World Child Status
Every day, 27,000+ children die unnecessarily.
Our hearts have been captured with the plight of those
who are the least of the least of the Earth. They are defenseless and
dependent, yet millions feel forsaken.
51% of the people on earth are children. Some 2.2 billion of the planet's
people are children.
More than one billion of those live in poverty, according to the UNICEF
annual report on children around the world.
This serves as a wake-up call for us to do more
to help the most vulnerable among us.
Their families live on less than one dollar a day
More than 17 million children will starve to death this year
45 percent of the 3.6 million people killed by wars since 1990 have
been children.
Every 14 seconds, a child loses her parents to AIDS
The HIV/AIDS pandemic is producing orphans on a scale unrivaled in world
history. AIDS orphans are expected to number 44 million by 2010.
In the time I speak to you today, four children will become infected
with aids and four will die.
150 million children live on the streets because of poverty neglect
and abuse.
Over 250 million children under the age of 14 work to support their
families, they are often sold for only a few dollars and force into
slavery or bonded labor.
10 million children are being sexually exploited.
Every day, 27,000+ children die unnecessarily.
Nearly eleven million a year dying from the effects of
disease and inadequate nutrition that are caused by just five conditions-
all of which are preventable and curable!
The five most deadly conditions:
1. Pneumonia: Acute Respiratory Infections
kill over three million children under five years of age annually. That's
over 8,000 children a day. Using standard case management techniques
all of these deaths could be easily prevented.
2. Diarrhea: Each year, over three million children in developing countries
die from diarrhea-related disease. That's over 5,500 children a day.
Early intervention could easily prevent these deaths.
3. Measles: A common infectious disease which affects 45 million, and
eventually kills over 1.5 million children each year. Measles is largely
preventable using safe, low-cost vaccines.
4. Malaria: Over 1.2 million children under five years of age die of
malaria each year. The proper use of mosquito nets alone could prevent
most of these deaths.
5. Malnutrition: Rarely listed as a direct cause, it contributes to
more than half of all childhood deaths. Poor feeding practices, inadequate
breastfeeding, and the wrong foods in insufficient amounts, all contribute
to malnutrition.
Vitamin supplements have demonstrated a reduction of up to 80% of malnutrition-related
deaths.
OSC receives donated surplus medicine from pharmaceutical manufacturers
before expiration.
Currently: $500 USD hand delivers over $20,000 retail value of medicine
and medical supplies.
This allows OSC to increase the amount of aid provided to those in need.
With your help, OSC can continue to provide the essential food supply
and medicine which children need to survive these illnesses.