what’s possible and hope about the bridges we can supporting funding build on issues that matter for the world.” for new vaccines that could save the lives Carter was addressing the challenges that RESULTS faces of 7.6 million children with a sharply divided Congress and deep budget cuts and the rollout of a proposed for poverty-reduction programs. RESULTS activ- new diagnostic tool ists were gathered around speaker phones in cities across that will transform the country to hear her speak. Carter reminded them that the fight against TB. RESULTS’ work has never been easy, yet we have demon- (Read more about these strated over and over that the programs we champion, like campaigns on page 4.) education for all children around the world, early child- hood development programs in the U.S., microfinance, and ullivan Our U.S.-focused cam- S child survival, can actually create bipartisan consensus. paigns aim to protect ebecca and expand early Take 1994, for instance, when Rep. Sonny Callahan (R-AL) R childhood develop- became chair of the House Foreign Operations Subcommit- RESULTS is working across the political ment programs and tee, which oversees the foreign aid budget. Rep. Callahan spectrum to sustain critical programs for low- build support for strat- had never voted in favor of a foreign aid bill. Rather than income people like Head Start and health egies that encourage despairing, RESULTS enlisted the help of key allies in Con- care for the world’s most vulnerable people. savings. These cam- gress and asked Rep. Callahan to take on the issue of child paigns tackle some of deaths from poverty-related causes, and he did. He spear- the root causes of inequality, break the cycle of intergenerational headed the creation of the Child Survival and Health Account in poverty, and build on RESULTS’ history of engagement in these the foreign aid budget, which is now funded at almost $500 mil- issues. (Read about one of our new chapters taking action on page 6.) lion annually for child survival and maternal health programs. Success also depends on amplifying our voice, so we’re starting “We never know who our allies and champions will be,” Carter new RESULTS chapters in congressional districts where we don’t said. “This is a moment where our particular strengths are so currently have a presence. We’re giving constituents the opportu- valuable. We have impor- nity to speak knowledgeably and persuasively to their represen- tant relationships across INSIDE THIS ISSUE tatives while letting representatives know that their constituents the political spectrum and care about people struggling with poverty. (Read about RESULTS’ Changing Perceptions of Poverty 2 the willingness to get in In Bangladesh, Seeing Is Believing 3 expansion on page 7.) there and influence new Gathering for Regional Conferences 3 members.” “I am clear we can make real progress this year if we continue to do Lining Up for Life: New Vaccines 4 what we do best,” Carter said. And what’s that? We make the case A Game-Changer for TB 5 To be successful in times powerfully to decision makers and the media; we work across the New RESULTS Chapter in Idaho 6 like these requires creativ- political spectrum, building bridges and support from unexpected RESULTS Is Growing with Your Help 7 ity. Our current cam- allies; and no matter the challenges, we refuse to give up. Empowering ordinary people to become extraordinary voices for the end of poverty. CAMPAIGN UPDATES Changing Perceptions of Poverty in the U.S. “Having successfully highlighted the power of microfinance to help lift the world’s poorest people out of poverty, RESULTS is in a prime position to spread the word about the importance of credit and building assets for low-income people in America and the power of advocacy to bring that vision to scale,” said Meredith Dodson, RESULTS’ director of domestic campaigns. RESULTS activists shared about RESULTS’ asset-building campaign, which is promoting the Saver’s Bonus. The Saver’s Bonus would let low-income workers in the U.S. put all or part of their tax refund into a savings product, which would be matched by the government up to $500 per year. “Current U.S. policy allocates billions of dollars to asset building through things like mortgage interest and property tax deductions, but only 3 percent of the benefits go to the bottom 60 percent Erica Lansner of households,” said Dodson. “Compare that to the top 1 In late 2007, as banks were crumbling around the U.S., percent, who receive 45 percent of the benefits. The Saver’s Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank did something radical. Bonus is a simple, common sense option that gives low- They opened a microfinance bank in Queens, NY. Following income Americans the opportunity, convenience, and incentive the original Grameen model, which was developed in one of to begin saving. What’s so exciting is how much of a game- the world’s poorest countries (Bangladesh), Grameen America changer saving can be — low-income families that save money placed 500 women borrowers into groups of five, then made are more likely to have children who escape poverty.” loans of up to $3,000 for small business ideas developed by the groups. As they built their businesses, the women met Hundreds of people at the To Catch a Dollar premier signed up weekly to make payments and contribute to a savings account. to become involved with RESULTS. The event also kicked off a long-term campaign to reframe perceptions of poverty in this Just twelve months after opening, the Jackson Heights branch country and to extend the reach of financial services to those of Grameen America had loaned over $1.5 million to 550 in need. Each week in April, events are bringing attention to a women and added branches in Brooklyn and Manhattan, specific topic, from the “unbanked” in America to the need for with plans to open in other U.S. cities. RESULTS teamed up financial literacy. RESULTS is hosting several online webinar to tell this story at the March 31 nationwide release of the trainings and even a “Twitter Party” during the policy week of documentary To Catch a Dollar: Muhammad Yunus Banks April 25 in order to educate and activate theatergoers looking on America. The movie was shown in 227 theaters. RESULTS for a way to make a difference. chapters cohosted 37 showings and educated attendees. RESULTS Activists Gather for Regional Conferences RESULTS activists in (left to right) California, the Pacific understand that we live in a shrinking global village, making us Northwest, Texas, and New Jersey (not pictured) gathered for more closely interdependent than ever before. It was uplifting regional conferences this spring to develop their advocacy and inspiring. Since discovering RESULTS less than a year ago, skills and get inspired by getting together. I’ve seen the proof that even small actions count, especially when combined with other people’s efforts. Thank you for Dee Diallo, who is originally from Guinea in West Africa, shared helping me be engaged and an agent of positive change in this about his experience at the regional conference in Washington global village.” state: “I spent that weekend with a group of people who PARTNERS IN ACTION In Bangladesh, Seeing Is Believing By Jennifer Maurer, RESULTS Senior Policy Associate to one of BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Pro- We sat in a small courtyard (though big by Bangladeshi stan- grams. The women dards) beside a large and sturdy home, surrounded by healthy who enter this pro- women and children. We had come to Bangladesh to see evidence gram have no assets that it is possible to create a system in which people who are and eat barely one seemingly stuck in poverty can live healthy, productive, and even meal a day; many prosperous lives. are shunned by This past January, Patrick Hughes, founder and president of In- their neighbors and clusion Solutions; Brian Shaw, chairman, Asia Pacific, for the Brit- even family. BRAC ish firm Fresh @ Leagas Delaney; Nick Arena, RESULTS’ former helps them plan an chief operating officer; and I spent two days visiting programs income-generating run by BRAC. BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Commit- activity, provides Jennifer Maurer, RESULTS’ senior policy tee) is a development organization that recognizes that people are them with necessary associate, shared a happy moment with poor because of a lack of opportunities, not a lack of potential. Its assets, and coaches microfinance borrowers in Bangladesh. programs, which reach an estimated 110 million people, include them on how to run microfinance, primary schools, TB treatment, and much more. their business, improve their health and nutrition, and get their On this particular children into school. day, 25 women Standing tall, graduates of the Ultra Poor Program eagerly asked from a microfinance us to visit their homes to see what they had accomplished. Their group in the village businesses started very small, but grew. One woman began with of Sirajgonj were just one cow, but now she had two cows, six goats, and lots of making their weekly chickens. She brought her animals out from behind her house one loan payments and at a time. “That’s not all,” she said, after each round.

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